Defense Mechanisms originated from the founding father of psychotherapy, Sigmund Freud. In this blog, we will explore the different types of defense mechanisms.

The Defense mechanism helps the Ego cope with anxiety, frustrations, and unacceptable impulses that may arise in a person. Each person has different types of mechanisms to help support themselves, which is also a part of their personality. There are eleven different types of tools that a person may use; let’s go over these in detail below.

Rationalization

A plausible reason justifies an action or opinion. For example, a person is not getting into the school they applied to. But, they may think, “I will get into a better school.”

Repression

Refuses to let into awareness unacceptable impulses but remains unconsciously operative in behavior. For example, A person can use repression when they can’t remember why they are afraid of a phobia.

Displacement

The effect is transferred from one object to another. For example: When someone is angry at their job but takes it out on the cashier at the store.

Identification

The process by which qualities of an external object are absorbed into the person’s personality. For example, a person may be a Joe Rogan fan and start taking Brazilian Jits Jut.

Intellectualization

Content is separated from repressed effect. For example, if someone went through a traumatic experience and told the therapist as if they were reading it from a book.

Asceticism

Characterized by rigor and self-denial. For example, a student may use Asceticism when they don’t eat or sleep until their project is done.

Reaction Formation

A process by which unacceptable impulses are expressed as their opposites. This can help release anxiety and guilt. For example, when a person is mad at their boss, and they are overly friendly to the boss.

Introjection & Internalization

Outside events or characteristics of other people. For example, a victim may use introjection to identify with the aggressor's behaviors to protect themselves.

Projection

Places unacceptable feelings from the person feeling them onto another person. For example, a colleague who does not like people will protect their like onto another college by saying the colleague doesn't like them.

Denial

It distorts reality and does not acknowledge emotions. For example, a person may be failing a class and have a test tomorrow instead of studying for the test, the person goes out that night.

References

Quick Study: Defense Mechanisms. (2018). Retrieved April 5, 2023.