The Ego: Most Blamed and Most Protected

When it comes to talking about the ego, mostly negative concepts come to mind. Egocentric or egoism are used for the inflated worth of one’s self.

Actually, the function of the ego is quite different from that.

Freud also comes to mind, who is considered the father of psychology. In his book The Ego and the Id (1923), Freud talks about id, the superego, and the ego, as three components of the human mind. Imagine a sibling who is trying to mediate between a very impulsive sibling and a highly responsible sibling. The role of the ego can be considered as the sibling who is trying to find a reasonable way for the best interest of the situation. The id is our childish, impulsive, and rampant side. The superego, on the other hand, is the opposite of the id and in constant warning of social and moral values. Therefore, there is always a conflict between the id and the superego.

The ego acts at this moment and finds the best solution for the person by reminding them of their needs and also their responsibilities.

Let’s say we have an important meeting or an exam, and we need to get prepared. Our id wants to procrastinate while our superego reminds us of the consequences. Our ego then would suggest that we spend our time studying, with taking breaks for a reasonable time.

This suggests that the ego is realistic and aware of our needs and responsibilities. It is, indeed, a state of self-consciousness that describes our thoughts and feelings while putting limitations or allowing them to ourselves or to others.

When our ego has awareness, it functions well and we make a balance in our thoughts, feelings and actions. However, we need to remember that the id can be very powerful and that the ego may surrender to its primitive urges. In this case, we act impulsively by being under the control of the id’s drives and urges. The superego, of course, is active at the same time and blames the id. Although we know that the superego is right, we can’t liberate ourselves from the control of the id. As a result of such conflicts and dilemmas, we develop mental problems, such as depression, anxiety, or ADHD.

All we need is to have a strong ego that maintains a state of self-consciousness and awareness.

People who have a strong ego likely have characteristics of being self-confident, emotionally stable, easygoing, mature and resourceful. This also suggests that people who do not have a strong ego are like a leaf blown by the wind, being easily manipulated and triggered. Having a strong ego is a matter of healthy brain function. Although it may have a genetic base, we can boost it with some external efforts, such as a healthy diet, physical exercises, and healthy sleep routines. Since our worlds are constantly changing, our ego will always remain in the conflicts of the id and the superego. Focusing on the present moment, having the habit of mindful living, and practising self-monitoring will help our ego adopt a powerful control over the id and the superego.