In the human mind, feelings are handled in three main ways: through suppression, expression, and avoidance.
Suppression is a conscious mechanism, while repression is an unconscious act. A suppressed feeling can cause irritability, mood swings, allergies, insomnia, colitis, and other psychosomatic disorders. A repressed feeling, on the other hand, is a feeling that a person is not entirely aware of, because it is linked to a strong sense of guilt or fear. Denial and projection are common tactics used by the mind to repress emotions: it is as if that emotion did not exist, and it is perceived as something that has to do with the external world, which can include other people, fate, or evil forces.
When a feeling is expressed, it manifests verbally or through body language. If it is a negative emotion that we are releasing, the very act of letting it out alleviates the pressure it was causing to build inside of our mind, allowing the mind to then do away with what remains of it all together. Generally, therefore, when emotions are initially expressed, they are highly charged.
Each person uses both expression and suppression mechanisms, to varying degrees, and according to a variety of factors, such as their cultural background and the historical period in which they live. Today, for example, it is considered normal to express negative feelings, and, indeed, it is considered positive. This notion, however, arose from a misinterpretation of what Sigmund Freud wrote on the subject. In fact, according to the “father of psychoanalysis”, emotions and feelings were not to be suppressed, because that would lead to the development of neuroses. However, this does not specifically imply that they must be expressed, but rather, should be neutralised and channelled towards something positive, for example through creativity.
Finally, avoidance is the mechanism that allows you to avoid experiencing an emotion by means of diversions, of which alcohol, drugs, entertainment, and anything else that can become an addiction, are just a few examples. A person who chooses to focus on something else, such as work, is able to live in a state of partial unconsciousness of their feelings and emotions, without ever having to deal with them directly. This is why so many people pack their days full of things to do, and find a way to ensure that even their breaks or moments spent alone are occupied by chatting or playing online games.
