Defense mechanicms Flashcards
sublimation
redirecting negative feelings or impulses into positive ones. For example, someone with anger issues may channel their aggressive urges into sports instead of lashing out at others physically or verbally.
Substitute negative with positive.”
when stressed- I clean
Reaction Formation
people express the opposite of their true feelings, sometimes to an exaggerated extent. For instance, a man who feels insecure about his masculinity might act overly aggressive.
reaction is opposite of how you feel
MEHMED
Projection
projecting feelings- mehmed and macy???
Displacement
putting anger onto someone who didnt do anything
gabby mad at me for mak
mak calling lampman ugly
asceticism
abstaining from sex- for a husband as a goal - nun
denial
Definition: Refusing to accept or acknowledge reality or the truth of a situation.
Example: Someone diagnosed with a serious illness may refuse to believe or accept the diagnosis, insisting that there is nothing wrong.
identification
Think of it as mimicking or adopting certain aspects without necessarily deeply understanding or reflecting on them.
Example: Copying the behavior of a role model or peer without fully grasping the underlying reasons or values behind those actions.
intellectualization
Definition: Coping with emotional stress or conflict by emphasizing abstract thinking, logic, and analysis to distance oneself from the emotional aspects of a situation.
Example: Imagine someone receiving a difficult medical diagnosis. Instead of expressing their emotions, they focus extensively on researching medical facts, statistics, and treatment options, discussing the situation in a detached and analytical manner.
introjection/internalization
Incorporating external influences, ideas, or values into one’s own identity or belief system.
rationalization
Definition: Creating logical explanations to justify irrational behavior.
Mnemonic: “Making up reasons that sound rational.”
repression
Definition: Unconsciously pushing distressing thoughts, memories, or emotions into the unconscious mind to avoid conscious awareness.
Example: A person who experienced a traumatic event may have no conscious recollection of the event due to repression, but it may still affect their behavior.
undoing
Definition: Trying to counteract or negate a negative thought, feeling, or behavior by performing an opposite or compensatory action.
Example: After having an aggressive outburst towards a friend, an individual might later go out of their way to be excessively kind and helpful to “undo” the negative feelings caused by the earlier behavior.
Michael G
compenstation
focuses on strengths
Small D- may compestate by eating p
Conversation
Conversion involves converting emotional distress into physical symptoms.
throwing up from stress about work
This defense mechanism highlights the mind-body connection, where psychological distress is expressed through physical manifestations when it becomes challenging for an individual to cope with emotions directly.
