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    Defense Mechanisms

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    sajjad.najm2000
    The document summarizes various defense mechanisms used unconsciously by people to protect themselves from anxiety. It categorizes defenses into mature, immature, neurotic, and narcissistic types. Mature defenses are healthy and adaptive, such as altruism, sublimation, and humor. Immature and neurotic defenses are common but socially awkward, like regression, displacement, and repression. Narcissistic defenses distort reality and include projection and denial. The document provides examples to illustrate each defense mechanism.

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    Defense Mechanisms

    Uploaded by

    sajjad.najm2000
    52 views23 pages
    The document summarizes various defense mechanisms used unconsciously by people to protect themselves from anxiety. It categorizes defenses into mature, immature, neurotic, and narcissistic types. Mature defenses are healthy and adaptive, such as altruism, sublimation, and humor. Immature and neurotic defenses are common but socially awkward, like regression, displacement, and repression. Narcissistic defenses distort reality and include projection and denial. The document provides examples to illustrate each defense mechanism.

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    6. Defense mechanisms

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    The document summarizes various defense mechanisms used unconsciously by people to protect themselves from anxiety. It categorizes defenses into mature, immature, neurotic, and narcissistic types. Mature defenses are healthy and adaptive, such as altruism, sublimation, and humor. Immature and neurotic defenses are common but socially awkward, like regression, displacement, and repression. Narcissistic defenses distort reality and include projection and denial. The document provides examples to illustrate each defense mechanism.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as pdf or txt
    52 views23 pages

    Defense Mechanisms

    Uploaded by

    sajjad.najm2000
    The document summarizes various defense mechanisms used unconsciously by people to protect themselves from anxiety. It categorizes defenses into mature, immature, neurotic, and narcissistic types. Mature defenses are healthy and adaptive, such as altruism, sublimation, and humor. Immature and neurotic defenses are common but socially awkward, like regression, displacement, and repression. Narcissistic defenses distort reality and include projection and denial. The document provides examples to illustrate each defense mechanism.

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    ‫م‪.‬د‪ .

    ‬نور علي حسن‬


    ‫اختصاص االمراض النفسية واالدمان‬
    ‫كلية طب الكندي‪ -‬فرع الطب‬
    ❖ Objectives

    ● Understand the classification of defense mechanisms

    ● Clarify the definition of each type by examples


    Defense mechanisms
    Defense mechanisms are psychological strategies that
    are unconsciously used to protect a person from anxiety
    arising from unacceptable thoughts or feelings.
    A. Mature Defenses:
    These mechanisms are healthy and adaptive
    throughout the life cycle. They are socially adaptive
    and useful in the integration of personal needs and
    motives, social demands, and interpersonal relations.
    1. Altruism: refers to means of transforming uncomfortable
    feelings and thoughts, this time by helping others suffering from
    similar feelings and thoughts who are less far along in dealing with
    them than myself. example
    "I'm a recovering alcoholic and every day is a small struggle to remain
    sober. I help myself stay in control by being a sponsor for other
    Alcoholics who are less stable in their sobriety than myself".
    2.Sublimation: Uncomfortable feelings and thoughts are
    transformed when a person chooses to take the energy behind
    these feelings and thoughts and put it towards a different,
    constructive purpose.
    For example: "I'm mad at my father, but instead of yelling at
    him (which won't help things), I'm going to get out my paints
    and paint a picture.
    3. Suppression: is the conscious effort to avoid certain
    thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, or to keep them out of
    consciousness( conscious form of repression).

    "I'm mad at my mom, but it won't help to tell her that at this
    family party. I'll save this revelation for a time when we can
    speak about it privately".
    Being abused as a child but choosing to push it out of your
    mind.
    4. Humour: Pointing out the funny or ironic aspects of a
    situation. An example of this might be cracking a joke in a
    stressful or traumatic situation.
    B. Immature Defenses
    These mechanisms are fairly common in preadolescent years
    and in adult character disorders. They are often mobilized by
    anxieties related to intimacy or its loss. Although they are
    regarded as socially awkward and undesirable, they often
    moderate with improvement in interpersonal relationships or
    with increased personal maturity.
    1. Regression: A return to a previous stage of development or
    functioning to avoid the anxieties or hostilities involved in
    later stages.
    Example: This is often seen in children where trauma is
    experienced, such as bringing a new baby into the home. The
    child fears they will be replaced. They may revert to childlike
    behavior to receive more attention.
    2. Acting out: The direct expression of an unconscious wish or
    impulse in action to avoid being conscious of the
    accompanying affect, causes for serious acting out include:
    1. Weak bonding with parents.
    2. A home environment that exposes children to violence.
    3. Gender(males more than females engage in such behavior)
    4. Lower socioeconomic status.
    5. Heredity
    Example: Instead of saying, “I'm angry with you,” a person
    who acts out may instead throw a book at the person, or punch
    a hole through a wall.
    3. Introjection: unconscious adoption of the thoughts or
    personality traits of others. It occurs as a normal part of
    development, such as a child taking on parental values and
    attitudes. It can also be a defense mechanism in situations
    that arouse anxiety.An example of introjection might be a
    dad telling his son “boys don't cry”- this is an idea that a
    person might take in from their environment and internalize
    into their way of thinking
    C. Neurotic Defenses
    These are common in apparently normal and healthy persons
    as well as in neurotic disorders. They function usually in the
    alleviation of distressing affects and may be expressed in
    neurotic forms of behavior. Depending on circumstances, they
    can also have an adaptive or socially acceptable aspect.
    1. Displacement: Involves a purposeful, unconscious shifting of
    impulses from one object to another in the interest of solving a
    conflict. or
    an individual transferring negative feelings from one person or
    thing to another.
    For example, a person who is angry at their boss may “take out”
    their anger on a family member by shouting at them.
    2.Repression:is the unconscious blocking of unpleasant
    emotions, impulses, memories, and thoughts from the
    conscious mind. Repression is often confused with
    suppression, suppression is entirely voluntary. Specifically,
    suppression is deliberately trying to forget or not think about
    painful or unwanted thoughts.
    Example:being abused as a child but not remembering the
    abuse.
    3. Rationalization: A justification of unacceptable attitudes,
    beliefs, or behavior.
    Or it involves explaining an unacceptable behavior or feeling
    in a rational or logical manner, avoiding the true reasons for
    the behavior.
    D. Narcissistic Defenses
    These defenses are usually found as part of a psychotic
    process, but may also occur in young children and adult dreams
    or fantasies. They share the common note of avoiding,
    negating, or distorting reality.
    1. Projection: projection involves attributing one’s own
    unacknowledged feelings to others. Projection operates
    correlatively to introjection, such that the material of the
    projection derives from the internalized but usually unconscious
    configuration of the subject’s introjects.

    Example: Feeling attracted to someone other than your wife,


    then fearing that your wife is cheating on you
    2. Denial: involves ignoring the reality of a situation to avoid
    anxiety.
    Example: Being the victim of a violent crime, yet denying that
    the incident occurred.
    Thank you

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