Defense Mechanism (1) (1)

Defense Mechanism
Faiqa Chaudhary
Freud's daughter, Anna Freud , expanded on her father's theory by describing 10
different defense mechanisms used by the ego.
Defense mechanism, mental processes that enable the mind to reach compromise
solutions to conflicts that it is unable to resolve. The process is usually
unconscious, and the compromise generally involves concealing from oneself
internal drives or feelings that threaten to lower self-esteem or provoke anxiety.
10 Key Defense Mechanisms
1- Repression
2- Displacement
3- Denial
4- Suppression
5- Sublimation
6- Projection
7- Rationalization
8- Intellectualization
9- Formation Reaction
10- Regression
1- Repression
Repression is the withdrawal from consciousness of an unwanted idea, affect, or

desire by pushing it down, or repressing it, into the unconscious part of the mind.
Repression acts to keep information out of conscious awareness. However, these
memories don't just disappear; they continue to influence our behavior.
For example, a person who has repressed memories of abuse suffered as a child
may later have difficulty forming relationships .
2- Displacement
Displacement involves taking out our frustrations, feelings, and impulses on

people or objects that are less threatening.
you transfer your emotions from the person who is the target of your frustration to
someone or something else entirely.
Displaced aggression is a common example of this defense mechanism. Rather
than express your anger in ways that could lead to negative consequences (like
arguing with your boss), you instead express your anger toward a person or object
that poses no threat (such as your spouse, children, or pets)
3- Denial
Denial, probably one of the best-known defense mechanisms, is an outright
refusal to admit or recognize that something has occurred or is currently
occurring. It functions to protect the ego from things with which the person
cannot cope and is used often to describe situations in which people seem unable
to face reality or admit an obvious truth (e.g., "They're in denial").
While it may temporarily shield you from anxiety or pain, denial also requires a
substantial investment of energy. Because of this, other defenses are used to help
keep these unacceptable feelings from conscious awareness.
In many cases, there might be overwhelming evidence that something is true, yet
the person will continue to deny its existence or truth because it is too
uncomfortable to face.
4- Suppression
Sometimes you might repress information consciously by forcing the

unwanted information out of your awareness. This is known as
suppression. In most cases, however, this removal of anxiety-provoking
memories from awareness is believed to occur unconsciously.
5- Sublimation
Sublimation is similar to displacement, but takes place when we manage to

displace our unacceptable emotions into behaviors which are constructive and
socially acceptable, rather than destructive activities.
Sport is example of putting our emotions (e.g., aggression) into something
constructive.
6- Projection
Projection is a psychological defense mechanism proposed by Anna Freud in

which an individual attributes unwanted thoughts, feelings and motives onto
another person. Projection, which Anna Freud also called displacement outward,
is almost the complete opposite of turning against the self. It involves the
tendency to see your own unacceptable desires in other people.In other words, the
desires are still there, but they’re not your desires anymore.
Example: For instance, you might hate someone, but your superego tells you that
such hatred is unacceptable. You can ‘solve’ the problem by believing that they
hate you.
7- Rationalization
Rationalization is a defense mechanism proposed by Anna Freud involving a

cognitive distortion of “the facts” to make an event or an impulse less threatening.
We do it often enough on a fairly conscious level when we provide ourselves with
excuses.
Example: When a person finds a situation difficult to accept, they will make up a
logical reason why it has happened. For example, a person may explain a natural
disaster as “God’s will”.
8- Intellectualization
Intellectualization works to reduce anxiety by thinking about events in a cold,

clinical way.8 This defense mechanism allows us to avoid thinking about the
stressful, emotional aspect of the situation and instead focus only on the
intellectual component.
For example, a person who has just been diagnosed with a terminal illness might
focus on learning everything about the disease in order to avoid distress and
remain distant from the reality of the situation and their feelings about it.
9- Formation Reaction
Reaction formation reduces anxiety by taking up the opposite feeling, impulse, or

behavior. An example of reaction formation would be treating someone you
strongly dislike in an excessively friendly manner in order to hide your true
feelings.
According to Freud, they are using reaction formation as a defense mechanism to
hide their true feelings by behaving in the exact opposite manner.
10- Regression
When confronted by stressful events, people sometimes abandon coping

strategies and revert to patterns of behavior used earlier in development.
Hugging a teddy bear when you're stressed, like you did when you were a child.
defense mechanisms can be both good and bad. They can serve a helpful role by
protecting your ego from stress and providing a healthy outlet. In other instances,
these defense mechanisms might hold you back from facing reality and can act as
a form of self-deception.

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Defense Mechanism

Repression is the withdrawal from consciousness of an unwanted idea, affect, or

Displacement involves taking out our frustrations, feelings, and impulses on

Sometimes you might repress information consciously by forcing the

Sublimation is similar to displacement, but takes place when we manage to

Projection is a psychological defense mechanism proposed by Anna Freud in

Rationalization is a defense mechanism proposed by Anna Freud involving a

Intellectualization works to reduce anxiety by thinking about events in a cold,

Reaction formation reduces anxiety by taking up the opposite feeling, impulse, or

When confronted by stressful events, people sometimes abandon coping

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