A recent investigation involving 120 individuals, who were taught to suppress worrisome thoughts, indicated a reduction in the intensity of those thoughts and an overall improvement in mental well-being. This calls into question traditional assumptions about the adverse effects of suppressing negative thoughts.
Contrary to prevailing views, which generally consider thought suppression as detrimental to mental health, a groundbreaking study by scholars at the University of Cambridge suggests otherwise.
Conducted by researchers at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, the study trained 120 global volunteers to restrain their thoughts on disconcerting negative events. Results showed that not only did such thoughts lose their vividness, but the mental health of participants was also enhanced.
“This contradicts the accepted narrative,” notes Professor Michael Anderson.
Professor Anderson explained that psychoanalytic theories, largely credited to Freud, argue that suppressing emotions or thoughts leads them to lurk in our unconscious, adversely impacting our behavior and well-being. He emphasized that traditional psychotherapeutic approaches aim to unearth these suppressed thoughts to disarm them of their destructive power.
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Examining the Role of Inhibitory Control in Memory
Anderson pointed out that the common clinical approach has been to view thought avoidance as a significant problem that requires intervention, particularly in the context of disorders like depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Anderson sought to explore how inhibitory control—a cognitive mechanism to counter reflexive responses—could assist people. Specifically, he was interested in how inhibitory control could prevent the retrieval of distressing thoughts when prompted by strong reminders.
Dr. Zulkayda Mamat, a Ph.D. student at the time, was interested in whether inhibitory control was an innate or learned skill. Amid the escalating mental health crisis due to the pandemic, the research team decided to investigate how this skill could potentially help people manage their anxiety more effectively.
The Methodology: Instructing Individuals to Restrain Fearful Thoughts
The research team, led by Professor Anderson and Dr. Mamat, enlisted participants from 16 countries to ascertain the feasibility and benefits of practicing thought suppression. Published in Science Advances on September 20, the study asked participants to contemplate a variety of life scenarios that could happen in the next two years. This included 20 negative fears, 20 positive aspirations, and 36 neutral, mundane events.
Participants were asked to evaluate each scenario based on several criteria such as vividness, likelihood, emotional intensity, and their current level of concern. Additionally, participants completed assessments to gauge their mental health status, thereby providing insights into a diverse pool that included individuals with severe depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress related to the pandemic.
Research Findings
Through a 20-minute Zoom training session spread over three days, Dr. Mamat guided participants in exercises to either suppress or vividly imagine these scenarios. It was found that the scenarios participants were instructed to suppress were less vivid and less emotionally unsettling. Furthermore, these individuals experienced an overall improvement in their mental well-being. The most significant impact was observed among those who were trained to suppress distressing thoughts, as opposed to neutral ones.
Post-training assessments, both immediate and after three months, indicated reduced vividness and emotional intensity among suppressed events. Remarkably, thought suppression appeared to enhance mental health even among those likely to have post-traumatic stress disorder.
Long-Term Effects and Participant Feedback
Although not required to continue the practice, many participants opted to do so, and follow-up assessments indicated that the benefits, particularly in reducing depression and negative emotions, persisted. Those who continued to utilize the technique reported the most pronounced improvements.
Dr. Mamat shared heartfelt testimonials from participants who found the method to be exceptionally helpful, with one participant even teaching the technique to her family. Another expressed that the study came at a pivotal moment in her life, assisting her in managing anxiety and fears about the future.
This study, funded by the Medical Research Council and the Mind Science Foundation, may fundamentally alter our understanding of thought suppression, challenging long-held beliefs and potentially revolutionizing therapeutic approaches.
Reference: “Improving mental health by training the suppression of unwanted thoughts” by Zulkayda Mamat and Michael C. Anderson, 20 September 2023, Science Advances. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh5292
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Thought Suppression and Mental Health
What is the main focus of the study conducted by the University of Cambridge?
The study aims to examine the effects of suppressing negative thoughts on mental health. It challenges the conventional belief that such suppression is harmful.
Who participated in the study?
A total of 120 volunteers from around the world participated in the study. These participants included individuals with varying degrees of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder related to the pandemic.
How was the study conducted?
The study involved 20-minute training sessions over Zoom for each participant, conducted over three days. The training included exercises that asked participants to either suppress or imagine thoughts tied to cue words that evoked specific events in their lives.
What were the key findings?
The study found that participants who practiced suppressing negative thoughts experienced a decrease in the vividness and emotional intensity of those thoughts. Their mental health also showed marked improvements, contradicting conventional beliefs about thought suppression.
What impact did the study have on participants with more severe mental health conditions?
People with more severe symptoms at the outset experienced greater improvement in their mental health after suppression training, particularly if they focused on suppressing their fears.
Was there any evidence of a ‘rebound’ effect?
The study found no significant rebound effect, where suppressed thoughts would become more vivid or frequent after the training. Only one person out of 120 showed higher detail recall for suppressed items post-training.
What is the “accepted narrative” that the study challenges?
The accepted narrative, often attributed to Freudian psychology, holds that suppressing negative thoughts or feelings can have a detrimental effect on mental health by causing those thoughts to linger in the unconscious mind.
How has this study been received by participants?
Many participants reported continued benefits in terms of reduced levels of depression and negative emotions, especially among those who continued to use the technique in their daily lives.
Who funded the research?
The research was funded by the Medical Research Council and the Mind Science Foundation.
What are the implications for clinical treatment?
The findings of this study could potentially alter the way mental health professionals approach the treatment of conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD, particularly with regard to thought suppression as a coping strategy.
More about Thought Suppression and Mental Health
- University of Cambridge Official Website
- Science Advances Journal
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Website
- Mind Science Foundation Website
- Freudian Psychology Overview
- Clinical Guidelines for Mental Health Treatments
- Study on Inhibitory Control in Memory Retrieval
- Overview of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
7 comments
Love how the study was so thorough! I mean, they even followed up after 3 months. That’s some dedication to understanding mental health.
Wasn’t expecting this. Makes you wonder what else we got wrong about mental health. I’m glad they did this study, esp in the pandemic times we’re in.
Seriously questioning the Freudian concepts we’ve held for so long. its kinda freeing to think suppression isn’t necessarily bad.
So you’re telling me, all those times my grandma said to just “stop thinking about it,” she might’ve been onto somethin’? Wow.
Wow, this is a game changer. who would’ve thought that suppressing negative thoughts could actually be good for ya? Gotta look into this more.
Always thought that you have to confront your fears and worries. This study opens a new door, doesn’t it? Very intriguing.
I’ve always been skeptical about the “don’t think of a pink elephant” idea. If suppression works, that could really change how we approach mental health.