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Repression has been defined as the tendency to inhibit—consciously or unconsciously—the experience and expression of negative emotions or unpleasant cognitions in order to prevent one’s positive self-image from being threatened.
- Overview
- Why does it happen?
- What kinds of emotions get repressed?
- Can it really lead to physical symptoms?
- How do I know if I have repressed emotions?
- Is it possible to release them?
- The bottom line
Repressed emotions refer to emotions that you unconsciously avoid. These differ from suppressed emotions, which are feelings you purposely avoid because you don’t know exactly how to deal with them.
Say you and your partner have a fight and decide to break up one evening. You still have to meet with an important client at work the next day, so you decide to suppress, or push aside, your feelings until you get home from that meeting.
Suppression can sometimes be a good short-term solution, as long as you make sure to address those emotions sooner rather than later.
Repressed emotions, on the other hand, don’t get a chance to be processed. But that doesn’t mean they simply disappear. Instead, they might show up as a range of psychological or physical symptoms.
Emotional repression often relates to childhood experiences.
Much of what children learn about behavior and communication comes from their primary caregivers.
So, you’ll probably feel pretty comfortable expressing your emotions if your caregivers:
•frequently talked about their feelings
•encouraged you to share how experiences made you feel
•normalized your positive and negative emotional experiences
For the most part, people tend to repress strong emotions, especially those associated with discomfort or other unpleasant experiences.
This includes emotions like:
•anger
•frustration
•sadness
•fear
“Hold on,” you might think. “My emotions don’t make me sick… do they?”
They actually can, in a way.
There’s no evidence to suggest emotions directly cause illness, of course. Sadness can’t give you the flu, and anger doesn’t cause cancer.
But research has linked emotional repression to decreased immune system function. If your immune system doesn’t work properly, you might get sick more frequently and recover slowly.
Repressed emotions can also factor into mental health conditions, such as stress, anxiety, and depression.
These issues often cause physical symptoms, including:
It’s not always easy to recognize when you’re dealing with emotional repression, and there’s no definitive test you can take.
If you do have repressed emotions, however, you might notice a few key signs. These signs might show up in your feelings or your behavior — both toward yourself and other people.
If you have trouble expressing or regulating your emotions, talking to a mental health professional is a good first step.
A therapist can help you explore potential causes of repressed emotions and offer guidance and support as you begin to address these reasons.
Therapy also provides a safe space to:
•work on naming and understanding your feelings
•increase your comfort level around talking about emotions
•learn more helpful methods of emotional regulation
It’s natural to want to avoid feeling bad. Plenty of people feel at least a little afraid of confronting deep, intense emotions, especially those they link to unpleasant or unwanted experiences.
While it may sound a little counterintuitive, learning to embrace those negative feelings can actually help improve emotional well-being over time.
Getting more comfortable with your emotions, even the ones that don’t feel great, can help you navigate the challenges of life more successfully while also improving your relationship with yourself and anyone else you care about.
Crystal Raypole has previously worked as a writer and editor for GoodTherapy. Her fields of interest include Asian languages and literature, Japanese translation, cooking, natural sciences, sex positivity, and mental health. In particular, she’s committed to helping decrease stigma around mental health issues.
- Crystal Raypole
Feb 11, 2024 · In this blog, we will delve into the nuanced differences between repression and suppression, exploring how each process shapes our emotional experiences and influences our overall health. Repression: This psychological defense mechanism involves the unconscious blocking of unpleasant emotions, memories, or thoughts.
Jul 2, 2024 · Emotional repression is the unconscious blocking of painful emotions and memories. Repressed emotions can cause physical symptoms, anxiety, depression, and memory gaps. Suppression is a conscious effort to ignore emotions, unlike unconscious repression.
Oct 11, 2024 · Over time, the concept evolved. Neo-Freudians and cognitive psychologists proposed new perspectives, and the understanding of repression expanded to encompass more complex aspects of memory, cognition, and behavior. Today, repression is still a much-misunderstood phenomenon in psychology.
Oct 22, 2024 · Prolonged emotional repression can contribute to a variety of challenges, such as chronic stress, anxiety, and depression. Physical symptoms. Some studies suggest that a number of physical symptoms could be associated with suppression and repression, including: High blood pressure. Skin conditions. Fatigue. Obesity. Headache. Dizziness.
Sep 5, 2023 · Repression is a powerful defense mechanism that protects people from overwhelming or uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. It is unconscious (unintentional), acting as a psychological shield to help people navigate life without the burden of distressing experiences and preserve emotional well-being.
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