defense mechanisms and coping Flashcards
Ego defense mechanisms
- Unconscious process to defend against unpleasant thoughts or feelings
(without us being aware- might have insight after)
Typically adapted in childhood - If you had more trauma in childhood you may have more defense mechanisms
- The more primitive the more interfering the behavior is thought to be
- Age of individual impacts level of dysfunction
how age appropriate is the behavior
primitive defense mechanisms
Occur at younger ages, resemble more immature, primitive reactions
Denial
(primitive defense mechanism)
refusal to accept reality or fact, acting as if a painful event, feeling, or thought did not exist
Ex: person w drinking problem may deny they have an issue and focus on how well they are “functioning”
regression
(primitive defense mechanism)
reversion to earlier stage of development in face of unacceptable thoughts, impulses, experiences
Acting out
(primitive defense mechanism)
performing an extreme behavior in order to express thoughts or feelings
- Temper tantrums
- Self-harm
dissociation
(primitive defense mechanism)
losing track of time and/or person and finding another representation of themselves to continue in the moment
- Loss of time, themselves, thoughts and memories
- Common when childhood abuse present
- Extreme cases can lead to DID
compartmentalization
(primitive defense mechanism)
separation of different parts of selves with different sets of values
- Lesser form of dissociation
- Honest person who cheats on taxes- two value systems
projection
(primitive defense)
putting one’s feelings or thoughts on another person as if they were their feelings or thoughts
- Used when thoughts/feelings feel unacceptable to express
- Tends to form from a lack of insight/awareness
Reaction Formation
(primitive defense)
converting unwanted feelings/thoughts/impulses into their opposites
- Often exaggerated
- Ex: being mean to someone you have a crush on
neumonic: forming an opposite reaction
mature defense mechanisms
may have come later in life, may not impact individual in such a negative way, but still have an impact
repression
(mature defense)
unconscious blocking of unacceptable thoughts and feelings
- Repressed memories: blocked due to pain or discomfort
- Therapy can bring these up, help w healing process
Displacement
(mature defense)
Displacement: redirecting of thoughts/feelings/impulses at one person/object but taking them out on another
- Unable to express in safe manner
- Ex: Angry at boss, express towards partner
intellectualization
(mature defense)
Intellectualization: shutdown of all emotions, approaching situation from solely rational viewpoint- esp when emotions would be appropriate
- A way to distance from uncomfortable emotions
- A person who experiences loss explaining the sig from scientific standpoint instead of acknowledging their feelings
- Not always bad, might not be safe enough, appropriate to feel all your feelings right away
Depends on level of impairment on functioning (degrees of severity as well)
Rationalization
(mature defense mechanism)
putting something into a diff light or offering a diff explanation for one’s perceptions or behaviors in face of changing reality
- Can be really helpful, but good to leave space for feelings too
- Ex: getting rejected by a school you wanted to get into- expressing that school was terrible anyways instead of feeling loss
undoing
(mature defense)
Undoing: attempt to take back a behavior or thought that is unacceptable or hurtful
- An attempt to counteract the damage of original behavior/thought
- After saying something hurtful, treating them well to overcompensate
But used instead of acknowledging and apologizing
sublimation
(mature defense)
Sublimation: channeling unacceptable impulses/thoughts/emotions into more acceptable ones
- Sexual impulses may be channeled into rigorous exercise
- Might be a coping mechanism (but coping is conscious)
Neumonic: excercising angrily wearing a submarine t shirt
sublimation
doing something else to get the energy from one thing and get it out- like getting anger out by exercises
Humor
(mature defense)
Humor: channeling of unwanted impulses/thoughts/feelings into lighthearted story or joke
- Can reduce intensity of situation and adds layer of laughter between person and their uncomfortable feelings
- A person who makes jokes about difficult situation like trauma/grief/loss- common upon first responders, helping professions
- Can be conscious or unconscious
- Can be adaptive, or it may be maladaptive
mneumonic for primitive defense mechanisms
“Dogs Really Act Dramatic, Crying, Pouting Regularly.”
Dogs = Denial
Really = Regression
Act = Acting Out
Dramatic = Dissociation
Crying = Compartmentalization
Pouting = Projection
Regularly = Reaction Formation
Coping mechanisms
(coping mechanism)
Conscious process in which a person intentionally uses behavior to help alleviate difficult feelings/situations/thoughts
- Acknowledgement of feelings/situation/thoughts prior to engaging in behavior
- More adaptive for this reason
- Working w individuals to use more coping than defense mechanisms after they have been identified
compensation
(coping mechanism)
counterbalancing perceived weakness by emphasizing strengths in other areas
- When used appropriately can enhance self-esteem and self-image → positive or strength based psychology approach
- A person not good at sports excels and puts effort into academics
- As long as not overcompensating can be adaptive
assertiveness
(coping mech)
Assertiveness: emphasis of persons needs/thoughts while being respectful, direct, and firm
- People tend to gravitate more toward aggressive or passive/submissive communication
- Can be practiced in therapeutic relationship
suppression
(coping mechanism)
Suppression: conscious process of pushing unwanted thoughts/feelings/impulses out of awareness
- Can be helpful in moment if what is suppressed is dealt with later
- Ex: suppressing what is going on with us (the therapist) in session, and dealing with it later
Can be maladaptive if a person suppresses honest feelings about their relationship in order to stay in it
