[Mr Ramsbotham]

Generalized anxiety disorder, panic attacks, depersonalization, derealization, withdrawal, anti-socialism, multiple personality disorder are all “mechanisms” to “shield” the person from the initial event.

Those sound to me like symptoms of the action of whatever mechanism is present. Kind of like saying that rhinitis or asthma are mechanisms to fight allergens.

[Salamander]

Not really.

Just run of the mill mental “coping mechanisms”.

[muawiyah]

If you managed to be among the small percentage of humans without the IlE type of antibody, the way your system combats allergens, viruses, bacteria and molds is with chronic rhinitis. I believe it's the IlG type antibody that takes up the slack.

Believe me, there are some really nasty side effects with this problem. On the other hand wounds don't swell as bad, which is good.