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Defense mechanisms are methods people use to cope with feelings of stress or anxiety.
These methods can vary widely in their degree of helping or potentially causing further harm.
For most people, defense mechanisms are unconscious behaviors.
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Sigmund Freud, the renowned psychoanalyst, was the first person to propose the idea ofdefense mechanisms.
At a Glance
Defense mechanisms are ways to manage feelings of anxiety.
These can be mature and adaptive, such as using humor or sublimation to cope.
They can also be primitive, immature, or maladaptive, such as using projection or passive-aggressiveness.
This article discusses the most frequently used defense mechanisms and why people use them.
Types of Defense Mechanisms
Defense mechanisms are sometimes broadly classified into either primitive defenses or mature defenses.
Mature defense mechanisms are more adaptive, and primitive defenses are less adaptive.
Primitive mechanisms are sometimes further broken down into either neurotic or immature defenses.
Neurotic defenses include intellectualization, undoing, repression, dissociation, reaction formation, and displacement.
Examples of immature defense mechanisms include denial, rationalization, projection, splitting, and acting out.
The mature defenses involve accepting reality even if it is disliked.
Uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, and situations are interpreted and addressed in less threatening forms instead of being denied.
People can practice choosing to use mature defense mechanisms as they may not happen naturally.
They often require intention, practice, and effort.
Mature defense mechanisms include altruism, anticipation, humor, sublimation, and suppression.
Psychoanalysts are constantly expanding on this number.
Heres a breakdown of the most common types of defense mechanisms people use.
Avoidance
Avoidance is a defense mechanism people use to avoid handling a problem at hand.
Withavoidance, youll dismiss any uncomfortable or negative thoughts or feelings without trying to understand them.
In the long run, avoidance may not be a sustainable solution and can compound a stressful situation.
Denial
Denialis used to avoid dealing with a stressful or overwhelming situation.
When a person is in denial, they refuse to accept the reality of their situation.
The problem with denial is that it stops you from dealing with a situation when you should.
Projection tends to be rooted inall-or-nothing, black-and-white thinking, where people view things as either all-good or all-bad.
Researchers have found that this jot down of defense mechanism tends to emerge during adolescence.
In many cases, people use it less frequently as they begin to develop more mature defense mechanisms.
Adelusionis a bang out of distortion.
It may arise in response to feelings such as loneliness or inadequacy.
Delusions, like most defense mechanisms, show up in ways that range from adaptive to maladaptive.
You often have no control over the thoughts and emotions you repress.
Repressed memories or feelings dont just disappear, however.
During therapy, or in certain unsuspecting moments, you might find yourself uncovering them.
You are aware of them, but you may put off addressing them until a later time.
The ways suppression may be used can range from maladaptive to adaptive.
In many identification cases, the person using it as a coping mechanism is being abused.
A great example of identification is in people who haveStockholm Syndrome.
Many times, people use intellectualization to avoid dealing with their emotions.
For instance, they might justify cheating on a test because they needed the grade to graduate.
For instance, a child who was abused and has been potty trained might start bedwetting again.
It’s possible for regression to occur at any stage of your life.
Sublimation
Sublimation, in many cases, is a positive defense mechanism.
It often happens in response to a traumatic situation, like when a person is being abused.
Like all defense mechanisms, forms of dissociation can range from mild to extreme.
“Zoning out” is a very mild form of dissociation.
A person who frequently uses dissociation as a defense mechanism might develop a dissociative disorder.
If you havea dissociative disorder,youll have no control over the situations and scenarios you dissociate from.
Dissociation often happens unconsciously.
However, they may come home and yell at or take their frustrations out on their child.
They can range from mild to extreme and maladaptive to adaptive.
Help for people who depend on defense mechanisms is often therapy.
What This Means For You
Defense mechanisms are common and expected.
Using a defense mechanism to protect yourself in specific scenarios can be adaptive.
For instance, intellectualizing a challenging situation can help you realize that maybe some positive change came from it.
If you need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to amental health professional.
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