Self criticism can be seen as a defence mechanism, that over time we have developed a strategy to criticise (and therefore, hurt) ourselves first, believing that if anyone else should then criticise (hurt) us, it wouldn’t hurt as much, because it is something we already know. It works by removing the shock of hurt and to some extent that does work. If we routinely pick fault with ourselves (our actions, qualities, appearance, even thoughts) throughout the day then when someon