BaraaHind Nasser

JumanaNareeman Khan

Rym AzziSadia Furhad

Shaista Mirwais

Defense Mechanisms

Defense mechanismsAre unconscious mental techniques used by the ego to keep conflicts out of consciousness, thus decreasing anxiety and maintaining the individual’s sense of safety, equilibrium, and self-esteem.

• All defenses are unconscious

• Defenses change over time

• Defenses are adaptive as well as pathologic

• Psychopathology – issue of intensity and extent

Defense Mechanisms

Narcissitic Immature Anxiety Mature

DenialProjectionSplitting

BlockingRegression

SomatizationIdentification

DisplacementRepressionIsolation of

affectActing out

RationalizationReaction formationUndoingPassive

aggressiveDissociation

HumorSublimationSuppression

A. NARCISSTIC DEFENSE• Projection

• Denial

• Splitting

Denial

Denial is the refusal to accept reality or fact, acting as if a painful event, thought or feeling did not exist

Projecti onperson attributes his or her own wishes, desires, thoughts, or emotions to someone else. Internal states are perceived as a part of someone else or of the world in general.

• aka all or nothing thinking, it can be the splitting of mind and mental state

• in this case patient thinks in black or white forms, it’s either positive or negative, good or bad, it can even be splitting of the ego when the patient is existentially insecure.

Splitti ng

B. IMMATURE DEFENSE• Blocking

• Regression

• Somatization

• Identification

BlockingTemporary or transient block in thinking, or an inability to remember

During Exam After Exam

OMG!! I can’t

remember question 7’s

answer

I just remembered the answer

to question 7

RegressionRegression involves taking the position of a child in some problematic situation, rather than acting in a more adult way.Can be simple and harmless, like a person sucking a pen, or may be more dysfunctional as crying or using moody arguments.

• Psychic derivatives are converted into bodily symptoms. Feelings are manifest as physical symptoms rather than psychological distress.

Somatization

IdentificationUnconsciously patterning one’s behavior after that of someone who is more powerful

C. ANXIETY DEFENSE• Displacement

• Repression

• Isolation of affect

• Acting out

• Rationalization

• Reaction formation

• Undoing

• Passive aggressive

• Dissociation

Displacementredirecting of thoughts feelings and impulses directed at one person or object, but taken out upon another person or object.

• Repression is the unconscious blocking of unacceptable thoughts, feelings and impulses.

Repression

Isolation of affect

Split between thoughts and feelings.

Painful, troublesome, frightening feelings are removed from thoughts forced from conscious awareness

• Acting out is performing an extreme behavior in order to express thoughts or feelings the person feels incapable of otherwise expressing.

Acting Out

• Rationalization is putting something into a different light or offering a different explanation for one’s perceptions or behaviors in the face of a changing reality.

Rationalization

• Reaction Formation is the converting of unwanted or dangerous thoughts, feelings or impulses into their opposites.

Reaction formation

UndoingAttempt to take back an unconscious behavior or thought that is unacceptable or hurtful.

By “undoing” the previous action, the person is attempting to counteract the damage done by the original comment, hoping the two will balance one another out.

Passive Aggressive Non-verbal aggression that manifests in negative behavior. It is when you are angry with someone but do not/ cannot tell them. It can either be covert (concealed and hidden) or overt (blatant and obvious).

• Separates self from one’s experience. Third person rather than first person experience. Facts of an event are acceptable, but the person is protected from the full impact of the experience.

DISSOCIATION

D. MATURE DEFENSE• Humor

• Sublimation

• Suppression

HumorExpression of feeling without causing discomfort

It’s okay if I lost a leg at least I can dress up like a

pirate now hahahahahhahahahahaha

Sublimationthe channeling of unacceptable impulses, thoughts and emotions into more acceptable ones

Humor FantasyAction

• conscious decision to postpone attention to an impulse or conflict. Conscious set-up and unconscious follow through. The suppressed content temporarily resides in the unconscious.

Suppression

quiz

Question 1

• Rocky Balboa often experiences intense feelings of anger and frustration. In order to cope with these feeling, he enrolls in a boxing class as an outlet for his emotions. Rocky's actions are an example of which type of defense mechanism?

SublimationProjectionDisplacementRepression

Question 2• Eric Cartman complains about his job duties at work,

rarely completes assigned tasks, and is regularly late for work. When he’s is fired, he claims it was due to his co-worker Kyle badmouthing him instead of blaming it on his own poor work performance. Which defense mechanism explains Cartman's reaction?

DisplacementDenialRationalizationSublimation

Question 3

• Betul dislikes public speaking. She stops going to school, changes jobs, and declines most social engagements to ensure that she does not have to speak in public. Betul's behavior is an example of which defense mechanism?

DenialAvoidanceSublimationPassive-aggression

Question 4

• Gregory House's friends and family believe that he has a drug addiction problem. When House is confronted by his loved ones, he claims that his drug taking is not problematic. What type of defense mechanism is House's response?

RepressionRationalizationDenialDisplacement

Question 5

• Red Forman has an argument with his boss, but remains calm while at work. When he gets home that evening, he yells at his wife and son Eric. Which defense mechanism is Red displaying?

RationalizationDenialReaction formationDisplacement

• NOT A DEFENSE MECHANISM

• The unconscious transfer of feelings and/or thoughts between individuals

Transference

Thank you!