Defense Mechanisms

[juan_carlos]

u forgot to add regression but that depends on whose theory u are basing upon, difft theorists have diffrent constructs, i think anna freud had her own additions too.. insanity would probably be a good example of an extreme defense mechanism, at elast thats how i look at it

[juan_carlos]

@crashburn
regression a retreat to an earlier stage of development usually where one has fixated, a thorough description would require some discussion on freud's theory of psychosexual development and its too early in the am for me to try to explain that,
regression may take on varied forms but let me just cite some common examples :
1. when a child is frightened for example in the first day of school, he regresses to an infantile stage and hides under the table and sucks his thumb
2. when someone is depressed he or she curls up in a fetal position and cries note that the fetal position is considered a regression because it is a very comforting position we usually engaged in when we were infants.
3 &4. husband and wife quarrel, wife runs away from home and goes to her mom's house where she feels safe and secure (a behavior similar to a child running to his parents for comfort) husband may resort to drinking and/or smoking (arguably anoder regression to an earlier fixation in the oral stage of development)

[kd19orcinus]

Sigmund Freud first used defense as a psychoanalytic term (1894), but he did not break the notion into categories, viewing it as a singular phenomenon of repression. His daughter, Anna Freud, expanded on his theories in the 1930s, distinguishing some of the major defense mechanisms recognized today. Primary defense mechanisms include repression and denial, which serve to prevent unacceptable ideas or impulses from entering the conscience. Secondary defense mechanisms—generally appearing as an outgrowth of the primary defense mechanisms—include projection, reaction formation, displacement, sublimation, and isolation.

m also a psych grad. working as Hr assistant :mrgreen:

[thisbe.ara]

@juan_carlos: you must be referring to me, not Crashburn. anyway, yes you're right. there are other forms of defense mechanisms. these are the ones in general.
Question: is regression a form of displacement?

@kd: good for you.

[dessay]

rationalization and denial (according to my psych bestfriend)...labi na sa gugma!...hmmm maybe sublimation also...hala oi halos man tanan...lol

am surrounded with pych friends and I have a mother who's a psychology graduate as well....I guess I'm lucky na i have someone to talk to kung motukar akong pagka-tuliro..free of charge! nyayayahahah

[thisbe.ara]

OT: hi guys, will be posting more defense mechanism tactics soon. hehehe.. (general ra kaayo akong nahatag). there are others jud. believe me. hehehe..

[thisbe.ara]

more examples
1.) Denial is probably one of the best known defense mechanisms, used often to describe those who seem unable to face reality or admit and obvious truth (i.e. “He’s in denial.”). Denial is an outright refusal to admit or recognize that something has occurred or is currently occurring. Drug addicts or alcoholics often deny that they have a problem, while victims of traumatic events may deny that the event ever occurred.

Denials functions to protect the ego from things that the individual cannot cope with. While this may save us from anxiety or pain, denial also requires a substantial investment of energy. Because of this, other defenses are also used to keep these unacceptable feelings from consciousness.

Examples:
1.) A person clenching his fists and shouting “I’m not angry!”
2.) An alcoholic who denies she has a drinking problem.
3.) A mother who has beaten her child resulting to bruises and bleeding and says “I am just doing this because I love you. I am a good mother”.
4.) A battered wife who cannot make the connection that her life is in danger.
5.) A lover who doesn’t pick up the subtle signs that his relationship is breaking apart.



2.) Projection is a defense mechanism that involves taking our own unacceptable qualities or feelings and ascribing them to other people. For example, if you have a strong dislike for someone, you might instead believe that he or she does not like you. Projection functions to allow the expression of the desire or impulse, but in a way that the ego cannot recognize, therefore reducing anxiety.

1.) A person who cannot say his true feelings to a girl and would say, “You like me, don’t you?”
2.) “It’s not that I made a stupid mistake, it’s that you are critical of everything I do!”
3.) “My father was a reasonable man when we disagreed, so if I use reason with my boss, we can work out our disagreement”.
4.) “You might want to mind your own business” when in fact, you are the one meddling.
5.) “You know what, I don’t understand why you hate me so much”. -> when in fact, you have this hatred towards this person.


3.) Substitution
Through this defense mechanism, the individual secures alternative or substitutive gratification comparable to those that would have been employed had frustration not occurred.

Because of the mechanism, a person can seek comfort or convenience of a reserved option when not available

a.) A person who has intense feelings for a girl and because of his fear of rejection, opts not to continue courting.
b.) Someone who fails to slim down but opts to binge eat instead.
c.) A smoker wanting to stop smoking opts for candy instead.
d.) A high school student playing basketball instead of studying.
e.) Having another relationship with another girl after being dumped.



Rationalization is a defense mechanism that involves explaining an unacceptable behavior or feeling in a rational or logical manner, avoiding the true explanation for the behavior. This occurs when people make up reasons post-hoc (after the fact) to explain away a course of action they have taken that they feel conflicted about. Rationalization not only prevents anxiety, it may also protect self-esteem and self-concept. When confronted by success or failure, people tend to attribute achievement to their own qualities and skills while failures are blamed on other people or outside forces.

Examples:
1.) A person who is turned down for a date might rationalize the situation by saying he wasn’t attracted to the other person anyway.
2.) A student who blames a poor exam score on the instructor rather than his/her lack of preparation.
3.) Blaming the traffic on the Philippine economic situation.
4.) “It’s okay to be poor and not to have work. God gave us these problems anyway.”
5.) “Let her leave me. She will always come back to me after a day or two”.


Withdrawal -- Withdrawal is a more severe form of defense. It entails removing yourself from events, stimuli, interactions, etc... that could remind you of painful thoughts and feelings.

Example:
1.) Avoiding talking to friends over a painful situation.
2.) Watching TV instead of dealing with the death of one’s father.
3.) Going to another country to avoid paying debts.
4.) Drowning one’s misery in beer to forget about being dumped.
5.) Turning to drugs because of a parents’ divorce.

[kyuusai]

1.) Denial is probably one of the best known defense mechanisms, used often to describe those who seem unable to face reality or admit and obvious truth (i.e. “He’s in denial.”). Denial is an outright refusal to admit or recognize that something has occurred or is currently occurring. Drug addicts or alcoholics often deny that they have a problem, while victims of traumatic events may deny that the event ever occurred.

Denials functions to protect the ego from things that the individual cannot cope with. While this may save us from anxiety or pain, denial also requires a substantial investment of energy. Because of this, other defenses are also used to keep these unacceptable feelings from consciousness.

Examples:
1.) A person clenching his fists and shouting “I’m not angry!”
2.) An alcoholic who denies she has a drinking problem.
3.) A mother who has beaten her child resulting to bruises and bleeding and says “I am just doing this because I love you. I am a good mother”.
4.) A battered wife who cannot make the connection that her life is in danger.
5.) A lover who doesn’t pick up the subtle signs that his relationship is breaking apart.

this izz me.

[iskay_ais]

a way to fool ones self without looking fool to others

[nikita_blu]

halos tanan naman cguro

withdrawal
substitution
rationalization
fantasy