What is armoring?
Armoring is a kind of physical defense, or a shield, that people use to protect themselves while hiding the emotional damage, or trauma, that remains deeply buried in their bodies and minds. Wilhelm Reich, a protg of Sigmund Freud, coined the term “armoring” to describe the body reactions he observed when his patients discussed very emotional experiences. Armoring hurts because it hardens and tightens the body’s structure, making you feel stiff, rigid and tense. Armoring also takes place in the realm of character. Our repressed emotions reflect themselves in our attitudes and behavior, often without our awareness that we appear stiff and removed.
