Yes, a recent study suggests that contrary to popular opinion, trying to forget bad news is better than openly talking about it.

More than 50 years back, many people particularly, British people were advised to keep a stiff upper lip and carry on with their life and not dwell or over share their negative experiences. Then came the American way of Psychotherapy which encouraged everyone to talk about bad things that happened to them.

Men, in particular, were also encouraged to openly talk about their emotions. This was widely accepted as the right thing to do by almost all psychologists and psychiatrists.

Contrary to this widely accepted view, now a new study has shown that the old British stiff upper lip of keeping your emotions in check and carrying on with life is probably better.

The British Royal family, particularly, the Late queen was often accused of not showing enough emotions in Public. This study proves that she is probably right and is having the last laugh !!

So it may be perfectly reasonable not to talk and dwell on bad news and getting on with life.

Mentally suppressing bad news may be not be harmful. Pushing away bad memories can fade them and improve your mental health.

Obviously, one cannot read too much into one study and we have to hope that other studies would confirm or refute this study.

References

Telegraph: A stiff upper lip could make you happier. 21 Sept 2023.

Scientific American. Suppressing an Onrush of Toxic Thoughts Might Improve Your Mental Health.

Science Daily. Suppressing negative thoughts may be good for mental health after all, study suggests.

Can Therapy Be Harmful? 2021.

NHS PTSD treatment

Journal Reference:

2023: Zulkayda Mamat, Michael C. Anderson. Improving mental health by training the suppression of unwanted thoughts. Science Advances, 2023; 9 (38) DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh5292

2015: Steenkamp MM, Litz BT, Hoge CW, Marmar CR. Psychotherapy for Military-Related PTSD: A Review of Randomized Clinical Trials. JAMA. 2015 Aug 4;314(5):489-500. doi: 10.1001/jama.2015.8370. PMID: 26241600.

2009: Berk, M., & Parker, G. (2009). The Elephant on the Couch: Side-Effects of Psychotherapy. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 43(9), 787–794. https://doi.org/10.1080/00048670903107559

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