You might be making your anxious and intrusive thoughts worse; try the ‘Pink Elephant’ experiment to find out

If you’ve heard about the “pink elephant” experiment making its rounds on the internet, you’re not alone. It’s a simple yet revealing thought experiment that highlights a common experience for many: how hard it can be to control anxious or intrusive thoughts. It works with a single statement: “Don’t think of a pink elephant.” Now, just reading that, it’s likely that a pink elephant has popped into your mind, even though the instruction was to avoid it. This is a perfect example of how intrusive thoughts work; the pink elephant experiment was first explored in Curt Siodmak’s 1947 science fiction novel City in the Sky. The goal of the experiment is to showcase a simple human phenomenon: the more you try to suppress a specific thought — especially something visual — the more that thought will pers. The ‘Pink Elephant’ experiment So, why does this happen?Studies suggest that it’s all about how our brains work. When you’re told not to think about something, like a pink elephant, your brain can’t help but latch onto it. Our brains work through association, so the moment you hear the phrase “pink elephant,” your mind automatically tries to visualise it and once the image is there, trying to suppress it only makes it stronger. This phenomenon occurs because our minds don’t just hear words — they create associations and visual images to make sense of them. So, when you’re consciously trying to push that thought away, you’re unknowingly reinforcing it repeatedly checking in with your mind to see if you’re still thinking about the pink elephant. It’s the same thing that happens when you’re told not to press a button — suddenly, you feel an urge to press it! For many, this highlights the challenge of thought suppression, especially in moments of anxiety. The harder you try not to think about something, the more it sticks — especially when its an intrusive thought. It’s like the mind says, “I’ll show you that pink elephant, and you won’t be able to ignore it.” But not everyone experiences these thoughts the same way!Now if you’re someone who doesn’t see the pink elephant at all when told not to, you’re not alone either. Turns out, this experiment doesn’t apply the same way to everyone. For people with aphantasia (those who have difficulty or are unable to form mental images), the pink elephant test doesn’t work since their brains don’t generate images in the first place. This difference in how we experience intrusive thoughts reveals an interesting aspect of how our minds work. For those who can’t create mental images, their resance to involuntary, intrusive thoughts might actually be stronger than for those who can visualise. Without the ability to create vivid imagery, it may be easier to control thoughts, daydreams, and even memories tied to trauma. How does this relate to anxiety? For those with anxiety or other mental health concerns, the pink elephant experiment can serve as a metaphor for the overwhelming nature of anxious thoughts. It’s not that you want to think about the worst-case scenarios or intrusive thoughts, but the more you try to avoid them, the more they pers. Understanding this phenomenon can shed light on why anxious thinking can feel like a cycle that’s hard to break. However, more recent studies the University of Cambridge might suggest the opposite — actively suppressing fearful thoughts may offer potential benefits. While further research is needed to validate these results, the study opens new avenues for understanding how managing fear might improve mental well-being. What method works better for you?