Defense Mechanisms: What are they?

In our daily lives, we encounter various stressors and challenges that can evoke emotional discomfort. To protect ourselves from these distressing emotions, we often employ psychological defense mechanisms.They often operate without our awareness as strategies that help us cope with anxiety, conflict, and other difficult situations.

Common Defense Mechanisms:

1. Denial: Refusing to acknowledge or believe an unpleasant reality.

   • Example: A person who has been diagnosed with a serious illness may deny the diagnosis.

2. Repression: Pushing uncomfortable thoughts and feelings into the unconscious mind.

   • Example: A person who experienced childhood trauma may have difficulty recalling the details.

3. Projection: Attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or feelings onto others.

   • Example: A person who feels angry towards their partner may accuse them of being angry.

4. Displacement: Directing feelings towards a less threatening target.

   • Example: A child who is frustrated with their parents may take it out on their younger sibling.

5. Rationalization: Justifying one's actions or behaviors with seemingly logical reasons.

   • Example: A person who cheats on their partner might justify it by blaming their partner's behavior.

6. Sublimation: Channeling unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable behaviors.

   • Example: A person with aggressive tendencies might become a professional athlete.

7. Regression: Returning to an earlier stage of development in response to stress.

   • Example: An adult who is stressed may start exhibiting childish behaviors.

8. Reaction Formation: Expressing the opposite emotion to what one is truly feeling.

   • Example: A person who is secretly attracted to someone may act hostile towards them.

Understanding the Role of Defense Mechanisms

Defense mechanisms are not inherently bad. They serve a protective function by helping us cope with difficult emotions. However, when they become overused or maladaptive, they can hinder personal growth and well-being.

What’s the difference with Coping mechanisms?

Defense Mechanisms are typically unconscious strategies employed to protect oneself from unwanted emotions. While defense Mechanisms are often automatic, Coping mechanisms are also strategies used to handle stress and difficult emotions but they are more conscious and deliberately chosen. They can also be adaptive or maladaptive depending on their effectiveness. Examples of coping mechanisms include problem-solving, relaxation techniques, social support, and humor.

So how do we know if a defense or coping mechanism is being helpful?

Well, if you are applying it to avoid short-term discomfort and it interferes with your long-term self-development and well-being, taking you away from the life you want to live and the person you want to be, it is not useful (no matter if it is meditation, exercise or something that in other contexts is useful for you. Here you use it to avoid not resolving, learning about yourself or growing). If it helps you to better handle a difficult situation, even if it is not pleasant, hurts and generates discomfort, but pushes you to act as the person you want to be, it is being effective.  

If you want to learn more about these mechanisms and apply them as allies to get closer to the life you want to live and the person you want to become, let's keep in touch and explore this and other topics together.

Sources:

• Freud, S. (1926). The Ego and the Id. Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, 19, 3-66.

• Vaillant, G. E. (1977). Adaptation to Life. Little, Brown.

• American Psychological Association (APA). Defense Mechanisms.