From September/October, 2014 edition of Psychology Today by  Carlin Flora: “…Clamming up can even be bad for health.  Studies have shown that trying to suppress a thought makes it more frequent and intrusive (Whatever you do, don’t think of a white bear!), which may cause anxiety.  In her research, Bevan has linked the tendency to avoid bringing up difficult topics to exacerbated symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.  Likewise, many families afflicted with caner avoid taking about the Big C, yet studies have shown that patients tend to get sicker when relatives sidestep conversations about the disease.

“We know that avoiding a topic that’s important to us creates stress over time has negative implications for the immune system and for well- being,” says Walid Afifi.  “If we can explain something, we can gain some control over it, which is a big reason why talking about difficult topics is beneficial more often than not.”