Someone’s in denial, someone’s projecting…we hear and maybe even use these psychological terms but…what do they really mean?
Denial and projection are a couple of the ego’s defense mechanisms. Your ego (or “self”) is part of the human personality as defined by Freud, the father of psychoanalysis. It’s basically the story you tell yourself about who you are. It’s the conscious, decision-making part of you that experiences and interacts with the world.
So when uncomfortable or painful thoughts, situations or feelings arise and challenge that picture of who we are, our ego can jump in to defend our sense of self.
Ego defense mechanisms can make it easier to live in a hard world and are natural and normal responses to stress. Sometimes, we need them to protect us from pain, anxiety, difficult emotions, and hard truths so that we can continue to function in our day to day lives.
But if they are overused or if we are using them in a way we are totally unaware of, it can make it very difficult to have healthy relationships, set appropriate boundaries, or recognize codependent or other dysfunctional tendencies.
It all depends on how much, how often, and with what (or whom) your ego is employing its defense mechanisms. Remember, this process is predominantly unconscious and it is a part of the “factory setting” for being human.
Inside this episode, I’m going over the most commonly used psychological defense mechanisms to raise your awareness around where your ego might be blocking you from true self-knowledge.
To get your free checklist for the Top Ego Defense Mechanisms, click here https://www.terricole.com/top-ego-defense-mechanisms-list
ABOUT TERRI COLE
Terri Cole is a licensed psychotherapist and global leading expert in female empowerment. For two decades, Terri has worked with some of the world’s most well-known personalities from international pop stars to Fortune 500 CEOs. Terri has a gift for making complex psychological concepts accessible, and then actionable so that clients and students achieve sustainable change i.e. true transformation. She empowers over 250,000 people weekly through her blog, social media platform, signature courses, Real Love Revolution and Boundary Bootcamp + her popular podcast, The Terri Cole Show. She is also the author of Boundary Boss-The Essential Guide to Talk True, Be Seen and (Finally) Live Free (April 2021)
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