Defense Mechanisms

(Based upon DADA class DA)


When thinking upon defense within a magical war, it is sometimes best to look within yourself first, within your own subconscious. This is perhaps one of the first things that should be taught in a defense class like the DA.

The use of defense mechanisms within ones self can often prevent a person from defending themselves in a war, which could lead to defeat of the good and win of the evil.

Some of the main defense mechanisms include repression, projection, denial, rationalization and regression.

Repression:
This is when a person subconsciously removes threatening thoughts from their awareness. This could hinder a person within a magical war as if something occurs, the person may freeze instead of fight or defend as they have not dealt with their inner problems and fears.

Projection:
This is when a person projects their impulses and anger of a certain situation upon others causing unacceptable and often dangerous situations and feelings. This again, can hinder a person within a war as it deals with thoughts and feelings that have been pushed too far into the unconscious.

Denial:
This is the refusal to recognize a threatening situation or thought. This is possibly the most dangerous of the subconscious defense mechanisms. It could cause the persons death when they are faced with a dark wizard. They could go the opposite way to fearful freezing and believe that they are superior beyond their opponent as they lay in denial of their situation or their weaknesses.

Rationalization:
This is when the person struggles to give a reasonable explanation for an event, yet needs this for them to continue normally. In the final battle, death will occur, and if the person can not think of a decent explanation to satisfy their mind, it will leave them vulnerable to attack.

Regression:
This is when a person returns to an earlier period in their life, mainly back into a childish state of mind leaving them completely vulnerable to attack. This is often started through a severe shock and is another dangerous subconscious mechanism to have in the final battle.


source: My mind as well as: http://www.prenticehall.ca/wood/home/tryit/defence.html