Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Thought Suppression?Impact of Thought SuppressionHow to Avoid SuppressionPsychotherapy
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Table of Contents
What Is Thought Suppression?
Impact of Thought Suppression
How to Avoid Suppression
Psychotherapy
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Thought suppression occurs when we try to ignore orcontrol intrusive thoughtsthat we find threatening or distressing. Thought suppression can be common in people withobsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).This is because obsessions, in which you experience seemingly uncontrollable and extremely distressing thoughts, are a coresymptomof the condition.
Although a natural reaction for many people with OCD is to try and push theseintrusive thoughtsaway, that may make obsessions worse. Thought suppression may lead to a “rebound” effect, where the effort to push a thought away actually causes it to return.Of course, this leads to more thought suppression, which leads to experiencing more distressing thoughts. It can turn into a vicious cycle.
Obsessions
Obsessionsare recurring thoughts, urges, or mental images that feel intrusive, unwanted, and distressing. People with OCD will often try to ignore or suppress obsessions, or they may take an action to neutralize them.
Compulsions
Compulsionsare repetitive behaviors or mental activities that someone with OCD feels they must perform. Compulsions often accompany an obsession, or they might happen according to a set of self-imposed rules. Someone with OCD engages in a compulsion as a way to alleviate distress or prevent something negative from occurring.
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.
We all encounter intrusive thoughts from time to time, and we have all experienced this paradox of thought suppression. In fact, it has been famously described as the “white bear problem,” which is a reference to a 1987 study that found that asking people not to think of a white bear actually increased the number of times they thought of the animal.
Intrusive thoughts can pose a bigger problem for someone with OCD, however. People with this condition may experience these thoughts more often, meaning they will have to spend more time trying to suppress them. Intrusive thoughts can also feel more distressing and anxiety-provoking for someone with OCD.
Instead of suppressing your intrusive thoughts, try getting some mental distance from them. If you can learn to notice when these thoughts occur, you may be able to challenge them, making them feel less distressing.
Part of this process involves addressingthought-action fusion, which is a key characteristic of OCD. This is the belief that thoughts are equivalent to actions—meaning if someone with OCD has obsessive thoughts about sexual or aggressive behavior, for example, it would be as distressing to them as if they had actually engaged in that behavior.
Mindfulnessmay help you get the mental distance you need to untangle thought-action fusion. This practice encourages you to notice your thoughts and emotions while maintaining a non-judgmental point of view.
For example, when an intrusive thought arises, instead of suppressing it or reacting to it, you would acknowledge the thought non-judgmentally and remind yourself that it doesn’t control you. For people with OCD, learning to accept thoughts without judging them may make intrusive thoughts happen less often and feel less distressing.
Managing your overall stress may also be helpful. Stress-reduction practices can include:
Self-Help Strategies for Living With OCD
If you have OCD, getting away from thought suppression as a coping strategy can be difficult. It may be helpful to consult with a psychologist, psychiatrist, or other mental health professionals to learn more effective strategies to deal with intrusive thoughts and obsessions as part of your overall treatment for OCD.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBTis a form of therapy that encourages you to notice your thought patterns so you can understand the effect that they have on your life. CBT incorporates a number of different strategies (including mindfulness) for becoming aware of negative thoughts, and teaches you how to adopt more constructive thinking habits.
CBT has been shown to be effective at reducing symptoms of OCD.
There are many different types of CBT. For people with OCD, this form of therapy may focus on:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACTis a form of CBT that works to build flexibility in thinking rather than trying to eliminate distressing thoughts like obsessions. This form of therapy uses a variety of mindfulness techniques, metaphors, and life enhancement exercises, and it’s been shown to be helpful for people with OCD.
A core part of ACT is learning to practice acceptance instead of avoidance. In the case of an intrusive thought, that would mean accepting the presence of the thought without making an effort to suppress it or change it in any way.
The Association for Contextual Behavioral Sciencehas lots of ACT resources for the public, including information, discussion groups, a search tool to find ACT therapists, recommended books, and audiotapes for meditation and centering exercises.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
ERP is another form of CBT, and it’s focused on helping you learn a different way to respond to your triggers. ERP involves being exposed to a stimulus that causes fear or anxiety while you refrain from engaging in the compulsion that you would usually use to cope with those feelings.Like ACT, ERP discourages avoidance.
ERP involves working closely with a qualified therapist. You’ll need to understand what your triggers are before you can go through this process and, as you confront them, you’ll need your therapist to offer support and guidance.
ERP can be intense, but it may be an effective way to reduce the symptoms of OCD.
OCD Discussion GuideGet our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctor’s appointment.Download PDFSign UpThank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.There was an error. Please try again.
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A Word From Verywell
Everyone struggles with intrusive thoughts, and experiencing setbacks during your OCD treatment is common. Continuing to work closely with your doctor can help you move forward and eventually reduce the symptoms of your condition.
Treatments for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lambert AE, Hu Y, Magee JC, Beadel JR, Teachman BA.Thought suppression across time: Change in frequency and duration of thought recurrence.J Obsessive Compuls Relat Disord. 2014;3(1):21-28. doi:10.1016/j.jocrd.2013.11.004American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Fifth Edition. American Psychiatric Association; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596Wegner DM, Schneider DJ, Carter SR, White TL.Paradoxical effects of thought suppression.J Pers Soc Psychol. 1987;53(1):5-13. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.53.1.5Bouvard M, Fournet N, Denis A, Sixdenier A, Clark D.Intrusive thoughts in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder and non-clinical participants: A comparison using the International Intrusive Thought Interview Schedule.Cogn Behav Ther. 2017;46(4):287-299. doi:10.1080/16506073.2016.1262894Emerson L-M, Heapy C, Garcia-Soriano G.Which facets of mindfulness protect individuals from the negative experiences of obsessive intrusive thoughts?Mindfulness. 2018;9(4):1170-1180. doi:10.1007/s12671-017-0854-3Olatunji BO, Davis ML, Powers MB, Smits JAJ.Cognitive-behavioral therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A meta-analysis of treatment outcome and moderators.J Psychiatr Res. 2013;47(1):33-41. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.08.020Ost L-G.The efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.Behav Res Ther. 2014;61:105-121. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2014.07.018Hezel DM, Simpson HB.Exposure and response prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A review and new directions.Indian J Psychiatry. 2019;61(Suppl 1):S85-S92. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_516_18
8 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lambert AE, Hu Y, Magee JC, Beadel JR, Teachman BA.Thought suppression across time: Change in frequency and duration of thought recurrence.J Obsessive Compuls Relat Disord. 2014;3(1):21-28. doi:10.1016/j.jocrd.2013.11.004American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Fifth Edition. American Psychiatric Association; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596Wegner DM, Schneider DJ, Carter SR, White TL.Paradoxical effects of thought suppression.J Pers Soc Psychol. 1987;53(1):5-13. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.53.1.5Bouvard M, Fournet N, Denis A, Sixdenier A, Clark D.Intrusive thoughts in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder and non-clinical participants: A comparison using the International Intrusive Thought Interview Schedule.Cogn Behav Ther. 2017;46(4):287-299. doi:10.1080/16506073.2016.1262894Emerson L-M, Heapy C, Garcia-Soriano G.Which facets of mindfulness protect individuals from the negative experiences of obsessive intrusive thoughts?Mindfulness. 2018;9(4):1170-1180. doi:10.1007/s12671-017-0854-3Olatunji BO, Davis ML, Powers MB, Smits JAJ.Cognitive-behavioral therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A meta-analysis of treatment outcome and moderators.J Psychiatr Res. 2013;47(1):33-41. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.08.020Ost L-G.The efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.Behav Res Ther. 2014;61:105-121. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2014.07.018Hezel DM, Simpson HB.Exposure and response prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A review and new directions.Indian J Psychiatry. 2019;61(Suppl 1):S85-S92. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_516_18
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Lambert AE, Hu Y, Magee JC, Beadel JR, Teachman BA.Thought suppression across time: Change in frequency and duration of thought recurrence.J Obsessive Compuls Relat Disord. 2014;3(1):21-28. doi:10.1016/j.jocrd.2013.11.004American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Fifth Edition. American Psychiatric Association; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596Wegner DM, Schneider DJ, Carter SR, White TL.Paradoxical effects of thought suppression.J Pers Soc Psychol. 1987;53(1):5-13. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.53.1.5Bouvard M, Fournet N, Denis A, Sixdenier A, Clark D.Intrusive thoughts in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder and non-clinical participants: A comparison using the International Intrusive Thought Interview Schedule.Cogn Behav Ther. 2017;46(4):287-299. doi:10.1080/16506073.2016.1262894Emerson L-M, Heapy C, Garcia-Soriano G.Which facets of mindfulness protect individuals from the negative experiences of obsessive intrusive thoughts?Mindfulness. 2018;9(4):1170-1180. doi:10.1007/s12671-017-0854-3Olatunji BO, Davis ML, Powers MB, Smits JAJ.Cognitive-behavioral therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A meta-analysis of treatment outcome and moderators.J Psychiatr Res. 2013;47(1):33-41. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.08.020Ost L-G.The efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.Behav Res Ther. 2014;61:105-121. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2014.07.018Hezel DM, Simpson HB.Exposure and response prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A review and new directions.Indian J Psychiatry. 2019;61(Suppl 1):S85-S92. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_516_18
Lambert AE, Hu Y, Magee JC, Beadel JR, Teachman BA.Thought suppression across time: Change in frequency and duration of thought recurrence.J Obsessive Compuls Relat Disord. 2014;3(1):21-28. doi:10.1016/j.jocrd.2013.11.004
American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Fifth Edition. American Psychiatric Association; 2013. doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596
Wegner DM, Schneider DJ, Carter SR, White TL.Paradoxical effects of thought suppression.J Pers Soc Psychol. 1987;53(1):5-13. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.53.1.5
Bouvard M, Fournet N, Denis A, Sixdenier A, Clark D.Intrusive thoughts in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder and non-clinical participants: A comparison using the International Intrusive Thought Interview Schedule.Cogn Behav Ther. 2017;46(4):287-299. doi:10.1080/16506073.2016.1262894
Emerson L-M, Heapy C, Garcia-Soriano G.Which facets of mindfulness protect individuals from the negative experiences of obsessive intrusive thoughts?Mindfulness. 2018;9(4):1170-1180. doi:10.1007/s12671-017-0854-3
Olatunji BO, Davis ML, Powers MB, Smits JAJ.Cognitive-behavioral therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A meta-analysis of treatment outcome and moderators.J Psychiatr Res. 2013;47(1):33-41. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.08.020
Ost L-G.The efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.Behav Res Ther. 2014;61:105-121. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2014.07.018
Hezel DM, Simpson HB.Exposure and response prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A review and new directions.Indian J Psychiatry. 2019;61(Suppl 1):S85-S92. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_516_18
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