The group who had suppressed thoughts of a white bear actually ended up having more white bear thoughts than the group that had been allowed to think freely. This result is called the rebound effect of thought suppression. Essentially, if you try to push away a thought on some topic, you will end up having more thoughts about that topic.
I've been there. I had a break up with an ex-BPD girlfriend several years ago that motivated me to start blogging. Writing articles about BPD and relationships and dating has helped me grow and move forward as a better, stronger individual. Eventually, people started asking me for help with their BPD relationships.