Being able to fully experience moments of pleasantness, happiness, and joy is not always a straightforward and easy task. In the short-term, it can feel easier to avoid feeling good in order to not experience feelings of loss or disappointment.

Ironic process theory refers to the process by which suppressing thoughts (e.g., intrusive thoughts, anxious thoughts, urges to drink) can lead to such thoughts emerging with vengeance. This theory posits that there are two cognitive processes at play here.

I went back and forth between trying to throw my attention back onto the stage and going through my to-do list for the rest of the week, along with my dinner plans for the evening (in case you were wondering, I ended up having a nice plate of pasta). I was torn between two modes of being : Being and Doing modes.

The constant checking my phone for the time gave me the illusion of having control and a way to cope with the uncertainty of the situation. But it wasn’t very effective except for making me more irked and impatient. We all know that a watched clock never goes faster.