We’re all guilty of it. Whether our kids are driving us crazy, our employer is being difficult, or our spouse says something that sets us off, being able to control and even suppress our emotions isn’t such a bad thing, especially when it’s done for the right reasons and in moderation.
But when it’s a regular part of our existence, says Robert W. Levenson, director of the Institute of Personality and Social Research at the University of California, Berkeley, it can take a toll.
What Does It Mean to Suppress Emotions?
Suppressing emotions involves deliberately minimizing the outward signs of what we feel. Some emotions, says Levenson, are hardwired. For example, if someone takes something from you or threatens you in some way, there’s an almost primitive response that comes out without much thought. On the other hand, if you see a picture of puppies, you’re likely to react with love.
“In many species, that’s the entire game,” he says. But humans can manipulate emotions by adjusting our responses as emotions come up. “We can make the expression of an emotion less prominent,” Levenson says.
