Defense Mechanism A defense mechanism is a way for the mind to protect us from being consciously aware of thoughts or feelings that are too difficult to tolerate. Since the thought or feeling is too difficult to tolerate the defense mechanism only allows the unconscious thought or feeling to be expressed indirectly in some type of disguised form. Doing this allows us to reduce anxiety that is caused by the unconscious thought or feeling. The concept of the defense mechanism was popularized by Freud and the psychoanalytic perspective. There are several different types of defense mechanisms mechanisms including including repressio repression, n, regression regression,, denial, denial, proection, proection, dissociat dissociation, ion, compensation compensation,, sublimation, reaction formation, rationalization, and acting out. !. Denial Denial is the refusal to accept reality reality or fact, acting as if a painful event, thought or feeling feeling did not exist. "t is considered one of the most primitive of the defense mechanisms because it is characteristic of early childhood development. For instance, a person who is a functioning alcoholic will often simply deny they have a drin#ing problem, pointing to how well they function in their ob and relationships. $. %egression %egression is the reversion to an earlier stage of development in the face of unacceptable thoughts or impulses. For an example an adolescent who is overwhelmed with fear, anger and growing sexual impulses might become clingy and start exhibiting earlier childhood behaviors he has long since overcome, such as bedwetting. &. Acting 'ut Acting 'ut is performing an extreme behavior in order to express thoughts or feelings the person feels incapable of otherwise expressing. For instance, a child(s temper tantrum is a form of acting out when he or she doesn(t get his or her way with a parent. Self)inury may also be a form of acting)out, expressing in physical pain what one cannot stand to feel emotionally. *. Dissociation Diss Dissoci ociat atio ion n is when when a pers person on lose losess trac trac# # of time time or pers person, on, and and inst instead ead finds finds anot another her representation of their self in order to continue in the moment. +eople who have a history of any #ind of childhood abuse often suffer from some form of dissociation. "n this manner, a person who dissociates can disconnect- from the real world for a time, and live in a different world that is not cluttered with thoughts, feelings or memories that are unbearable.
. +roection +roection is the misattribution of a person(s undesired thoughts, feelings or impulses onto another person who does not have those thoughts, feelings or impulses. For example, a spouse may be angry at their significant other for not listening, when in fact it is the angry spouse who does not listen. +roection is often the result of a lac# of insight and ac#nowledgement of one(s own motivations and feelings. /. %eaction Formation %eaction Formation is the converting of unwanted or dangerous thoughts, feelings or impulses into their opposites. For instance, a woman who is very angry with her boss and would li#e to 0uit her ob may instead be overly #ind and generous toward her boss and express a desire to #eep wor#ing there forever. 1. %epression %epression is the unconscious bloc#ing of unacceptable thoughts, feelings and impulses. The #ey to repression is that people do it unconsciously, so they often have very little control over it. %epressed memories- are memories that have been unconsciously bloc#ed from access or view. 2ut because memory is very malleable and ever)changing, it is not li#e playing bac# a D3D of your life. 4. %ationalization %ationalization is putting something into a different light or offering a different explanation for one(s perceptions or behaviors in the face of a changing reality. For instance, a woman who starts dating a man she really, really li#es and thin#s the world of is suddenly dumped by the man for no reason. She reframes the situation in her mind with, " suspected he was a loser all along.5. Sublimation Sublimation is simply the channeling of unacceptable impulses, thoughts and emotions into more acceptable ones. For instance, when a person has sexual impulses they would li#e not to act upon, they may instead focus on rigorous exercise. !6. 7ompensation 7ompensation is a process of psychologically counterbalancing perceived wea#nesses by emphasizing strength in other arenas For instance, when a person says, " may not #now how to coo#, but " can sure do the dishes8,- they(re trying to compensate for their lac# of coo#ing s#ills by emphasizing their cleaning s#ills instead.
