What are emotions?
An emotion is a natural, biologically based reaction to something important that happens to us, such as seeing a snake or hearing bad news. An emotion is more than a feeling. It affects several parts of us at the same time: our body, our thoughts, our behavior, and our facial expressions.
What is emotional regulation?
Emotional regulation means trying to change an emotion. We may change the emotion itself, how strong it is, or how it is expressed. We can do this on our own, or it can be influenced by other people’s emotions. Put simply, emotional regulation is how we manage what we feel so that it does not turn into suffering.
What is emotional suppression?
Emotional suppression is one specific type of emotional regulation. It means consciously hiding the outward signs of an emotion while you are still feeling it. For example, you feel disgust but keep a neutral face, as if nothing is happening. The key point is that suppression hides the expression of an emotion, not the emotion itself. You may still feel the disgust inside, but you try not to show it in your face or behavior. Research also shows that suppression usually does not reduce the feeling, and it can increase the body’s stress response.
Expressive styles and health
People differ in how they usually express emotions. Some are more externalizing, meaning they show their emotions outwardly. Others are more internalizing, meaning they show less emotion outwardly. Studies have found that people who regularly hide emotions, especially anger or hostility, may be at higher risk of health problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease. This does not mean suppression directly causes these conditions. The research shows a link, not proven cause and effect. The likely explanation is that frequent suppression raises physiological stress, and over a long time this stress can affect the body.
