Freudian Defense Mechanisms: Part 2

The psychodynamic models of abnormal behavior have two main distinguishing features. First, they view disorders as the result of childhood trauma or anxieties. Second, they hold that many of the childhood-based anxieties operate unconsciously; because experiences are too threatening for the adult to face, they are repressed through mental defense mechanisms – the very topic of this post; defense mechanisms are ego-protections strategies that shelter the individual from anxiety – either neurotic, reality or moral – operate unconsciously, and distort reality. As a result, people exhibit
symptoms that they are unable to understand because they are manifestations of the unconscious conflicts. This post will be focusing on seven of the most common types of defense mechanisms.


Denial
Declaring or thinking whatever is true is false. Refusal to accept reality, external facts, events, implications because the nature of the reality threatens individual. Emotional conflicts resolved by refusal to acknowledge unpleasant external realities.

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


Displacement

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.

Example: Mother may yell at child when she feels angry at husband. In this case she displaces her anger toward child because the child appears to be a more acceptable target; less threatening, less risk in outcome.

Humor

Humor allows for exploration of absurdity, or emotions and ideas that are unpleasant to focus on or too terrible to talk about, in a way that brings pleasure to others. Wit, is a type of humor that displaces. Wit brings attention to the distressing, which remains unpleasant.

Example: Excessive humor used to mask emotions and avoid addressing underlying ‘true’ issues.

Intellectualization

Taking an extremely objective viewpoint without 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.

Example: 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.

Projection

Attributing one’s own unacknowledged unacceptable/unwanted thoughts and emotions to another.  It reduces anxiety, allows expression of undesirable impulse or desire without conscious awareness.

Example: Assuming that someone you extremely dislike extremely dislikes you. Severe prejudice, severe jealousy, hyper vigilance to external danger, and ‘injustice collecting’.

Reaction Formation

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. This mechanism works effectively for coping in the short term, but will eventually lead to a break down.

Example: 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.

Repression

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.

Example: 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.

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