Compensation and Defense Mechanisms
For example, people with difficult family lives may direct their energy toward excelling at work. What Are Defense Mechanisms? Defense mechanisms are unconscious responses that protect people from feelings of anxiety or threats to their sense of self. Alistair Berg / DigitalVision / Getty Images Sigmund Freud first described these defenses as part of his personality theory. His daughter, Anna Freud, later did more work on psychological defense mechanisms. For example, a person may compensate for struggles in their relationships by becoming highly skilled in their work....