You know you are upset but choose to ignore it to focus on a task, like staying calm during a presentation .
In psychology, is the conscious and voluntary act of pushing unwanted thoughts or emotions out of your awareness . While often viewed as a harmful way to "bottle things up," recent research and clinical practice suggest its effectiveness depends heavily on how and when it is used. 1. The Conflict: Is Suppression Good or Bad? suppress
Acknowledge the feeling privately (e.g., "I am feeling very angry right now") even if you can't express it publicly . You know you are upset but choose to
Overuse of suppression can lead to "blunted reward responsivity," where you lose the ability to feel positive emotions as well as negative ones . It is also linked to physical stress symptoms like high blood pressure and tension headaches . 2. Suppression vs. Repression Overuse of suppression can lead to "blunted reward
Improving mental health by training suppression details the recent study on how proactive suppression can actually help . How to Regulate Your Emotions Without Suppressing Them
How to Regulate Emotions Without Suppressing Them offers research-backed alternatives like cognitive reappraisal .
This is an unconscious defense mechanism where the mind automatically blocks out traumatic memories so you aren't even aware they exist . 3. When Suppression is "Healthy"