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Repression for Dummies

noun

pronunciation: rɪ'prɛʃən

What does Repression really mean?

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Repression is a word that might seem a bit confusing at first, but I'm here to break it down and make it easier for you to understand. So, when we talk about repression, we are referring to a way our minds protect us from dealing with difficult or uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, or memories. It's like when you put away a toy that makes you sad because it reminds you of something that happened that you don't want to think about. In a similar way, our minds put away these uncomfortable thoughts and feelings to protect us.

Now, let's imagine your mind as a big filing cabinet where you keep all your thoughts and memories. When something happens that makes you feel upset, your mind takes that thought or feeling and stores it in a drawer that is really hard to access. It's like hiding it away so you don't have to think about it or feel it anymore.

This process is called repression. It's when your mind consciously or unconsciously pushes these thoughts or emotions away, and they might not come up again for a while. It's like putting that toy in a deep, dark drawer at the back of the cabinet, so you don't have to see it or think about it.

But here's the thing with repression - even though our minds think they are protecting us by hiding these thoughts and feelings away, they can still have an impact on us. They might come back later and make us feel some kind of way, even if we don't know why. It's like when you forget where you put that toy, but someday you stumble upon it unexpectedly, and it brings back all those sad memories.

So, repression is when your mind hides away thoughts and feelings that are too hard to deal with at the moment, "locking" them away in a secret drawer. But remember, those thoughts and feelings can still affect you, even if you're not aware of them. It's like that toy in the back of the drawer - even though you can't see it, it's still there, waiting to be discovered again.

I hope this explanation helps you understand what repression means. It's a complex concept, but breaking it down into simpler terms and using relatable examples can make it easier to grasp. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!

Revised and Fact checked by Robert Jones on 2023-10-29 16:34:36

Repression In a sentece

Learn how to use Repression inside a sentece

  • When a person feels afraid of something, they may try to push the fear deep inside and not think about it. This is called repression. For example, if someone is scared of spiders, they might repress their fear and pretend that spiders don't bother them at all.
  • Sometimes, when we experience a really painful or embarrassing memory, we may try to block it from our mind and forget about it. This is another way repression can happen. For instance, if someone made a mistake during a presentation and felt humiliated, they might repress that memory to avoid feeling the embarrassment again.
  • Let's say you had an argument with your best friend and it hurt your feelings. Instead of talking about it or dealing with the situation, you may choose to repress your feelings and pretend everything is fine. This is a form of repression.
  • Imagine you witnessed something really disturbing, like a scary accident. Your mind might automatically go into a mode where it tries to forget or ignore the details of what happened. That is repression in action.
  • A person who experienced a traumatic event, such as a car crash, may repress memories of the event because they don't want to think about the fear and pain associated with it.