Is suppressing negative thoughts good for mental health?

Merry Vole

Apparently, yes, according to this study at Cambridge University:

https://neurosciencenews.com/negative-thoughts-mental-health-23956/

I have always been sceptical about psychotherapy -and my impression is that the NHS mental health services have almost given up on providing it.
Thoughts?

quetzalcoatl

The obvious answer is yes and no. For some people, particularly those with intrusive thoughts, there are various methods, e.g., those found in CBT, which can help. For others, I think suppressed feelings and thoughts are difficult, and releasing them can help. I don't think you can assess therapy from its NHS manifestation, this is about resources.

Heavenlyannie

I find CBT (self taught 20 years ago but I also had a course of therapy over the phone from local psychological services last year) very helpful for managing my intrusive thoughts from my bipolar disorder. But sometimes I really just need to get them out in the open so I can let go of them and stop them overwhelming me. And opening up to others can initiate receiving the emotional and practical support to manage your daily life.
But it also depends what the mental health challenge is; depression is different to anxiety just as schizophrenia is different to PTSD. And within these there are different levels and needs.
(My current doctorate research is about tutors supporting online students with mental health challenges)

quetzalcoatl

Yes, getting things out in the open is very powerful. I think talk therapy is itself powerful and healing, but not suitable for everyone, obviously.

Aravis

It depends whether “suppress” means “repress and try to ignore” or “put on hold while I’m not in a safe space to deal with it, but examine it later”.

quetzalcoatl

It also connects with Freud's use of "repression" which is unconscious, quite different from suppression, and forms a kind of bedrock in our lives. Of course, it bubbles up periodically, or it leaks, as some therapists say. And causes trouble, but also facilitates creativity.

HarryCH

I am no expert, but I suspect there are people who dwell on their negative thoughts and obsess over them. I doubt if that is healthy.

Doublethink

I think there are methodological issues with the study that limit its generalisability.

They were asked to imagine and visualise future negative and positive events - then create a recall cue and then in the no imagine condition they were shown cues and told to suppress the thought (by what sounds like distraction technique). It seems as if the researchers were trying model and treat worry specifically.

People with generalised anxiety disorder worry about lots of things - including exhibiting meta-worry (worrying about worrying). But worrying continues because they also exhibit positive beliefs about worry - I need to think about x in order to solve the problem / in case there is something I should have done etc.

So when you treat that condition, you try to challenge the positive beliefs about worry, get people to defer worrying use distraction etc etc.

Which is to say it is not true that all forms of psychotherapy are trying to get you to dwell on negative thoughts. We have also known for a long time that repressive coping can be successful.

I think the headline, at least is over claiming and/or is misunderstanding how therapy usually works (and/or assuming psychotherapy = one hyper specific form of treatment).

North East Quine

In 2017 I had EMDR for PTSD, which I'd had for many years. The PTSD wasn't severe - I could go for many months without an issue, but whenever it surfaced, it just floored me.

One of the "tasks" I was given, alongside the EMDR, was to be open about it and talk about it, and not try to suppress it. During the actual EMDR sessions I had to dredge up memories; one of the surprising things was that the memories I dredged up were not exactly the ones I would have expected.

The EMDR was a miracle cure for me. It just worked. I still can't quite believe it!

This study seems different in that they are asking people to envisage future worries, so I'm not sure whether that is relevant to PTSD, despite the article stating:
These ideas have become dogma in the clinical treatment realm, said Anderson, with national guidelines talking about thought avoidance as a major maladaptive coping behaviour to be eliminated and overcome in depression, anxiety, PTSD, for example.

Heavenlyannie

It’s not the first time I’ve seen a study about one type of mental health issue being applied to all types, even by experts. I remember being given an article to group critique on a research study day which by fluke was about mental health. The title and conclusion said that physical activity was good for mental health but the actual study looked at its effect on depression only. It took some persuading that the conclusion was wrong; the group was incredulous that I apparently knew better than the consultant psychiatrists who did the study. I discussed the differences between mania and depression as an example, and pointed out that they may well be good psychiatrists but the paper suggested they weren’t good researchers.

Doublethink

Part of the problem is that “negative thoughts” is a very nebulous term - there is a difference between having negative depressive self-talk, flash-backs and rumination.

In the study they get people to bring thoughts to mind and then do something in response to them. Which is what happens in many forms of therapy - though what exactly you want the patients to do with the negative material varies with the clinical problem and the type of therapy.

quetzalcoatl

As an aside, there's a nice story about Columbus, that reminds me of therapy. When he set off he didn't know where he was going, when he got there, he didn't know where he was, and when he came back, he didn't know where he'd been. This is a exaggeration, but for me it's an antidote to people who specify certain goals and methods. But no doubt, some people need that. And as Beckett said somewhere, we have lots of shame to talk about.

MaryLouise

Stepping aside from therapies for a moment, this last year I have been reminding myself of Stephen Covey's insight into a circle of concern and a circle of influence. I have a very small circle of influence and a huge circle of concern.

There's nothing I can do about the collapse of the national power grid here in South Africa, gas shortages, food shortages, civil unrest and worsening poverty. I lie awake and try to figure out what more can be done to keep school feeding schemes going as the schools close and how we might afford to have a solar power installation put up, but the reality is that until the entire province adopts solar- or wind-power alternatives, we're looking at unviable options. To give my worrywart mind a change of topic, I'm also anxious about the collapse of the post office, the train system, bankrupt airline carriers, and what will happen if the economic hub of South Africa ( still Johannesburg) collapses under crime, corruption and chaos. Delapidated sanitation systems and cholera outbreaks, the healthcare (overcrowded state hospitals and under-staffed clinics) inadequate outside of major urban centres. Industrial sabotage, ineffectual political leadership. Then I worry about the crime syndicates moving into our rural area and the worsening drug problems with unemployed youth -- there are no jobs for unskilled labour since the farms are now mechanised. North of where I live, we have more potholes than roads.

There is zilch I can do about any of this macro stuff. I don't want to ignore the realities of a society close to falling apart, I don't want to live in denial. But I do try to not think about it at 3am, which is the hardest time to not worry about everything.

Huia

I found it interesting the a few days ago when we had an earthquake that my reaction was still similar to 2011 when we had thousands of them.

When the shaking stopped I wrapped myself in a blanket and cried for a few minutes. The crying released some of the tension in my body and the blanket warmed me and helped with the shock. Then I made myself a cup of tea and came to the Ship to complain.

Initially, in 2011 I had tried not to cry, mainly due to pride, but it made so much difference that I allowed myself to express what I was feeling and discovered that it not only helped, but allowed me to feel calmer more quickly. In those times connecting with neighbours really helped too.

MaryLouise out of all 24 hours, 3 a.m is the worst time. Thinking of you and the challenges in South Africa.

MaryLouise

Thanks so much, @Huia, I've been thinking about you this last week and how scary that must be. Crying can be so cathartic.