[schiwei]

Hi,

What would be the difference between suppression and repression? Is it just the frequency in which unwanted emotions are subdued or is it the depth of cognition from which they are accessible, which is equatable with the severity of abuse?
Thanks in advance!

 

[step1an]

Repression means you forget a traumatic event & forget that u have forgotten it.
You cannot normally recall the repressed event consciously.

Suppression means to consciously suppress thoughts abt an event. Forget but remember that you forgot.
You can recall the supppressed event.

 

[ashishkabir]

I think one of the key differences with the mature defense mechanisms in general is that you "intentionally" handle the ego insult. That is the major difference here - Suppression means you intentionally say "I will not think about this" whereas Repression involves a memory or act that is pushed into your subconscious by your own mind in order to prevent yourself from having to deal with it.