Defence Mechanisms

an unconscious protective measure that allows us

to cope with unpleasant emotions
  Behaviors people use to separate themselves from unpleasant
events, actions, or thoughts. 
 The idea of defense mechanisms comes from psychoanalytic theory
What is first propounded by Sigmund Freud.
defence  Defense mechanisms are a normal, natural part of psychological
development.
Mechanism?  In his psychoanalytical theory, Freud explained a defence
mechanism as a tactic developed by ego to protect against anxiety.
 Denial Repression Displacement

Types of
Reaction
Defence Projection
formation
Regression
mechanisms

Rationalization Sublimation
  When a situation or fact becomes too much to handle, you may simply
refuse to experience it.
 You block external events or circumstances from your mind so that you
don’t have to deal with the emotional impact.
 Example: It may be easier to ignore the negative effects of excessive
drinking or smoking than it is to cut down on alcohol or smoking.

Denial
  fine line between denial and repression.
 denial involves the outright refusal to accept a given reality, repression
involves completely forgetting the experience altogether.
Repression  your mind makes the decision to bury the memory in the subconscious,
thereby preventing painful, disturbing or dangerous thoughts from
entering awareness.
 Example: Child Abuse
  With displacement, you transfer your emotions from the person who
is the target of your frustration to someone or something else
entirely.
 Subconsciously, you believe that to confront the source of your
Displacement feelings may be too dangerous or risky, so you shift the focus toward
a target or situation that is less intimidating or dangerous.
  Most of us have found ourselves in a situation in which we project
our feelings, shortcomings or unacceptable impulses onto the
people around us.
 recognize that particular quality in ourselves would cause us pain
Projection and suffering.
 While projection can also work in a positive way, when you project
feelings of love, confidence and care onto others, when it impacts
us in a negative way, it only compounds the stress and anxiety and
prevents us from dealing with the root of the emotions.
  behaving in the opposite way to which you think or feel.
 Typically, reaction formation is marked by a blatant display.

Reaction  By casting stones at someone or something else, you are trying to

take the pressure off yourself instead of directly dealing with the
Formation issue.
 For example, the man who preaches his disdain for homosexuality
overtly may be a defense against confronting his own homosexual
feelings.
  you revert back to an earlier level of development and earlier, less
demanding behaviors as a way of protecting yourself from having
to confront the actual situation.
Regression  You might also find yourself relying on regression habits when
spending time with people you knew when you were young, like
family members or close friends.
  rationalization occurs when you try to explain your bad behavior
away.
 Some people may attempt to explain undesirable behaviors with
Rationalization their own set of “facts.”
 This allows you to feel comfortable with the choice you made,
even if you know on another level it’s not right.
  Sublimation occurs when you transform your conflicted emotions,
unmet desires or unacceptable impulses into productive outlets.
 When used to handle a situation you cannot effectively do
Sublimation anything about, sublimation is actually a positive form of defense.
 But when used routinely to avoid addressing an issue that must be
resolved to move forward, it can have negative repercussions.
Thank You