Defense Mechanisms

An attempt to make up for real or imagined weakness. Example: an adolescent perceived as unattractive becomes an outstanding athlete.

A refusal to acknowledge a real situation. Example: a woman who finds a suspicious lump in her breast does not keep an appointment for a breast biopsy

Transferring the feelings associated from one source to another that is considered less threatening. Example: a boy who is angry with a teacher comes home and yells at his dog.

The emulation of admirable qualities in another to enhance one's self-esteem. Example: a child dresses and uses mannerisms similar to those of a famous rock star.

Process in which events are analyzed based on remote facts and without passion, rather than incorporating feelings and emotion into the processing. Example: A woman talks about her son's death from cancer as being merciful and shows no signs of being sad.

Disruption in consciousness, memory, identity, or perception of the environment that results in compartmentalizing uncomfortable or unpleasant aspects of oneself

Justifying illogical, unreasonable ideas, actions or feelings by developing acceptable explanations. Example: "I cheated but everyone cheats so it's ok"

Transferring unacceptable feelings or impulses to another. Example: a partner who is jealous of her significant other accuses the partner of being jealous.

Avoiding unacceptable thoughts and behaviors by expressing opposing thoughts or behaviors. Example: a patient that unconsciously hates his father continuously says how great his father is.

Withdrawing to an earlier level of development to benefit from the associated comfort levels of the previous level. Example: a child starts sucking her thunmb when her new baby brother comes home from the hospital.

An unconscious defense mechanism in which unacceptable ideas, impulses, and memories are kept out of consciousness. Example: a woman cannot remember a sexual assault.

The unconscious transformation of anxiety into a physical symptom with no organic cause. Example: Blindness after witnessing a murder.

The transformation of unacceptable impulses or drives (e.g., aggressiveness, anger, sexuality) into constructive or more acceptable behavior. Example: a person who has aggressive tendencies becomes a jackhammer operator

A conscious or voluntary inhibition of unacceptable ideas, impulses, and memories. Example: a child who fails an algebra class puts that event out of his or her mind.

Actually or symbolically attempting to cancel out an action that was unacceptable. Example: sprinkling salt over one's left shoulder to prevent bad luck after spilling salt on the table.

Emotional conflicts and stressors are dealt with by meeting the needs of others; the person receives gratification either vicariously or from the response of others. Example: After the death of a spouse, you keep busy by doing volunteer work.

Unconsciously incorporating wishes, values, and attitudes of others as if they were your own. Example: While her mother is gone, a young girl disciplines her brother exactly as her mother would.

Not ackknowledging the significance of one's behavior; Allows a person to decrease responsibility for own behavior. Example: A person says: " Don't believe everything my wife tells you, I wasn't so drunk that I couldn't drive".

The replacement of a highly valued, unacceptable, or unavailable object by a less valuable, acceptable, or available object. Example: A woman wants to marry a man exactally like her father but settles for one who looks a little bit like him.

The seperation of thought or memory from the feeling, tone or emotion associated with the memory or event. Example: A person who was violently raped snows no emotion related to the event when discussing it with the nurse.