Everyone experiences some form of anxiety at some point in their life, whether it be over an exam or something more significant like finding a job. Sigmund Freud, who studied personality in depth, concluded that anxiety is the price we pay for civilization. His studies lead him to unearth mysteries about our conscious and how it affects our personality. He developed a theory that illustrates the conflict that occurs over our impulses and the systems that control them. From this, Freud introduced the defense mechanisms, which guard us against the normal anxieties all people encounter. These defense mechanisms include regression, rationalization, denial, and displacement. Freud established an understanding of the personality through his
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He believed that personality is revealed through the internalized disputes of our impulses and the feelings that control them. Due to the mind’s complexity, Freud introduced three simple systems, the id, ego, and superego. The id is responsible for unconscious energy and operates according to the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification (Myers 515). The mainly conscious part of the personality is the ego, which functions parallel to the reality principle by satisfying the id’s impulses in a more realistic and permanent way. “The superego represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment,” acting as our moral compass (Myers 516). The superego works along side the ego by taking not only the real, but also the ideal into consideration. Since the superego and id often conflict in desires, the ego must act as the peacemaker between the two, restraining us from displaying unapproved impulses in public (Myers 516). This can cause anxiety because the ego often distresses in losing its authority over certain situations (Myers 517). This leads to Freud’s objectives on how people prevent anxiety through defense …show more content…
The id, ego, and superego that make up parts of the conscious and unconscious mind, control our impulses. The defense mechanisms inhabit these systems and protect us against the common anxiety that comes with living in a society. These include behaviors that people unconsciously display such as repressing unpleasant memories, denying pain, or taking out one’s anger on an undeserving victim. Defense mechanisms are a defining part of our life whether we realize it or not. They define our reactions to certain impulses and situations and how well we manage anxiety and stress. Although defenses are there for our protection, they can become dangerous when someone refuses to face their previous experiences, feelings, or behaviors. This can lead to deeper psychological issues that our defense mechanisms cannot control. Therefore, we must take caution in the way our defense mechanisms are exercised so that they are used for their original intent of reducing anxiety, and do not create a larger
He believed that personality is revealed through the internalized disputes of our impulses and the feelings that control them. Due to the mind’s complexity, Freud introduced three simple systems, the id, ego, and superego. The id is responsible for unconscious energy and operates according to the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification (Myers 515). The mainly conscious part of the personality is the ego, which functions parallel to the reality principle by satisfying the id’s impulses in a more realistic and permanent way. “The superego represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment,” acting as our moral compass (Myers 516). The superego works along side the ego by taking not only the real, but also the ideal into consideration. Since the superego and id often conflict in desires, the ego must act as the peacemaker between the two, restraining us from displaying unapproved impulses in public (Myers 516). This can cause anxiety because the ego often distresses in losing its authority over certain situations (Myers 517). This leads to Freud’s objectives on how people prevent anxiety through defense …show more content…
The id, ego, and superego that make up parts of the conscious and unconscious mind, control our impulses. The defense mechanisms inhabit these systems and protect us against the common anxiety that comes with living in a society. These include behaviors that people unconsciously display such as repressing unpleasant memories, denying pain, or taking out one’s anger on an undeserving victim. Defense mechanisms are a defining part of our life whether we realize it or not. They define our reactions to certain impulses and situations and how well we manage anxiety and stress. Although defenses are there for our protection, they can become dangerous when someone refuses to face their previous experiences, feelings, or behaviors. This can lead to deeper psychological issues that our defense mechanisms cannot control. Therefore, we must take caution in the way our defense mechanisms are exercised so that they are used for their original intent of reducing anxiety, and do not create a larger