As part of the @wellcometrust active ingredients project, yesterday we met with 6 incredible young people to talk about the role of repetitive negative thinking in depression and anxiety, and how to advance treatments. This is some of what they said 1/7

They knew exactly what RNT was & described it as a spiral of negative thoughts that was impossible to escape, like a black hole. Neg thoughts triggered by events that activate schemas, which build like a tornado until fully encompassed in abstract, irrational negative space 2/7

They saw a distinction between the process of RNT and the content of the neg thoughts, with variation on which was most difficult. Some said process of getting caught up most important, others said the content of thought drives the process 3/7

They saw benefit in medication and psych Tx, but the latter was more long term and ‘getting to the heart’ of the problem. Psych Tx takes longer, requires self awareness, and should target RNT process and content, as well as other active ingredients driving dep/anx. 4/7

When asked what we should focus on in research, they said Tx/psychoed in schools/universities, tackling stigma which drives negative thoughts, more culturally approp Tx (inc their deliver context), & online/mobile interventions to improve access to Tx at the right time. 5/7

We are meeting w clinicians to have the same conversations tonight! Over the next 2 weeks we’ll be delving into this & the research in detail to prepare our Insight Report for @wellcometrust - one of 30 to be released later this year on dif active ingredients. Stay tuned! 6/7

Speaking to YP w liv exp has been critical. We got as much from this 2 hour session speaking to YP as we have reviewing literature for the past 3 months! I thank @wellcometrust for placing such emphasis on liv exp involv in these projects. Must remain core to all our work. 7/7

For those interested in more on lived exp of RNT in youth depression and anxiety, this is a great paper shared by @DrJJOliver https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-cognitive-behaviour-therapist/article/all-these-negative-thoughts-come-flooding-in-how-young-people-with-depression-describe-their-experience-of-rumination/FE3477B2EB5CAD8C64A57EB3E4C1A915