Suppress for Dummies

Suppress is a word that we use to describe the act of holding back or stifling something. It's like when you have a big sneeze coming, but you try really hard to stop it from coming out because you don't want to make a loud noise in class. You are suppressing that sneeze. Or imagine you are at a party and you have a secret, but you don't want anyone to know about it. You might try to suppress your excitement or keep a straight face so that nobody can tell that you're hiding something.

In a more serious context, suppression can also refer to the act of stopping or preventing something from happening or being expressed. It's like when you have a disagreement with a friend, but you decide to suppress your anger instead of starting an argument. You are consciously stopping yourself from expressing your negative emotions because you value your relationship with that person.

Another way we can think about suppression is by looking at a pressure cooker. When you cook something in a pressure cooker, it builds up a lot of steam and pressure inside. But if the pressure becomes too much, it can be dangerous. The pressure has to be released in a controlled way, otherwise the cooker might explode. So, we use a special valve to suppress or release the excess pressure and keep the cooker safe. In this case, suppression is preventing something potentially harmful from happening by releasing it in a controlled manner.

So, to summarize, suppress means holding back, stifling, or stopping something from happening or being expressed. It's like trying to stop a sneeze, hiding a secret, or controlling the release of pressure. It can refer to both our actions and emotions, and it's all about consciously preventing or restraining something.