Researchers at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit conducted a study where 120 volunteers were trained to suppress negative thoughts. Contrary to previous beliefs, the researchers found that suppressing these thoughts not only made them less vivid but also improved participants’ mental health. The study challenged the idea that suppressing thoughts is ineffective and actually causes people to think about them more. The researchers wanted to see if this technique could help people cope with anxiety, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings showed that suppressing fearful thoughts was particularly beneficial and led to improvements in mental health. Participants who continued to use the technique even after the study reported sustained benefits in terms of reduced depression and negative emotions. The research overturns the accepted narrative about thought suppression and suggests that actively suppressing fearful thoughts may be beneficial. The study was funded by the Medical Research Council and the Mind Science Foundation.
https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/suppressing-negative-thoughts-may-be-good-for-mental-health-after-all-study-suggests