Trying to give up a bad habit ? The worst thing you can do is attempt not to think about it
Let me set you a task . For the next minute , I want you to not think about Donald Trump . You must block all thoughts of Trump from your mind . How did you get on ?
If trying not to think about Trump increased your thoughts about him , then you experienced the paradoxical effect of what psychologists call thought suppression . The process of trying to block thoughts from your mind can unintentionally heighten their recurrence and make you doubt your ability to control them .
Given that people often use thought suppression to try and stop bad habits , such as smoking or eating too much , you can see why it might be a problem . In a study on thought suppression , participants who were instructed to block out thoughts of chocolate subsequently ate more chocolate than participants who were told they could think of anything or were instructed to specifically think about chocolate .
So , dieters be warned . Don ’ t try and suppress thoughts about food . You may end up consuming more . The same effects have been found in studies on alcohol . Participants who actively avoid thinking about alcohol crave alcohol more and end up drinking more than those who don ’ t suppress their thoughts .
Smoking is one of the hardest habits to quit . People become physically and psychologically addicted to tobacco . Again , if you want to quit smoking , stop suppressing thoughts about smoking .
In a study following smokers over a three-week period , researchers found that people who tried to block out thoughts about smoking smoked more cigarettes than those who actively thought about smoking . In fact , smokers with a greater tendency to suppress thoughts , of any kind , find it harder to quit smoking .
Even sexual desire seems to be affected by thought suppression . In a study conducted at the University of California , Los Angeles , participants , who were in a romantic relationship , were shown pictures of attractive people and asked