Why Trying to Push Away Unwanted Thoughts Can Backfire by tranquility Published: November 3, 2026 (21 hours ago) Category Health and Beauty Link Why Trying to Push Away Unwanted Thoughts Can Backfire You are trying to sleep, but an unpleasant thought suddenly comes to mind. You tell yourself to stop thinking about it. You turn to your phone or try to focus on something else. For a few minutes, it works. Then the same thought comes back.