Depression and the Ironic Effects of Thought Suppression: Therapeutic Strategies for Improving Mental Control

Research indicates that depressed individuals are especially likely to engage in thought suppression in an attempt to achieve mental control over the thoughts that threaten their emotional well-being. In this report, we examine the process and problems of thought suppression and offer several strategies designed to enhance mental control. Strategies that improve mental control increase the availability and accessibility of effective distractions and optimize mental resources. Mental control can also be improved by reducing the number of unwanted negative thoughts (e.g., via cognitive therapy) and by using alternative strategies to thought suppression (e.g., acceptance-based strategies). An understanding of the counterproductive aspects of thought suppression and the identification of more effective alternatives can offer new insights into the cognitive factors that may contribute to depression and those that help to alleviate it.