Suppression Versus Repression

This is an excerpt from Mother's letter in response to an article in the "Recovery Reporter" (Recovery International's in house newsletter) many years ago.  I think it addresses an issue that is sometimes misunderstood in and out of Recovery.  This was from an ongoing correspondence, and though it's just a piece of it I found it interesting.  She added a P. S. saying Dr. Low certainly never expected us to be perfect!

... your correction to the article on leadership that was in the last issue.  In your correction you say that you inadvertently used the word “repression” and then you say it has a slightly different meaning than the word “suppression”.

I guess that is what I’m getting at when I say don’t rely on the dictionary.  The thing is, it makes a whale of a lot of difference in the practice of Dr. Low’s techniques.  If we “repress” temper, which means “stuff it down without resolution” where it will fester and continue until it breaks out on its own…and in any case result in symptoms for the Recoveryite.  Whereas, if we learn to spot and stop the judgment of right and wrong in the same incident and suppress expression of the temper, then we have resolved it and can feel free to express our feelings of antipathy, providing the other person is in a position to understand.  If not then if we can even express the feelings to someone else, it relieves us of the burden of the feelings and also prevents antisocial trends.

I don’t quite know how it should be handled because of room in the Reporter, but I think there are two good reasons to make room for an explanation:  First, Recovery has been accused down through the years of using a technique which represses temper…and indeed it is not a good mental health practice.  Second, it really gives a wonderful opportunity to point out the difference, so members will be able to understand exactly what to do with temper.

Do you think a chapter in Mental Health Through Will Training could be pointed out, or could an example and the correct spotting be put in as explanation?

Anyway I hate to belabor this point, but it is such a central issue to good mental health and this is in our “in house” newsletter, so I think your use of the words “slightly different meaning” do not address the problem.

Can you see what I mean?  And please know that I will be glad to do anything I can to help.