The Will to Survive: Defense MechanismsSince the beginning of time humans have emphasized the need to survive as a species, especially during times without modern medicine or type of technology and lifestyles that bring comfort to those living in today's world. People have struggled for centuries as inhabitants of this planet to add to and continue the longevity of humankind. Although much of this survivalist mentality has dissipated in cultures around the world, especially Western ones, there are still many people who struggle daily to maintain their lives. While numerous regions of the world have been subjected to extreme conditions, countries in the Middle East, particularly Afghanistan, have experienced this type of unrest for generations right up until today. This “turmoil” can range from unrest in the nation's government or the mistreatment of its citizens, to the ever-prevailing war that has continued to bury many, young and old, in graves not truly meant for them. Everyone who lives in countries similar to Afghanistan faces risks, but nothing as great as the terror that a certain dwarfed demographic faces almost every day in the wilderness of the Eastern Hemisphere. Due to the life-changing traumatic events commonly depicted in Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns, many people, especially women, are forced to implement a number of different defense mechanisms to survive living in the harsh Middle Eastern culture. Traumatic events can have many adverse effects on different people and, in extreme cases, can have a large impact on the victim's life, causing a multitude of res...... middle of paper ......Traumatic events." Medical Wellness Archives 2nd ser. 2 (2005): No. page Medicalwellnessassociation.com. Web. 6 May 2014. .Hosseini, Khaled, 2008. Web. 29 April 2014. .The model behind self-deception , Np, February 2010. Web. May 5, 2014. .Trivers, Robert of Self-Deception." Annals New York Academy of Sciences: n. page Warsocialism.com. Web. 7 May 2014. .