IMG STUDY GROUP

Defense Mechanisms
Dr. Shakeel Ahmed

Defense mechanisms are the way and mean that the ego wards off anxiety and controls
instinctive urges and unpleasant emotions. They are unconscious (except suppression), discrete,
dynamic and irreversible, and may be adaptive or maladaptive.
As anxiety increases, the individual copes by using defense mechanisms.
A defense mechanism is a coping mechanism used in an effort to protect the individual from
feelings of anxiety; as anxiety increases and becomes overwhelming, the individual copes by
using defense mechanisms to protect the ego and decrease anxiety.

Freud’s Model
Id: Drives (instincts) present at birth. The 2 most important drives are sex and aggression.
Ego: Defense mechanisms, judgment, relationship to reality, object relationships, developed
shortly after birth
Superego: Conscience, empathy, and morality are formed during the latency period, Right vs.
Wrong

Types of Defense Mechanisms

Projection: Attributing your own wishes, thoughts, or feelings onto someone else.
“I’m sure my wife is cheating on me.”
Denial: Used to avoid becoming aware of some painful aspect of reality.
“I know I do not have cancer.”
Splitting: External objects are divided into all good or all bad.
“The morning staff is perfect; the evening staff is terrible.”
Blocking: Temporary block in thinking.
“I have known him for years but can never seem to remember his name.”
Regression: Return to an earlier stage of development, most immature.
“Ever since my divorce, my 5-year-old has begun to wet the bed.”
Somatization: Psychic derivatives are converted into bodily symptoms.
“Just thinking of the exam I get butterflies in my stomach.”
Introjection: Features of the external world are taken and made part of the self.
“The resident physician dresses like the attending whom he admires.”
Displacement: An emotion or drive is shifted to another that resembles the original. “I had to
get rid of the dog since my husband kicked it every time we had an argument.”
Repression: An idea or feeling is withheld from consciousness; unconscious forgetting.
“I do not remember having had a dog.”
Intellectualization: Excessive use of intellectual processes to avoid affective expression or
experience.“It is interesting to note the specific skin lesions which seem to arise as a
consequence of my end-stage disease.”

1
Isolation: Separation of an idea from the affect that accompanies it.
“As she arrived at the station to identify the body, she appeared to show no emotion.”
Rationalization: Rational explanations are used to justify unacceptable attitudes, beliefs, or
behaviors. “I did not pass the test because it was harder this year than ever before.”
Reaction formation: An unacceptable impulse is transformed into its opposite; results in the
formation of character traits. “Listen to him tell his family he was not afraid when I
saw him crying.”
Undoing: Acting out the reverse of unacceptable behavior; consists of an act.
“I need to wash my hands whenever I have these thoughts.”
Acting out: Behavioral or emotional outburst. “My 10-year-old started getting into
trouble right after his mother and I got divorced.”
Humor: Permits the expression of feelings and thoughts without personal discomfort.
“So,” said the 300-pound man, “they expected me to place my head between my legs in
the event of a plane crash when the best I could manage was placing my chin on my
chest.”
Sublimation: Impulse gratification has been achieved, but the aim or object has been changed
from unacceptable to acceptable; allows instincts to be channeled. Most mature of the
defenses. Jack the Ripper becomes a surgeon.
Suppression: Conscious forgetting; only conscious defense mechanism.
“I would rather talk about my operation after the party is over.”
Dissociation: Splitting off of the brain from conscious awareness.
“I hardly remember getting to the hospital after my husband was hit by a car.”

Valliant’s Classification of Defence Mechanisms;

Level 1: Pathological Defences
Delusional projection, Psychotic Denial, Denial, Distortion, Extreme projection, Splitting
The mechanisms on this level, when predominating, almost always are severely pathological.
These six defenses, in conjunction, permit one effectively to rearrange external experiences to
eliminate the need to cope with reality. The pathological users of these mechanisms frequently
appear irrational or insane to others. These are the "psychotic" defenses, common in overt
psychosis. However, they are normally found in dreams and throughout childhood as well.
Conversion: The expression of an intrapsychic conflict as a physical symptom; some examples
include blindness, deafness, paralysis, or numbness. This phenomenon is sometimes called
hysteria.
Delusional projection: Delusions about external reality, usually of a persecutory nature.
Denial: Refusal to accept external reality because it is too threatening; arguing against an
anxiety-provoking stimulus by stating it doesn't exist; resolution of emotional conflict and
reduction of anxiety by refusing to perceive or consciously acknowledge the more unpleasant
aspects of external reality.
Distortion: A gross reshaping of external reality to meet internal needs.
Extreme projection: The blatant denial of a moral or psychological deficiency, which is
perceived as a deficiency in another individual or group.
Splitting: A primitive defense. Both harmful and helpful impulses are split off and unintegrated,
frequently projected onto someone else. The defended individual segregates experiences into all-
good and all-bad categories, with no room for ambiguity and ambivalence. When "splitting" is

2
combined with "projecting", the undesirable qualities that one unconsciously perceives oneself as
possessing, one consciously attributes to another.
Level 2: Immature Defences
Acting out, Fantasy, Idealization, Passive-aggression, Projection, Projective identification,
Somatization
These mechanisms are often present in adults. These mechanisms lessen distress and anxiety
produced by threatening people or by an uncomfortable reality. Excessive use of such defenses is
seen as socially undesirable, in that they are immature, difficult to deal with and seriously out of
touch with reality. These are the so-called "immature" defenses and overuse almost always leads
to serious problems in a person's ability to cope effectively. These defenses are often seen in
major depression and personality disorders.
Acting out: Direct expression of an unconscious wish or impulse in action, without conscious
awareness of the emotion that drives that expressive behavior.
Fantasy: Tendency to retreat into fantasy in order to resolve inner and outer conflicts.
Idealization: Tending to perceive another individual as having more desirable qualities than he
or she may actually have.
Introjection: Identifying with some idea or object so deeply that it becomes a part of that
person. For example, Introjection occurs when we take on the attributes of other people who
seem better able to cope with the situation than we do.
Passive aggression: Aggression towards others expressed indirectly or passively, often through
procrastination.
Projective identification: The object of projection invokes in that person a version of the
thoughts, feelings or behaviors projected.
Projection: A primitive form of paranoia. Projection reduces anxiety by allowing the expression
of the undesirable impulses or desires without becoming consciously aware of them; attributing
one's own unacknowledged unacceptable or unwanted thoughts and emotions to another;
includes severe prejudice and jealousy, hypervigilance to external danger, and "injustice
collecting", all with the aim of shifting one's unacceptable thoughts, feelings and impulses onto
someone else, such that those same thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and motivations are perceived as
being possessed by the other.
Somatization: The transformation of uncomfortable feelings towards others into uncomfortable
feelings toward oneself: pain, illness, and anxiety.
Wishful thinking: Making decisions according to what might be pleasing to imagine instead of
by appealing to evidence, rationality, or reality.

Level 3: Neurotic Defences

Displacement, Dissociation, Hypochondriasis, Isolation of Affect, Rationalization Reaction
formation, Regression, Repression, Undoing, Intellectualization
These mechanisms are considered neurotic, but fairly common in adults. Such defenses have
short-term advantages in coping, but can often cause long-term problems in relationships, work
and in enjoying life when used as one's primary style of coping with the world
Displacement: defence mechanism that shifts sexual or aggressive impulses to a more
acceptable or less threatening target; redirecting emotion to a safer outlet; separation of emotion
from its real object and redirection of the intense emotion toward someone or something that is
less offensive or threatening in order to avoid dealing directly with what is frightening or
threatening. For example, a mother may yell at her child because she is angry with her husband.

3
Dissociation: Temporary drastic modification of one's personal identity or character to avoid
emotional distress; separation or postponement of a feeling that normally would accompany a
situation or thought.
Hypochondriasis: An excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness.
Intellectualization: A form of isolation; concentrating on the intellectual components of a
situation so as to distance oneself from the associated anxiety-provoking emotions; separation of
emotion from ideas; thinking about wishes in formal, affectively bland terms and not acting on
them; avoiding unacceptable emotions by focusing on the intellectual aspects (isolation,
rationalization, ritual, undoing, compensation, and magical thinking).
Isolation of Affect: Separation of feelings from ideas and events, for example, describing a
murder with graphic details with no emotional response.
Rationalization (making excuses): Convincing oneself that no wrong has been done and that all
is or was all right through faulty and false reasoning. An indicator of this defense mechanism can
be seen as socially as the formulation of convenient excuses.
Reaction formation: Converting unconscious wishes or impulses that are perceived to be
dangerous or unacceptable into their opposites; behavior that is completely the opposite of what
one really wants or feels; taking the opposite belief because the true belief causes anxiety.
Regression: Temporary reversion of the ego to an earlier stage of development rather than
handling unacceptable impulses in a more adult way, for example, using whining as a method of
communicating despite already having acquired the ability to speak with an appropriate level of
maturity.[26]
Repression: The process of attempting to repel desires towards pleasurable instincts, caused by a
threat of suffering if the desire is satisfied; the desire is moved to the unconscious in the attempt
to prevent it from entering consciousness;[27] seemingly unexplainable naivety, memory lapse
or lack of awareness of one's own situation and condition; the emotion is conscious, but the idea
behind it is absent.[28]
Undoing: A person tries to 'undo' an unhealthy, destructive or otherwise threatening thought by
acting out the reverse of the unacceptable. Involves symbolically nullifying an unacceptable or
guilt provoking thought, idea, or feeling by confession or atonement.
Upward and downward social comparisons: A defensive tendency that is used as a means of
self-evaluation. Individuals will look to another individual or comparison group who are
considered to be worse off in order to dissociate themselves from perceived similarities and to
make themselves feel better about themselves or their personal situation.
Withdrawal: Withdrawal is a more severe form of defense. It entails removing oneself from
events, stimuli, and interactions under the threat of being reminded of painful thoughts and
feelings.

Level 4: Mature Defences

Altruism, Anticipation, Humour, Identification, Intellectualization, Introjection, Sublimation,
Suppression
Other mechanisms
Compartmentalization, Exaggeration, Minimisation, Postponement of effect,
These are commonly found among emotionally healthy adults and are considered mature, even
though many have their origins in an immature stage of development. They have been adapted
through the years in order to optimize success in human society and relationships. The use of
these defenses enhances pleasure and feelings of control. These defenses help to integrate

4
conflicting emotions and thoughts, whilst still remaining effective. Those who use these
mechanisms are usually considered virtuous
Acceptance: A person's assent to the reality of a situation, recognizing a process or condition
(often a difficult or uncomfortable situation) without attempting to change it, protest, or exit.
Religions and psychological treatments often suggest the path of acceptance when a situation is
both disliked and unchangeable, or when change may be possible only at great cost or risk.
Altruism: Constructive service to others that brings pleasure and personal satisfaction.
Anticipation: Realistic planning for future discomfort.
Courage: The mental ability and willingness to confront conflicts, fear, pain, danger,
uncertainty, despair, obstacles, vicissitudes or intimidation. Physical courage often extends lives,
while moral courage preserves the ideals of justice and fairness.
Emotional self-regulation: The ability to respond to the ongoing demands of experience with
the range of emotions in a manner that is socially tolerable. Emotional self-regulation refers to
the processes people use to modify the type, intensity, duration, or expression of various
emotions.
Emotional self-sufficiency: Not being dependent on the validation (approval or disapproval) of
others.
Forgiveness: Cessation of resentment, indignation or anger as a result of a perceived offense,
disagreement, or mistake, or ceasing to demand retribution or restitution.
Gratitude: A feeling of thankfulness or appreciation involving an appreciation of a wide range
of people and events. Gratitude is likely to bring higher levels of happiness, and lower levels of
depression and stress. Throughout history, gratitude has been given a central position in religious
and philosophical theories.
Humility: A mechanism by which a person, considering their own defects, has a humble self-
opinion. Humility is an intelligent self-respect which keeps one from thinking too highly or too
meanly of oneself.
Humour: Overt expression of ideas and feelings (especially those that are unpleasant to focus on
or too terrible to talk about directly) that gives pleasure to others. The thoughts retain a portion of
their innate distress, but they are "skirted around" by witticism, for example, self-deprecation.
Identification: The unconscious modeling of one's self upon another person's character and
behavior.
Mercy: Compassionate behavior on the part of those in power.
Mindfulness: Adopting a particular orientation toward one’s experiences in the present moment,
an orientation that is characterized by curiosity, openness, and acceptance.
Moderation: The process of eliminating or lessening extremes and staying within reasonable
limits. It necessitates self-restraint, which is imposed by oneself on one's own feelings, desires
Patience: Enduring difficult circumstances (delay, provocation, criticism, attack, etc.) for some
time before responding negatively. Patience is a recognized virtue in many religions.
Respect: Willingness to show consideration or appreciation. Respect can be a specific feeling of
regard for the actual qualities of a person or feeling being and also specific actions and conduct
representative of that esteem. Relationships and contacts that are built without the presence of
respect are seldom long terms or sustainable. The lack of respect is at the very heart of the most
conflict in families, communities, and nations.
Sublimation: Transformation of unhelpful emotions or instincts into healthy actions, behaviors,
or emotions, for example, playing a heavy contact sport such as football or rugby can transform
aggression into a game.

5
Suppression: The conscious decision to delay paying attention to a thought, emotion, or need in
order to cope with the present reality; making it possible later to access uncomfortable or
distressing emotions whilst accepting them.
Tolerance: The practice of deliberately allowing or permitting a thing of which one disapproves.

Mature
Common in emotionally healthy adults
Sublimation, The most mature one.
Altruism
Anticipation: planning for future discomfort
Asceticism: denying pleasurable effects of an experience
Humor: Light talks or jokes to dilute the stress
Suppression: postpone attention to impulse or conflict

Immature
Common in personality disorders, severe depression, somatization disorders.
Normally seen throughout adolescence.
Acting out: express unconscious wish through impulsive action
Blocking: of thinking, affect, or impulse
Hypochondriasis: exaggeration of illness
Introjections: internalizing qualities of an object (victim identifying with aggressor)
Passive-aggressive behavior
Regression: returning to an earlier stage of development to avoid present stressors
Somatization: unconscious expression of psychic tension as physical symptoms
Splitting: tendency to separate the world and people into good and bad

Psychotic
Common in psychosis; normally seen during childhood and dreams
Denial: replacing external reality with wishful fantasy
Distortion: reshaping of reality to meet inner beliefs
Projection: interpreting internal impulses as though they are outside oneself; in psychosis seen
as frank delusion about reality (e.g. persecutory delusions)

Neurotic
Common in adults,
Controlling
Displacement: shifting emotional response to an object/idea resembling that which is
anxiety-provoking
Externalization: attributing moods/attitudes/conflicts to the external world or objects
Inhibition: limiting function to avoid anxiety-producing internal conflicts
Intellectualization: using intellectual processing to avoid experiencing affect
Isolation
Rationalization: using rational explanations to justify behaviors that are unacceptable
Dissociation: temporary modification of sense of self to avoid emotional distress
Reaction formation: transforming an unacceptable impulse into its opposite
• Repression: withholding or removing from consciousness an idea/feeling

6
• Sexualization: transforming the experience of pain or terror into pleasurable excitation;

TYPES OF DEFENSE MECHANISMS

Compensation: Putting forth the extra effort to achieve in areas where one has a real or
imagined deficiency
Conversion: Expression of emotional conflicts through physical symptoms
Denial: Disowning consciously intolerable thoughts and impulses
Displacement: Feelings toward one person are directed to another who is less threatening,
satisfying an impulse with a substitute object
Dissociation: Blocking of an anxiety-provoking event or period of time from the conscious mind
Fantasy: Gratification by imaginary achievements and wishful thinking
Fixation: Never advancing to the next level of emotional development and organization;
persistence in later life of interests and behavior patterns appropriate to an earlier age
Identification: Unconscious attempt to change oneself to resemble an admired person
Insulation: Withdrawing into passivity and becoming inaccessible so as to avoid further
threatening situations
Intellectualization: Excessive reasoning to avoid feelings; the thinking is disconnected from
feelings, and situations are dealt with at a cognitive level
Introjection: Type of identification in which the individual incorporates the traits or values of
another into himself or herself
Isolation of Affect: Response in which a person blocks feelings associated with an unpleasant
experience
Projection: Transferring one’s internal feelings, thoughts, and unacceptable ideas and traits to
someone else
Rationalization: Attempt to make unacceptable feelings and behaviors acceptable by justifying
the behavior
Reaction Formation: Developing conscious attitudes and behaviors and acting out behaviors
opposite to what one really feels
Regression: Returning to an earlier development stage to express an impulse to deal with anxiety
Repression: Unconscious process in which the client blocks undesirable and unacceptable
thoughts from conscious expression
Sublimation: Replacement of an unacceptable need, attitude, or emotion with one more socially
acceptable
Substitution: Replacement of an unacceptable object with an object more acceptable to the ego
Suppression: Conscious, deliberate forgetting of unacceptable or painful thoughts, ideas, and
feelings
Symbolization: Conscious use of an idea or object to represent another actual event or object;
often, the meaning is unclear because the symbol may be representative of something
unconscious
Undoing: Engaging in behavior considered to be the opposite of previously unacceptable
behavior, thoughts, or feelings.

https://www.facebook.com/imgstudygroup drshakeelahmed@hotmail.com