Can you suppress a thought?

Impact of Thought Suppression Trying to suppress an intrusive, unwanted thought can cause it to rebound, or reoccur. This happens because, while an initial thought can occur automatically and without any mental effort, trying to suppress it is a controlled, conscious process that requires mental resources.

Should you suppress intrusive thoughts?

Both experience and research are in agreement that suppressed thoughts can rebound. By trying to suppress intrusive thoughts, you can actually end up thinking about it more rather than less.

What happens when you suppress a thought?

Thought suppression is a psychological defence mechanism. It is a type of motivated forgetting in which an individual consciously attempts to stop thinking about a particular thought. It is often associated with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD).

How do you push unwanted thoughts away?

1. Label these thoughts as “intrusive thoughts.”
2. Remind yourself that these thoughts are automatic and not up to you.
3. Accept and allow the thoughts into your mind.
4. Float, and practice allowing time to pass.
5. Remember that less is more.
6. Expect the thoughts to come back again.

What can I do instead of thought suppression?

Strategies for Unwanted Thoughts

• Choose a distractor and focus on that. If you’re given two things to think about, your concentration is fractured, and will give your brain a small break from focusing on the unwanted thought.
• Postpone the thought.
• Cut back on multitasking.
• Think about it.
• Meditation and mindfulness.

Does compulsions make OCD worse?

Why Doing Your Compulsions Won’t Make Your OCD Better Research shows that performing compulsions actually makes obsessions come back stronger. The compulsions may give you temporary relief, but in the long run, they actually reinforce the obsessive thoughts.

Should you suppress your thoughts and feelings?

Suppressing your thoughts and feelings might unintentionally be your go-to coping mechanism, but as it turns out, suppressive behavior may have some tragically ironic consequences. Numerous psychological studies have shown the dangers of thought suppression, and in this guide, I’ll show you a more healthy alternative for dealing with your demons.

What is thrivingthought suppression?

Thought suppression occurs when we try to ignore or control intrusive thoughts that we find threatening or distressing.

What is thought suppression and how does it affect you?

Thought suppression may lead to a “rebound” effect, where the effort to push a thought away actually causes it to return. 1 Of course, this leads to more thought suppression, which leads to experiencing more distressing thoughts. It can turn into a vicious cycle.

How can you deplete your mental resources?

You can deplete your mental resources by trying to suppress a thought repeatedly or for a long time, meaning you will eventually be unsuccessful. 1 You may also have trouble suppressing thoughts if your mental resources are already depleted, like when you’re feeling stressed, tired, or distracted by something else.