The phrase "avoidance of thoughts" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts discussing mental health, mindfulness, or cognitive strategies where one seeks to not engage with certain thoughts.
Example: "The therapist suggested that the avoidance of thoughts related to past trauma could hinder the healing process."
Alternatives: "suppression of thoughts" or "repression of thoughts".
It assesses overall distress and, in subscales, intrusive experiences and avoidance of thoughts or images associated with the event.
The psychological stress reaction is measured with the 15-item Impact of Event Scale (IES) [ 69, 70], which assesses two categories of responses: intrusive experiences and avoidance of thoughts and images associated with the event.
Class 2 (predominantly PTSD, 25%) evidenced high probabilities of the following PTSD symptoms: intrusive memories, distress to reminders, avoidance of thoughts and activities, and all hyperarousal symptoms (except hypervigilance).
As already noted, a cardinal symptom of PTSD is avoidance of thoughts and memories concerning the trauma, which suggests that elaboration of a very negative memory would be aversive.
It provides a continuous score for overall PSTD, and two sub-scales each consisting of four items: (1) intrusive thoughts, memories and images and (2) avoidance of thoughts and reminders.
These symptoms include: recurrent memories of the traumatic event in the form of intrusions and nightmares, avoidance of thoughts and/or places associated with the traumatic event, enhanced vigilance and hyperarousal, sleep disturbances, and emotional numbing.
Participants were asked to rate frequency of intrusive thoughts about cancer and avoidance of these thoughts over the past week.
In this case, an appearance of thoughtfulness masks, and colludes with, the avoidance of certain thoughts.
The IES has two sub-scales: (1) intrusive thoughts and feelings associated with the stressful life event, and (2) items associated with patterns of avoidance of certain thoughts, feelings or situations.
Mothers in the present study reported avoidance of emotions, thoughts, breastfeeding and of seeking help.
PTSS following a traumatic event include persistent frightening thoughts and memories of the ordeal (re-experiencing), avoidance of thinking about the event and feelings of numbness, and increased arousal.
