What is meant by ironic effects?

Wegner (1994) coined the term ‘ironic effect’ to describe the uncontrollable preoccupation with a ‘to-be-supressed’ thought that individuals experience during and after thought suppression.

What is ironic thought suppression?

The ironic effect of thought suppression refers to the phenomenon in which individuals trying to rid their mind of a target thought ironically experience greater levels of occurrence and accessibility of the thought compared with individuals who deliberately concentrate on the thought (Wegner, 1994, doi:10.1037/0033- …

What is the White Bear effect OCD?

Ironic process theory, ironic rebound, or the white bear problem refers to the psychological process whereby deliberate attempts to suppress certain thoughts make them more likely to surface. An example is how when someone is actively trying not to think of a white bear they may actually be more likely to imagine one.

How do you suppress your thoughts?

Strategies for Unwanted Thoughts

1. Choose a distractor and focus on that. If you’re given two things to think about, your concentration is fractured, and will give your brain a small break from focusing on the unwanted thought.
2. Postpone the thought.
3. Cut back on multitasking.
4. Think about it.
5. Meditation and mindfulness.

What is the pink elephant theory?

My guess is, not even 5 seconds. I bet you’re wondering how that happened. I mean, when is the last time you’ve thought about a “pink elephant?” In psychology, this phenomenon is known as the “ironic process theory,” whereby deliberate attempts to suppress certain thoughts actually make them more likely to surface!

Do you not think of pink elephants?

Multi-award winning short film, Don’t Think of a Pink Elephant, is the inspiring story of a teenage girl fighting against compulsive thoughts and urges. Layla is terrified by her potential to do harm, until challenged to face her darkest fears.

How do you overcome White Bear Syndrome?

Meditation, mindfulness and other tools can help us avoid unwanted thoughts, says social psychologist Daniel Wegner. Comment: “Try to pose for yourself this task: not to think of a polar bear, and you will see that the cursed thing will come to mind every minute.”

How do you deal with a white bear?

If you encounter a polar bear, keep these tips in mind:

1. Good luck. Polar bears are the biggest bears on Earth, and they’re much harder to scare than brown or black bears.
2. Don’t act like prey.
3. Do act like a threat.
4. Use bear spray.
5. Don’t give up.

What is the disorder of overthinking?

Illness anxiety disorder, sometimes called hypochondriasis or health anxiety, is worrying excessively that you are or may become seriously ill.

What happens if you ignore OCD thoughts?

It can easily become a form of compulsive avoidance, a refusal to acknowledge that the thought occurred in the first place and a refusal to experience feelings as they are. Active “ignoring” can trigger an additional sense of being in denial (and thus more anxiety).

How do I stop thinking about a pink elephant?

Distract yourself: Just telling yourself not to think about something won’t work, but giving yourself something else to do instead can be effective. The more involved the task is the better because your brain will be more engaged.

How do you stop the pink elephant effect?

– It is important that you really do stop after 15 minutes. So use a timer on your phone and do something active after the 15 minutes, to distract yourself. – When you notice that you have a negative thought or worry outside of these 15 minutes, notice it and write it down on a ‘worry-list’.