Thought suppression and the rebound effect

Thought suppression is the conscious attempt to avoid thinking about something specific.

Although we often resort to this strategy to manage unwanted, intrusive, or negative thoughts, research has shown that it can backfire, leading to a phenomenon known as the "rebound effect," where the suppressed thought returns with greater frequency or intensity.

The No-Thought Challenge

The simple instruction "don't think about a white bear" illustrates the difficulty inherent in thought suppression.

By actively trying not to think about something, we ironically keep that something in our mind.

This process involves two cognitive mechanisms operating simultaneously:

• An automatic monitoring process: One part of our mind constantly looks for signs of the unwanted thought to make sure it isn't emerging.

• A controlled operation process: Another part of our mind actively tries to distract us or replace the unwanted thought with other content.

The Mechanism of the Rebound Effect

The rebound effect occurs because the automatic monitoring process remains active even when the controlled operation process (which requires more mental effort) becomes fatigued or interrupted.

When we are tired, stressed, or distracted, the controlled operation process loses effectiveness, but the monitoring process continues to detect the unwanted thought, thus making it more accessible and prominent in our awareness.

As a result, attempting to suppress a thought can lead to it becoming more intrusive and frequent than it would have been if no active suppression attempt had been made.

Practical Implications

Thought suppression has important implications for managing worries, obsessive thoughts, or painful memories.

Forcibly trying not to think about something that distresses us can, paradoxically, increase its presence in our mind.

Rather than direct suppression, alternative approaches such as acceptance (acknowledging the thought without fighting it, as in some mindfulness practices), focused distraction into absorbing activities, or cognitive restructuring (changing how you interpret the thought) may be more effective in the long run.

For example, instead of saying "I don't want to be anxious," it may be more helpful to accept the feeling of anxiety and then focus on a task or a relaxation technique.

Understanding the rebound effect helps us find more adaptive strategies to deal with unwanted thoughts.