9 Basic Ego Defence Mechanisms
" Ego defense mechanisms can be a saving grace or a doorway into a hellish life . Are they limiting your self-growth ? Here ' s how to reprogram yourself from them ... The nine basic ego defence mechanisms are :
1 . Making Assumptions
An assumption is a supposition . When we make an assumption , we believe that something is true based on what we think is true – without proof . Assumptions can be about others , yourself , or a certain situation in life . Assumptions often sound like this : “ He treats me this way because ____”, “ They think I ’ m a ____”, “ I always do this because ____”.
Why it ’ s harmful : Assumptions create a lot of unnecessary emotional and mental pain , especially if you always assume the worst . Assumptions can also lead you to make false judgments about others . This can harm and even destroy relationships with the people you care about .
2 . Extreme Beliefs
A belief is a conviction that something is true , even if it may not be . Often , beliefs are very extremist or black-and-white in nature . Beliefs often sound like the following : “ I will never be able to speak normally ,” “ He / she hates me ,” “ Other people are always out to get me ,” “ No one will ever like me because I ’ m ugly .”
Like all mental traps , beliefs are unconsciously held :
they can be so deep-rooted that they evade the conscious mind .
Why it ’ s harmful : Beliefs are very blinding by nature . If they ’ re false they can also affect your self-worth profoundly as they can be so deeply held . When you struggle with low self-worth , every aspect of your life is negatively impacted and crippled .
3 . Negative Comparisons
A comparison is a judgment we make when we measure two or more people / things against each other . Comparisons , for example , can exist