Thought Stopping: Techniques, Effectiveness, & Alternatives

What Is Thought Stopping?

Thought stopping, also known as thought suppression, is a behavioral modification technique involving intentionally preventing thoughts you would rather not entertain.^1,2 Cognitive behavioral therapies may integrate thought stopping, proposing that repeated prevention fades negative thoughts from awareness.³

Thought stopping is a method of addressing problematic thoughts that come from behaviorism and is based on the concept of aversive conditioning.² This process involves mildly unpleasant actions to interrupt and prevent the thought from taking hold. In short, these actions supposedly startle a thought, causing them to disappear. As it turns out, the results are the exact opposite.

Dr. Raffaello Antonino, a Counselling Psychologist and Senior Lecturer in Counselling Psychology at London Metropolitan University, says, “Don’t think about a white elephant. You can think about anything else other than a white elephant. But whatever you do, don’t think about a white elephant.

Just like all the other people, you’re probably now thinking about a white elephant or trying to suppress the thought of a white elephant. This curious phenomenon shows how hard it is for us to control our thoughts, especially when we are trying hard to control them.”

Thought Stopping Techniques

Thought stopping encourages individuals to abruptly and firmly order a thought to stop by doing something irritating. For example, individuals may snap a rubber band on their wrists to disrupt an unpleasant thought.^1,2

While our ability to think, problem-solve, pay attention, remember, cherish, and create is a tremendous asset that allows us to survive and thrive, such skills can also work against us. Overthinking can exacerbate stress, contribute to mental health disorders, and prevent us from enjoying inner peace and satisfaction. Thus, wanting to stop specific thoughts or overthinking is natural. However, thought stopping is not an ideal method of overcoming such problems.

Thought stopping techniques include:^1,2

• Stop the thought
• Notice the thought
• Replace the thought

Is Thought Stopping Effective?

Research suggests that thought stopping is ineffective or even harmful.¹ These techniques do not relieve uncomfortable or unwanted thoughts but often sabotage efforts to deal with thoughts and experiences.³ Thought suppression can cause a specific thought to grow stronger and more persistent.

The brain increases awareness of thoughts when we actively try to block or avoid thinking about them, making them more accessible, prominent, and persistent.^4,5 Furthermore, thought suppression does not offer a replacement or alternative to the thought.¹

Thought suppression, in addition to being futile, can be damaging. The return of unwanted thoughts and resulting frustration can cause people to believe they cannot handle or overcome such thoughts. One study found thought stopping can increase anxiety symptoms, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).⁶ Thought stopping actually intensifies obsessive thoughts, often becoming a compulsion.²

In one experiment, participants instructed not to think about white bears thought of them more often than those not given these instructions.⁴ These observations formed the foundation of ironic monitoring theory, which is the basis of the rebound effect and why thought suppression is ineffective.^2,4

Is Thought Stopping Ever Helpful?

Thought stopping may be helpful in the absence of mental health disorders or when the thoughts do not severely disrupt life. Additionally,  participants in various studies experienced different degrees of success with thought stopping. In other words, not everyone experienced an intense or bothersome rebound effect, leading researchers to conclude thought stopping should be an individualized approach.⁷ Further research revealed that thought stopping was more successful when people first understood the process can cause rebounding.⁵

8 Alternatives to Thought Stopping

Thought stopping and trying to suppress or block thoughts from happening typically doesn’t work. However, other therapeutic approaches and techniques can help people deal with overthinking and rumination, including distraction techniques, meditation, mindfulness, and acceptance.⁴

Here are eight techniques to try instead of thought stopping:

1. Distraction

Distraction involves actively paying attention to something enjoyable and engaging, offering your mind an alternative to distressing thoughts.^3,4 Distracting yourself is not the same as denying or avoiding problematic thoughts. Instead, you directly alter the direction of thoughts by permitting yourself to think about something else.³

Research supports the effectiveness of distraction as a healthy way to deal with negative thoughts. In one study, participants with depression ruminating about their problems for eight minutes experienced worsening symptoms. Those who actively practiced distraction by focusing on descriptions of places and objects for the same period experienced a significant improvement in mood and symptoms.⁸

Distraction (physical or mental) must be enjoyable or intriguing to be effective. The specific distraction doesn’t matter if you are engaged and paying attention. One important caveat is you should do only one thing at a time rather than multitasking. Concentrating on more than one thing increases mental stress, overloads the brain, and can cause a default to unwanted thoughts.⁴

2. Meditation & Prayer

Meditation can reduce unwanted thoughts because it strengthens mental control.⁴ Both secular and spiritual meditations aim to hone our ability to concentrate and focus, allowing us to choose how we pay attention and direct our thoughts.

Prayer is a meditation involving purposefully connecting with a higher power for spiritual growth and meaning. Turning worries over to a higher power has been helpful for many people in quieting thoughts and calming the mind.

3. Mindfulness

Mindfulness is part of meditation and a way of living that involves paying complete attention to the present. Mindfulness strengthens mental control to help redirect thoughts.⁴ When you use your senses to attend to the moment, your negative thoughts gradually lose power rather than remaining stuck. Even in times of stress, mindfulness allows you to stay centered and take constructive action.⁹

4. Acceptance

Acceptance does not mean giving up, giving in, or resigning yourself to unwanted, bothersome thoughts. With acceptance, you allow the thoughts to exist rather than trying to stop, change, or struggle against them. You take away their power and grip on you by letting them exist.³ Studies support the effectiveness of acceptance in dealing with unwanted thoughts.⁶

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a research-based approach to mental health that helps people notice their thoughts and observe them curiously without judgment, criticism, or argument.¹⁰ Then, you learn to go beyond thoughts to live mindfully, taking committed action to what you value for yourself and your life.¹⁰

5. Facing Your Thoughts

Actively and directly facing your thoughts has been shown to reduce their power because you learn you can handle such thoughts.⁴ Facing thoughts is the hallmark of exposure therapy, a helpful approach to treating anxiety and phobias, and exposure response prevention (ERP), a research-supported approach to reducing the symptoms of OCD.

6. Thought Replacement With Positive Thinking

Replacing worries and negative thoughts with more positive alternatives can help shift thought patterns. Instead of stopping thoughts when you notice them, you immediately replace them with something more positive. Research on people with OCD concluded that replacing unwanted thoughts with positive ones is helpful.¹¹

7. Schedule Time to Think About Your Unwanted Thoughts

Rake charge of your thoughts by deciding to think about them on your terms rather than trying to suppress them. Scheduling a time to think about problems and worries can help prevent them from reemerging throughout the day. The idea is that promising to address the thoughts later allows your brain to move them to the back burner.⁴

8. Journal

Journaling or intentionally expressing problematic thoughts (e.g., through poetry, music, or art) helps get them out of your head and in front of you where you can see them differently. Keeping a journal can also be an excellent tool for therapy and a valuable way to organize what you want to discuss.

When to Consider Therapy

Working with a professional mental health therapist can make a positive difference if you can’t shake thoughts or stressors preventing you from living on your terms. Therapy can be crucial in helping identify and change unhelpful thought patterns if you’re living with depression, anxiety, OCD, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or any other mental health disorder. You can find the right therapist on an online therapist directory to get started on your journey to freedom from troublesome thoughts.

“Thought stopping may seem like an obvious choice when faced with difficult, distressing thoughts. This is, for example, the case with OCD obsessions, or even with PTSD flashbacks, up to milder situations like thinking about your partner cheating on you or that they don’t love you. We’re all used to attempting to eliminate in whatever way possible what is seen as painful, distressing, and unwanted. Unfortunately, though, thought-stopping is a bit like pushing a volleyball underwater: The more you push it downwards the stronger it pushes back,” says Dr. Antonino.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to remain trapped in unwanted thoughts. Use the strategies mentioned here or work with a therapist to free yourself and live your life fully. Thought stopping techniques may not work for everyone. Fortunately, many other approaches can help you manage and treat negative thoughts.