A new experiment claims that the common belief that trying to suppress negative thoughts is really bad for our mental health can be wrong.
Specialists asked 120 volunteers from around the world to try to stop thinking about negative things that worried them.
Surprisingly, not only did these thoughts become less vivid, but their mental health also improved.
We used to think differently
Previously, it was believed that trying to stop thinking about negative thoughts could make them stay in our minds and affect our well-being.
This idea was widely accepted in mental health treatment.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists wanted to see if this belief could be challenged and if it might help people cope better with anxiety.
They found that people could benefit from practicing how to stop thinking about fearful thoughts.
How it was conducted
In the test, people were asked to think about negative events, positive hopes, and neutral events in their lives.
Then, they were trained to either try to stop thinking about all these things or even imagine new positive or neutral ones.
The results showed that those who practiced suppressing their fearful thoughts had less vivid and less anxious thoughts.
Their overall mental health improved, especially for those with post-traumatic stress.
Why it's important
This discovery challenges the idea that suppressing negative thoughts is always bad.
It suggests that it may be pretty much possible and even beneficial to actively stop thinking about our fears.
This research offers a new perspective on how we deal with negative thoughts and suggests that it could be a useful tool for improving mental well-being.
