Suppression of Thoughts

The suppression of thoughts is not a genius idea. Some believe suppressing feelings will make them go away. Wrong! It just makes it worse when they come boiling up again (and they will).

I used to suppress my feelings, because at a young age I was taught my feelings didn’t matter. I was obsolete. So I hid my feelings from everyone when I was growing up. My last therapist was actually the one who convinced me otherwise.

All those years of suppression of thoughts caused me a lot of emotional pain. I had self-hatred. The depression was extreme. No wonder no medicines would help. When I finally opened up, it all came rushing out, but oh boy, what a relief.

Suppression and mental health

Pushing away thoughts and feelings might seem like an easy way to cope, but chronic suppression of thoughts can take a serious toll on your mental health. Over time, it can fuel anxiety, deepen depression, and make it harder to manage emotions or maintain healthy relationships.

Here’s a more detailed look at the issue:

What is Emotional Suppression?

Definition: Emotional suppression is a defense mechanism where people actively push away distressing thoughts, feelings, or memories, trying to keep discomfort at bay.
Why people suppress: People often hide their emotions—sometimes because society tells them to, other times to protect themselves, or because past experiences taught them that showing feelings is a sign of “weakness” or “failure.”
Short-term vs. Long-term: Suppressing emotions might seem like a quick fix, but it’s far from a healthy way to cope in the long run.

Potential Negative Impacts on Mental Health:

Anxiety and Depression: Constantly bottling up your emotions can take a serious toll, piling on stress that often shows up as anxiety, depression, or even feeling emotionally numb.
Difficulty with Emotional Regulation: When you suppress your emotions, it becomes harder to understand and manage your feelings, making emotional regulation a real challenge.
Relationship Issues: Bottling up your emotions can make it hard to communicate and connect with others, often leaving you feeling isolated and putting a strain on your relationships.
Physical Health Issues: Suppressing emotions doesn’t just weigh on your mind—it can take a toll on your body too, leading to headaches, stomachaches, and other physical issues.
Impaired Decision-Making: Bottling up emotions can cloud your judgment, distort reality, and make it harder to make smart decisions or solve problems effectively.

Suppression of thoughts techniques

In theory, thought-stopping works like this: When a thought you’d rather not have begins creeping into your consciousness, you identify it as unwanted or intrusive and then take action to push it away.

You might do that using one of a few different methods, like:

snapping a rubber band against your wrist
firmly saying, “Stop!” either out loud or in your head
keeping track of how often you experience unwanted thoughts by making a note each time it happens
substituting a more pleasant thought or image for the unpleasant one
visualizing a stop sign when the thought comes up
making noise to stop the thought, such as snapping your fingers or clapping your hands

With consistent practice, some people learn to recognize the patterns or triggers leading to unwanted thoughts, potentially preventing them before they happen. But thought-stopping doesn’t always play out in this ideal way.

Suppression tools

Here’s a breakdown of common suppression of thoughts tools.

Suppression Tools (and why they’re often problematic):

Distraction

Short-term distractions might seem like a quick fix, but they often mask deeper issues, leaving unresolved emotions to pile up over time.

For me, distraction was a tool I used often. If I didn’t want to deal with my feelings, I inadvertently focused on something else. I thought I was tricking myself, but the joke was on me.

Avoidance

Avoiding your feelings or thoughts is not a good idea. Your anxiety or depression will just grow stronger, until it consumes you. I’m learning to express my feelings in a way that gets my point across without hurting the other person.

Don’t blatantly tell them how you feel. You need to tell them in such a way that’s not aggressive, as to not anger them. no one likes it when you’re up in their face telling them what to do.

Numbing

Using substances or activities to numb emotions, like overeating or excessive alcohol consumption, can lead to addiction and further emotional problems. I once abused a med,because it made me feel “happy and confident.”

Well, that backfired on me. The med started to work against me, but I wouldn’t give up on it. Eventually, it got so bad, I had to quit taking it. Trying to get off of it was one of the hardest things I ever had to do.

Expressive Suppression

Suppression of thoughts and outward display of emotions, such as facial expressions or body language, can lead to a build-up of pent-up emotions and negatively impact relationships.

Maybe that’s why my marriages didn’t last. I couldn’t control my pent up emotions. I never learned to express my feelings. So, I just kept suppressing them, until one day I did the unthinkable, I tried to take my own life.

Healthier Alternatives:

Mindfulness and Meditation: Mindfulness helps you tune into your thoughts and emotions, letting you observe them without judgment or getting swept away. It’s like hitting pause on the chaos and gaining clarity in the moment.
Journaling: Jotting down your thoughts and feelings isn’t just therapeutic—it’s a powerful way to untangle your emotions and truly understand what’s going on inside.
Cognitive Restructuring: Reframing negative thoughts is like hitting the refresh button on your mindset—it helps you see things in a more positive and realistic light.
Expressive Coping: Expressing your emotions in healthy ways—like painting, playing music, or diving into creative writing—can be a powerful way to release those bottled-up feelings and find your flow.
Seeking Social Support: Opening up to trusted friends, family, or a therapist gives you a safe space to share your feelings, unload your worries, and see things from a fresh perspective.
Self-Care: Boost your mood and beat stress by focusing on activities that fuel your well-being—like staying active, eating right, and getting plenty of sleep. It’s the ultimate recipe for better emotional health!
Yoga and Breathing Exercises: These practices help you tune into your body and emotions, while fostering relaxation and better emotional balance.
Identify Triggers: Recognizing the situations or thoughts that trigger your emotions can help you develop strategies to manage them more effectively.
Acceptance: Embracing all your emotions—even the tough ones—can help you process them instead of pushing them aside, paving the way for true emotional healing.

Emotional control

We need emotional control. If everyone loses it, the world would be in a chaotic state. Emotional control is what keeps the peace. I’m not saying you have to be passive, but you should reign in your emotions if it causes harm to someone else.

There is a time and a place for everything. Although, don’t just bottle them up and try to forget about them. They will manifest in some other way (depression or anxiety). My experience was with both.

Suppression of thoughts effects

Bottling up emotions can harm your well-being, raising stress, triggering anxiety or depression, and even causing physical health issues like heart problems. It can also cloud your thoughts, hurt your memory, and leave you feeling disconnected. Letting emotions out might be hard, but holding them in is even harder.

Here’s a more detailed look at the potential effects of emotional suppression:

Mental and Emotional Effects:

Anxiety and Depression: Suppression of thoughts can create a storm of psychological stress, often showing up as anxiety, depression, or even a feeling of emotional numbness.
Difficulty Processing Thoughts: Bottling up your emotions doesn’t just weigh on your heart—it can cloud your mind too, making it harder to think clearly, process thoughts, and even remember things.
Emotional Detachment: Constantly bottling up your emotions can leave you feeling numb and disconnected—not just from others, but from yourself too.
Social Isolation: People who bottle up their emotions often feel less connected to others and less fulfilled in their relationships.
Outbursts and Aggression: Bottled-up emotions have a way of bursting out, often as sudden anger, road rage, or unexpected bursts of aggression.

Physical Effects:

Physical Ailments: Chronic stress or bottling up your emotions doesn’t just weigh on your mind—it can show up in your body too, causing headaches, constant fatigue, and other nagging issues.
Heart Problems: Holding in your emotions doesn’t just weigh on your mind—it can take a toll on your body too, increasing the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular issues. Let it out and protect your health!
Insomnia and Other Sleep Problems: Suppression of thoughts can wreak havoc on your sleep, leading to restless nights, insomnia, or other sleep struggles.
Increased Risk of Chronic Illnesses: Bottling up your emotions can do more than weigh on your mind—it can take a serious toll on your health, increasing the risk of chronic illnesses.

Inner peace

It’s so hard to find inner peace with all that is going on in this country. But somehow we must find it in order to survive. So, how do you find inner peace? You rally have to be content with your past and optimistic about the future.

Like I said, I know that is hard for some people right now. I’m fairly content with my turbulent past. I can’t change it, but I can accept it. I’m also optimistic about the future. I’ve grown in the world of crypto and all the ideas it brings from it.

I’m not buying or selling, but working in a trading pool. I can get rid of disability and all the uncertainty that goes along with it. I will no longer be a slave to the government.

Emotional balance

Emotional balance is when all the pieces begin to fall in place in your life. You are not restricted by unseen forces trying to bring you down. You are content with your life. No matter what has happened in the past, you have moved on to bigger and better things.

You’re looking towards the future with great expectations. You have found inner peace that no one can take from you no matter what they do. They could take away all your money, and you would still find a way to make more.

Mental clarity

Mental clarity is your way to finding happiness. No matter what is going on in the world, you believe problems will work themselves out. You have a clear mental picture of what your life will look like in the future.

There may be bumps along the way, but you will get over them. Some may be tougher than others, but you will find that you can sidestep them. You follow the path you are destined for, and enjoy every part of it.

Suppression of feelings

Suppression of anxiety

Basically, suppression of anxiety can be like a pressure cooker, if you keep stuffing it down. I did that for years, and it finally blew up in my face. I ended up in the hospital. You need to express your feelings as they come up.

Don’t be so blatant about it, just express yourself in a cool, calm manner. Don’t get into the person’s face and start accusing them of stuff. That’s a good way to start a really bad arguement.

Suppression of anger

Suppression of anger is another thing you don’t want to happen. It will eat you alive from the inside out. I had so much anger, but it was directed at myself. I kept stuffing it, and it blew up in my face again.

Anger is the worst emotion to suppress because of its negativity. You just need to get it out, and be done with it, without hurting anyone. I don’t believe in violence, just let the person vent.

Treatments For Suppressing of Thoughts

Holistic healing

Feeling overwhelmed by distressing thoughts? A holistic approach can help! Try mindfulness, stress reduction, or creative expression to regain balance. Pair these with lifestyle changes and explore complementary therapies to create a path toward calm and clarity.

Here’s a breakdown of holistic strategies for managing intrusive thoughts or suppression of thoughts:

Mindfulness and Meditation:

Mindfulness: Practice mindfulness by observing your thoughts like clouds drifting by—no judgment, no attachment. Just let them pass and focus on the present moment.
Meditation:Meditation isn’t just about sitting still—it’s your secret weapon for a calmer mind and less reactive thoughts. With regular practice, you can unlock a deep sense of inner peace and balance.
Deep Breathing: Take a deep breath—literally. Conscious breathing exercises can ground you in the present moment, calming racing thoughts and easing anxiety in just minutes.

Behavioral therapy

Behavioral therapy, especially Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), is a powerful way to address suppression of thoughts. By challenging negative patterns, CBT helps you reframe your mindset. Using techniques like cognitive restructuring and mindfulness, it promotes healthier, more constructive thinking habits.

Here’s a breakdown of how behavioral therapy approaches thought suppression and related concepts:

Understanding the Role of Thoughts in Behavior:

CBT works on a simple yet powerful idea: our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are all connected. By shifting negative thoughts, we can unlock positive changes in how we feel and act.
It challenges you to recognize your thought patterns and discover how they shape your life.

Cognitive Restructuring:

This approach helps you spot and challenge negative, distorted, or irrational thoughts that fuel emotional distress, empowering you to take control of your mindset.
By identifying and challenging these patterns, you can unlock a fresh perspective and cultivate more positive, empowering thoughts.

Thought-Stopping Techniques:

Thought-stopping is a powerful self-control technique that helps you break free from distressing or negative thought patterns. By interrupting those unhelpful mental loops, you can regain focus and take control of your mindset.
It serves as a welcome distraction, pulling focus away from negative thoughts and creating space for a more positive mindset.
Try swapping out a negative thought for a positive one, diving into an activity to shift your focus, or simply letting the thought drift by without giving it any power.

Psychological support

Psychological support, whether through a therapist or family and friends, can be very helpful. If you have someone who knows what you’re going through, it can make life a lot easier.

I really liked my last therapist, because she didn’t just sit there listening to me and hardly say anything, like other therapists I’ve had. She actually wanted to help me and that felt like she really heard me.

Same goes with family and friends. They can help you express your feelings without judgment. They can give you all the support you need, while helping you express yourself in positive ways.

Emotional resilience

Positive thinking can help anyone desperate for resolution. You’d be surprised how much emotional resilience you have inside of you. You may not see it at this point and time, but I bet others can.

Give yourself more credit—you deserve it! It’s so easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others and feeling like you’re not enough. But here’s the truth: you have unique strengths and talents that make you, you. Own them. Celebrate them. There’s no one else out there like you, and that’s your superpower.

Success isn’t one-size-fits-all. For some, it’s climbing the career ladder, while for others, it’s building meaningful relationships or pursuing passions that bring them joy. There’s no universal formula—success is what you make it. Define it your way, on your terms!

Sum It All Up

Don’t be so hard on yourself. Suppressing of thoughts is not the end of the world. But don’t keep stuffing them down, so you think you won’t have to deal with them. That only gets you into further trouble.

You’ll be like a pressure cooker waiting to explode, and I know you don’t want that. You may lose control over yourself. Just deal with the emotions as they arise in a calm manner.

What if you have anger? Express yourself, but don’t go overboard. It doesn’t do any good if you’re up into someone’s face. They may take that as an aggressive move. Be diplomatic. Peace and love. Until next time…