We’ve all, at some point in our lives, walked away from a conversation, pleasant or unpleasant, and later replayed the exchange in our minds over and over again. We parse through the words, tone, body language, and the pauses, with no detail spared. And no matter how normal this tendency feels to you personally, there are times when it can be maladaptive.

For many of us, this internal playback can feel simply annoying, but for others, it can be sleep-stealing and deeply agonizing. However, it shouldn’t be dismissed as vanity, melodrama, or harmless overthinking. Research shows they can shape mood, anxiety, social confidence, and sometimes become deeply habitual.

If you find yourself caught in mental replays, here are five of the most common reasons why, and what psychology says about each.

One of the most robust findings in psychology is that humans give more attention to negative experiences than positive ones. This is known as the negativity bias, and it affects social interactions just as powerfully as threats or danger.

A 2024 neuroimaging study published in the journal Cognitive Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience........

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