We don’t always choose our coping mechanisms—they often choose us. When the world felt overwhelming, frightening, or unstable when we were children, our minds and bodies stepped in to protect us. We found ways to survive. But sometimes, those ways of surviving became protective armor that stayed with us long after the threat was gone. Maybe you learned to numb yourself to avoid feeling too much. Maybe you sought control over every aspect of your life to keep chaos at bay. Perhaps you began…