In psychology, suppression is an active defense mechanism, whereby an individual consciously attempts to forget or push unwanted thoughts, feelings, or memories out of consciousness. While unlike repression, which is an unconscious act, suppression is a conscious act used to cope with, or exert control over, a situation that may be perceived as overwhelming or stressful.
For example, a person might dismiss feelings of rage in an imperative meeting to avoid losing control. Suppression serves to help individuals focus on a given task in the short term, but over dependence on suppression is an unhealthy way of coping as it may lead to unresolved issues, resurfacing in unhealthy manifestations, which causes an increase in stress.
Ayst, Rosenfield, and McKenzie noted that suppression is an emotion regulation strategy and an important element of resilience, paradoxically; it is also associated with exacerbated physiological stress responses, even elevated blood pressure. In therapeutic contexts, the deliberate practice of coping strategies like acceptance and cognitive reappraisal help weigh the short and long term benefits of suppression.