In the foregoing it is fair to ask: what's significant and what isn't?
In the same fashion it is fair to answer: when we block alot or are blocked to a significant degree we say we are repressed. When we block our feelings in a more "knowing what we are doing fashion" we say we are suppressing our feelings.
What's the difference?
This is where the concept of "repression" takes on a mystical sense: you can be repressed and not "know" it.
Consequently, it relies heavily on your own personal, introspective knowledge and psychological abilities.
If you want to learn alot about repression I suggest you read Dr. Branden's book: The Psychology of Self-Esteem. In there you should be able to (if you need to) either be convinced that repression --a subconscious automatized avoidance reaction-- is real or at minimum lay a reasoned foundation for the possibility that it is a real, logical, non-mystical concept and that it (repression) is bad for human beings. (Read especially about his concept of "repression of positives".)
Maybe you are different than me. But I needed convincing. Repression seemed to me to be such a "mystical" concept. For example, it is commonly accepted that: "you can be repressed and not know it?!?". How can one argue with that?
Tuth is you can't.
You have to analyze it.
Truth is you can.
How do I know?
I was repressed and didn't know it.
I spent one heck of a lot of time convincining myself of its existence.
In retrospect of course it all seems so obvious now.
But, if you think I had a hard time of it. You should read Joshua's story.
He had a hard time.