If you do, what aspects of your personality do you suppress the most? Why?
Suppressing aspects of personality
- Thread starter Gaze
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This is a tough one! I mean most people would supress what they feel to be unlovely so in effect, you are asking people to out their warts here.
I would have to say I work hard at being more responsive to others since I have a tendency to absolutely disregard idiotic conversation in real life. I consider it a challenge to become better at small talk and portray the sense that I am actually listening after I reached my upper limit of IDGAF. I like talking to people, I remember pertinent facts (how is your wife doing after surgery?) but I absolutely hate having to engage in such conversation for more than a few minutes. I guess I try to supress my natural tendency to be dismissive or make snap judgements of importance based on my own limited view of what I want versus what others may want/need.
I would have to say I work hard at being more responsive to others since I have a tendency to absolutely disregard idiotic conversation in real life. I consider it a challenge to become better at small talk and portray the sense that I am actually listening after I reached my upper limit of IDGAF. I like talking to people, I remember pertinent facts (how is your wife doing after surgery?) but I absolutely hate having to engage in such conversation for more than a few minutes. I guess I try to supress my natural tendency to be dismissive or make snap judgements of importance based on my own limited view of what I want versus what others may want/need.
Sense of Humor - I'm afraid of being judged or rejected where my expression doesn't fit or is not understood/appreciated (generally my default assumption). While I get great pleasure from shared experience, the costs of being ignored or judged negatively is usually too great to feel safe sharing unless I'm very comfortable, choosing to be particularly brave, or feeling reckless/tired.
Aggression/Anger - I'm afraid the expression invites a return of anger/aggression and I feel powerless to defend myself against what will likely be more skillful aggression, so I avoid the initial expression to protect myself.
Observations/Insight - I'm afraid I'll create discomfort in those who haven't seen what I see and then they'll lash out at me to protect their ego, or that I'll end up being wrong and will look stupid for what I thought I saw.
I usually supressed my "dark" side, being in bad mood, being angry, being clingy and possesive. I have totally freak way of doing that. i become nonusally funny, I make joke, laugh etc. Speaking of armour in one of later topic. I also supressed the fact that I am not en easy person to be with.
This.. I only joke around with people I feel comfortable with and a shared sense of humor.
Also... probably my sensitivity and emotional reactions. I'm usually told I initially come off as cold, aloof, or 'stoic'...
I guess I commonly project an image of seriousness... which is odd because I do not feel I am really serious deep down.
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Definetly with sonya on this one. I'm the worst person to talk to when I'm in that introverted mood. If I'm not interested I won't make eye contact in hopes to stop the conversation. I can never think of things I want to share with random people because when I talk I mean its pretty personal and I can't just open up to everybody or make small talk for too long. So I found myself lately doing what sonya has been doing and that's remember facts. And what's nice about is that I can initiate a conversation that is not directed towards me but towards the other person to make them feel...I don't know...appreciated or know that I do listen.
- Nov 12, 2008
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I attempt to suppress anything that I see as undesirable. Although it is mostly things that are exposed to the external world. I have several stereotypically feminine/gay aspects to myself that I strongly suppress when I am in certain moods. I do not like being seen as weak, meak, passive, or anything related and I attempt to suppress anything that would give off that sort of air. A lot of this stuff I have become so efficent at that I don't even have to think of how it is supressed.
The thing I probablly suppress the most though, is the outward expression of my emotions. I have done it so much that I actually don't know how to express them. I also suppress the desire to ask for help or acknowledge my own needs.
I could go on and on and on, but those are the major ones. Really, if I discover something about myself that I at any point determine is undesireable in anyway, supression begins. I have to learn to stop doing this though as I have reason to believe that this is a major piece to why I have anxiety problems.
The thing I probablly suppress the most though, is the outward expression of my emotions. I have done it so much that I actually don't know how to express them. I also suppress the desire to ask for help or acknowledge my own needs.
I could go on and on and on, but those are the major ones. Really, if I discover something about myself that I at any point determine is undesireable in anyway, supression begins. I have to learn to stop doing this though as I have reason to believe that this is a major piece to why I have anxiety problems.
I have hard time with asking people help. I have to force myself to do that. usually when I feel that asking for help wpuld be way of building connection. But I really feel weak when I ask for help...
+1.
Also, bluntness. It's very easy for me to disregard what other people say and focus on my way of looking things. :|
Aaaand +1.