Hi imaginethat. Certainly if the ruminating starts to cause you notable pain or affects your stability, do call your psychiatrist and therapist, if you have the latter. Sometimes calming the brain a bit with chemicals can help. However, I believe that therapeutic tools should be the first step. It's good that you have tried some from your toolbox.

For rumination, definitely mindfulness practice (and grounding techniques) are helpful. Some you mentioned are along those lines, but also do some that even more require concentration on other things. For me, cooking and baking is especially helpful. It's hard to ruminate when you are measuring, stirring, filling muffin pans, etc. Gardening is similar. Even cleaning/tidying up the house. Or artistic projects. The thing about journaling is that you might journal about your ruminations. The point is to put them on the back burner.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has a tool that I love called "Challenging Cognitive Distortions". See Challenging Our Cognitive Distortions and Creating Positive Outlooks from My Support Forum's old site Psych Central. Here's an example:

Situation: At a party in my new neighborhood, people noticed that after coming from the bathroom/WC, I had toilet paper hanging from my pants

Step 1 - On a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being the most severe), how upset did that make me feel? What were some physical symptoms I experienced from the discomfort?

Step 2 - What thoughts/images resulted from the above embarrassment/feelings? How much did you believe some of these (1 least to 10 most)?

Step 3 - What did you feel was the worst case scenario of these cognitive distortions? [For example, total rejection from new neighbors.]

Step 4 - How can you challenge some of the thoughts above? [For example, "That's happened to others. Could the situation have been the worst possible on earth? No. Would others deep down understand such a feeling at one point in their life? Can the situation have been looked at in a different light? For example, can I laugh such a thing off, myself? If I apologize and tell others 'That sure was an odd way to make a first impression ' that could ease the pressure for both me and others." Or, "Should I REALLY beat myself up in perpetuity about this? Why would I be so cruel to myself? That wouldn't be nice."

Step 5 - After Step 4, how much discomfort do I now have (on a scale from 1 to 10)? What physical sensations am I now experiences? [For example, a little less adrenaline or agitation.]

Step 6 - If the above rating is still high, repeat Step 4 with new challenges.

You know, unless you truly challenge cognitive distortions, no amount of fragrant incense will make a huge difference. No amount of potato chips or cheesecake will fight them.