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Defense Mechanisms Can be grouped hierarchically according to degree o maturity a/w them

Id: the most basic needs and desires, and the immediate gratification of those needs Ego: Works and exists only for balance between the Id and the Superego; between our urges and desires vs.

our morals and values. Superego: The moral and somewhat idealistic compilation of judgment usually based on what society,

parents, or others have taught us; or based on what we have chosen as our belief system.

narcissistic defenses

Denial Avoiding d awareness o some painful aspect o reality by negating sensory data Declaring or thinking whatever is true is false. Refusal to accept reality, external facts, events, implications bc nature of the reality threatens individual. Emotional conflicts resolved by refusal to acknowledge unpleasant external realities

Used in norm & patho state

Denial Repression

Abolishes xternal reality

Defends against drive derivatives

Alcoholic who refuses to believe his drinking makes an impact on his job performance or family life

Distortion Grossly reshaped xternal reality to suit inner needs Using sustained feeling o delusional superiority or entitlement Large reshaping of external reality to meet internal needs Individual convinces themselves everyone around them dislikes them to prevent attachments, risk of rejection; or, convinces self that everyone adores them to feed ego and avoid painful realities.

Projection Perceiving & reacting to unacceptable inner impulse & derivatives as though they outside d self Attributing one’s own unacknowledged unacceptable/unwanted thoughts and emotions to another. Reduces anxiety, allows expression of undesirable impulse or desire without conscious awareness. Assuming that someone you extremely dislike extremely dislikes you. Severe prejudice, severe jealousy, hyper vigilance to external danger, and “injustice collecting”.

narcissistic

children & psychotically px

•denial

•distortion

•projection

immature

adolescents & some nonpsychotic px

•acting out

•blocking

•hypochondriasis

•introjection

•passive-aggresive behaviour

•regression

•schizoid fantasy

•somatization

neurotic

adults ↓ stress, hysterically px,

obsessivecompulsive

•controlling

•displacement

•externalization

•inhibition

•intellectualization

•isolation

•rationalization

•dissociation

•rx 4mation

•repression

•sexualization

mature

•altruism

•anticipation

•asceticism

•humor

•sublimation

•suppression

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Immature defenses

Acting out Expressing unconscious wish/impulse through action to avoid being conscious an accompanying effect Behaving in a manner that expresses impulse or unconscious wishes w/out awareness/understanding of the emotion driving behavior

Unconscious fantasy lived out impulsively in behavior→ gratifying d impulse (x prohibition against it)

Temper tantrum, drug use, promiscuity …unconscious wish may be a desire for attention, emotion may be loneliness

Blocking Temporarily/transiently inhibiting thinking

Hypochondriasis Exaggerating/overemphasizing illness 4 purpose o evasion & regression Turning negative feelings into pain, illness, and anxiety instead of expressing feelings or addressing issues.

Reproach arise from : Bereavement Loneliness Unacceptable aggressive

impulse 2ward others ↓

Transformed into: Self approach Complain o pain Somatic illness Neurasthenia

Introjection Internalizing d quality o an object Identifying with some idea or object so deeply that it becomes a part of another person.

Deeply associating a belonging w absent person; the object mentally represents that person (in a very extreme form, necrophilia).

Passive aggressive behaviour

Expressing aggression 2ward others indirectly through : Passivity Masochism Turning against self Aggression towards others expressed indirectly or passively

Manifestation: Failure Procrastination Illneses that affect other >

oneself

Regression Attempting to return to an early libidinal phase o fx to avoid tension & conflict evoked at d present level o dvlpmnt Reverting to coping at an earlier stage of development.

Basic tendency to gain instinctual gratification at a < delevoped period

Adult throwing a temper tantrum

Schizoid fantasy Indulging in autistic retreat Purpose: To resolve conflict To obtain gratification

Px x believe in fantasies Avoid interpersonal

intimacy Become eccentric

Somatization Converting psychic derivatives into bodily symptoms Tend to react w somatic manifestation

Desomatization Infantile somatic response → thought & affect Resomatization Px regress to earlier somatic forms to face unresolved conflict

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Neurotic defenses

Controlling Attempting to mx or regulate events/objects in envirnmnt to : Minimize anxiety Resolve inner conflict

Displacement Shifting emotion or drive cathexis from 1 idea/object to another that resemble d ori in some aspect/quality Aggression or even sexual impulses redirected to a more acceptable party. Emotion pointed to safer outlet. Separation of emotion from its real object. Emotion dissuaded to object, party that brings less risk.

Mother may yell at child when she feels angry at husband. → she displaces her anger toward child coz child → more acceptable target& less threatening & < risk in outcome.

Externalization Tend to perceive in external world & xternal object element own personality

Inhibiting Consciously limiting or renouncing some ego fx, alone or in combination to evade anxiety that arise out o confict w : Instinctual impulses Superego Environmental force Figures

Intellectualization Xcess using intellectual process to avoid affective xpression/xperience Taking an extremely objective viewpoint w/out regard for emotions. Focusing on only intellectual parts of a situation to create distance from relevant anxiety provoking emotions. Avoiding unacceptable emotions by focusing on the intellectual aspects. Thinking about wishes in emotionally bland, formal ways, not acting on them.

After learning they have a terminal illness, an individual begins spending all time studying about the illness to avoid thinking abt the direct effect in their own life.

Isolation Splitting/separating idea from affect that accompanies it but is repressed separation of feelings from ideas and events

Social isolation : absence o object r/ship

Describing a murder w graphic details w no emotional response.

Rationalization Offering rational xplanation in attempt to justify attitude, belief, or behavior that may otherwise unacceptable Creating false but credible justifications. Convincing oneself no wrong was done or all is or was all right through faulty/false reasoning. Indicator of this defense mechanism can be seen socially as the formulation of convenient excuses.

You are turned down by someone you are interested in, and rationalize that you were not that attracted to them. Protects self-esteem

Dissociation Temporarilt but drastically modify person’s character or sense o personal identity to avoid emotional distress Mod of internal identity, character to avoid painful emotions. Separation of naturally occurring feeling from event or thought. Extreme compartmentalizing. Feel separated from their bodies. Feel events are not really happening. Conscious thought process is elsewhere, not in present moment

Manifestation: Fugue state Hysterical conversation rx Found in px w : Counter-phobic behavior Dissociative identity

disorder Religious joy Use o pharmacological high Individual day dreams excessively to avoid painful realities, even situation they currently experience

Rx 4mation Transform unacceptable impulse into its opposite Overacting in the opposite way to a fear. Converting unconscious wishes or impulses perceived to be dangerous into opposites; behavior completely opposite of what one really wants or feels; taking opposite belief because true belief causes anxiety. Works effectively for coping in the short term, will eventually break down.

Characteristic o obsessional neurosis A manager treats employee whom they extremely dislike ultra kindly, making many special efforts to cater to that person and thus hide true feelings of dislike.

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Repression Expelling or withholding from consciousness an idea or feeling Pulling thoughts into unconscious, preventing painful or dangerous thoughts from entering consciousness; seemingly unexplainable naivety, memory lapse or lack of awareness of one’s own situation and condition. Emotion is conscious, idea behind it absent. Pushing uncomfortable thoughts into the subconscious.

10 repression : Curbing o idea & feelings b4 they hv attained consciousness

20 repression Exclude from awareness what was once xperienced at a conscious level Individual abused as a child represses feelings and memories, so that feelings and memories no longer remain in the conscious memory. The abuse continues to affect the individual’s behavior in relationships.

Sexualization Endowing object/fx w sexual significance that did x prev hv/possed to a smaller degree to ward off anxieties a/w prohibited impulse or their derivatives

Mature defenses

Altruism Using constructive & instinctually gratifying service to others to undergo a vicarious xperience Concern for other’s well-being, in an either excessive or successful manner. Actions/service to others that brings enjoyment, distraction, or avoidance of problems.

A church member who volunteers for any and every responsibility; the friend who bends over backward to serve, at their own expense.

Anticipation Realistically anticipating or planning for future inner discomfort Realistic planning for future discomfort. Adequate anticipation may yield appropriate preparation for future event/circumstance creating anxiety.

Spending so much time planning for future events that events are not enjoyed.

Asceticism Eliminating d pleasurable effect o experience

Humor Using comedy to overtly xpress feelings & thoughts w/out personal discomfort or immobilization & w/out producing unpleasant effect on others Allows for exploration of absurdity, or emotions & ideas unpleasant to focus on or too terrible to talk about, in a way that brings pleasure to others. Wit, a type of humor that displaces. Wit brings attention to the distressing, which remains unpleasant.

Excessive humor used to mask emotions and avoid addressing underlying “true” issues.

Sublimation Achieving impulse gratification & retention o goals but altering a socially objectionable aim or object to a socially acceptable one Redirecting ‘wrong’ urges into socially acceptable actions.

Individual redirects murder impulses and becomes a surgeon.

Suppression Consciously or semiconsciously postponing attention to a conscious impulse or conflict

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