Exam 7 Defense Mechanisms Flashcards
Affiliation
Seeking out help
Passive Aggression
Taking out on others passively
Palliative
Anxiety decreases but doesn’t solve problem
Denial
Unconscious refusal to admit an unacceptable idea or behavior
Sublimation
Channeling anxiety into acceptable activities
Suppression
Suppressing anxiety till can deal with it.
Acting out
Dealing with feelings thru actions instead of feelings
Anticipation
Preparing for the anxiety
Dysfunctional
Does not reduce anxiety or solve problem
Displacement
Transferring feelings to something else
Idealization
Idolizing a desired object or person despict of reality
Introjection
Unconsciously incorps feelings of others as their own
Fantasy
Creating an imaginary life
Dissociation
Separation of painful feelings from unacceptable situation
Maladaptive
Tries different ways to decrease anxiety without solving the problem
Reaction Formation
Saying opposite of what feeling
Defense Mechanisms
Unconscious intrapsychic process used to ward off anxiety by preventing conscious awareness of threatening feelings
Compensation
Covering up weakness by making up with another desirable trait
Regression
Returning to earlier developmental stage
Altruism
Helping others before oneself
Adaptive
Acknowledges, solves problem, & decreases anxiety
Humor
Finding humor in painful situation
Intellectualization
uses logic without feelings
Undoing
Doing opposite of what you feel
Somatization
Taking anxiety turning into physical symptom
Repression
Suppressing painful memory
Rationalization
Justifying a reason for actions
Devaluation
Deals with conflict by degrading with negative
Projection
Blaming someone else for their unacceptable thoughts
Conversion
Transferring anxiety into a physical symptom with no cause
Splitting
Inability to intergrate positive or negative qualities of oneself
Altruism
Doing good and kind things for others, rather than worrying about one’s own immediate satisfaction or tears.
Handling your own pain by helping others
Example:
After your wife dies, you keep yourself busy by volunteering at your church.
Affiliation
Seeking out others for emotional support or physical help.
Sharing problems with others but does not imply trying to make someone else responsible for them.
Example:
An alcoholic who wants to take a drink and chooses to attend an extra AA meeting.
Somatization
Transferring anxiety on an unconscious level into a physical symptom.
Conflicts are represented by physical symptoms involving parts of the body innervated by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
Example:
A professor develops laryngitis on the day he is scheduled to defend a research proposal to a group of peers.
Displacement
Discharging pent-up feelings to a less-threatening object
Transference of emotions associated with a particular person, object, or situation to another non threatening person, object or situation.
Taking your anger out on something else instead of addressing the problem.
Example you get mad at your sister and break your drinking glass by throwing it against the wall.
Types of Defense Mechanisms
Unhealthy
Others
Compensation Intellectualizations Introspection Conversion Regression Fantasy
Introjection
Unconsciously incorporating wishes, values, and attitudes of others as if they were your own.
Process by which the outside world is incorporated or absorbed into a person’s view of the self.
Example:
When a person becomes depressed due to the loss of a loved one, his feelings are directed to the mental image of the loved one.
Suppression
Voluntary seclusion from awareness, anxiety-producing feelings, ideas, and situations.
May lead to subsequent repression
Example:
A business man who is preparing to make an important speech is told by his wife that day she wants a divorce. Although visibly upset, he puts the incident aside until after his speech when he can give the matter his total concentration.
Regression
Return to an earlier and more comfortable developmental level.
Reverting to an earlier, childlike, less mature way of handling stress and feelings.
Example:
You and your roommate get into an argument so you stomp off into another room and pout.
……….Palliative Coping………..
Temporarily decreases the anxiety, but does not solve the problem.
Anxiety usually returns
Temporary allows the patient to return to problem solving.
Conversion
The unconscious expression of intra-psychic conflict symbolically through physical symptoms.
Unconscious transformation of anxiety into a physical symptom with no organic cause.
Example:
A man becomes blind after seeing his wife with other men.
Intellectualization
Using only logical explanations without feelings or an affective component. Process by which events are analyzed based on remote, cold, facts, and without passion, rather than incorporating feeling and emotion into the process.
Focus on the task at hand no emotions is involved.
Example:
A man responds to the death of his wife by focusing on the details of the day; care and operating the household, rather than processing the grief with his children.
Fantasy
Imaginary lives are created.
Example:
A person who is socially inadequate that all members of the opposite sex find them attractive and want to be with them.
TYPES OF DEFENSE MECHANISMS
UNHEALTHY
Intermediate
Repression Displacement Reaction formation Somatization Undoing Rationalization
Reaction Formation
A conscious behavior that is the exact opposite of an unconscious feeling.
Unacceptable feelings or behaviors are controlled are kept out of awareness by developing the opposite behavior or emotion.
Saying the opposite of what you actually feel.
Example: When you say you’re not angry when you really are.
Dissociation
The unconscious separation of painful feelings and emotions from an unacceptable idea, situation or object.
Disruption in the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity, or perception of the environment.
Example:
A victim of abuse recalls that at time of abuse they felt as if they were outside their body watching the event without feeling.
Devaluation
When emotional conflicts or stressors are dealt with by attributing negative qualities to self or others.
Deal with emotional conflict by attributing exaggerated negative qualities to self or others.
Example:
A woman who is very jealous of a co-worker says “oh yes, she won the award. Those awards don’t mean anything anyway and I wonder what she had to do to be chosen,”
Idealization
Emotional conflicts or stressor are dealt with by attributing exaggerated positive qualities to others.
Overestimate the desirable qualities and underestimates the limitations of the desired object.
Example:
A women met the most wonderful and perfect man. No one could tell her that he had quirks like everyone else. When the man failed to live up. To her expectations, she was devastated and gave up on all men.
Splitting
Inability to integrate the positive or negative qualities of oneself or others.
Example:
The patient viewed the therapist as the most wonderful, loving, and insightful therapist she had ever had. When the therapist refused to write her a prescription for Valium, the patient shouted at her that she was “stupid and thick headed” and demanded another therapist “right away”.
Anxiety
Coping strategies………….Adaptive Coping…………
Use of defense mechanisms helps people lower anxiety to achieve goals in acceptable ways.
Example: fired from job goes looking for job this is productive and turns into a positive reaction.
Solves the problem that is causing the anxiety, so the anxiety is decreased.
The patient is objective, rational, and productive.
Humor
Noticing the amusing or ironic aspects of something rather than the unpleasant aspects.
Focusing on funny aspects of a painful situation.
Example:
A person’s treatment for cancer makes him lose his hair so he makes jokes about being bald.
Dysfunctional coping
Is not successful in reducing anxiety or solving the problem.
Even minimal functioning becomes difficult.
New problems begin to develop.
( anxiety never reduced the problem)
Defense Mechanisms
Unconscious intrapsychic process used to ward off anxiety by preventing conscious awareness of threatening feelings.
Undoing
Doing something to counteract or make up for a transgression or wrong doing.
Most commonly seen in children
When a person makes up for an act or communication
Example:
You have feelings of dislike for someone so you buy them a gift.
Compensation
Covering up for weakness by overemphasizing or making up a desirable trait.
To make up for perceived deficiencies and cover up short comings related to these deficiencies to protect the conscious mind from recognizing them.
Can be positive, can help reinforce self esteem
Example:
A shorter than average man becomes assertively verbal and excels in business.
Types of Defense Mechanisms
Unhealthy
Immature
Passive aggression Acting out Dissociation Devaluation Idealization Splitting Projection Denial
Repression
First line of defense of anxiety
Unconscious and involuntary forgetting of painful ideas, events, and conflicts.
Temporary or long-term exclusion of unpleasant or unwanted experiences, emotions, or ideas from conscious awareness
Example: You can’t remember your father’s funeral.
Maladaptive Coping
Using one or more defense mechanisms in excess, particularly in the overuse of immature defense.
Unsuccessful attempts to decrease the anxiety without attempting to solve the problem.
The anxiety usually remains.
Anticipation
Thinking ahead to events that might occur in the future and considering realistic responses or solutions.
Deals with emotional conflict by experiencing emotional reactions in advance of possible future events and considering realistic, alternative responses.
Putting money aside to pay a bill on time.
Example:
Knowing your car payment and house payment are due on the same date and you put money in savings account to assume ability to pay on time.
Rationalization
Attempts to make or prove that one’s feelings or behaviors are justifiable.
Justifying illogical or unreasonable ideas, actions, or feelings by developing acceptable explanations that satisfy the teller as well as the listener.
(Make feel better about your actions).
Examples:
I always study hard for test and I know a lot of people who cheat so it’s not a big deal I cheated this time.
Conclusion
A nurse must learn to recognize these behaviors when dealing with clients.
Do not take things personally when this type of behavior occurs.
Teach your client healthy coping strategies, as well as the ability to recognize and change the unhealthy behavior.
Teach them how to recognize what they are doing.
And SMILE
Defense Mechanisms
Can be healthy or not-so-healthy
Adaptive use helps people lower anxiety to achieve goals in acceptable ways.
Two common features of defense mechanisms
- They all operate on an unconscious level and are operating all the time.
- They deny, falsify, or distort reality to make it less threatening.
Denial
Unconscious refusal to admit an unacceptable idea or behavior. Not accepting reality because it is too painful.
Example:
You are arrested for drunk driving several times but don’t believe you have a problem with alcohol.d
Types of defense mechanisms
Healthy
Sublimation Anticipation Affiliation Altruism Humor Sometimes suppression
Acting out
Dealing with anxiety or stress with actions rather than reflection of feelings.
Deals with emotional conflict by actions rather than reflections or feelings.
Example:
Child’s temper tantrum when she doesn’t get her way with a parent.
Sublimation
Channeling instinctual drives into acceptable activities.
Unconscious process of substituting mature, constructive, and socially acceptable activity for immature, destructive, and unacceptable impulses.
Channeling anger in a positive manner.
Example:
A person with anger issues initiates an intensive exercise program.
Projections
Blaming someone else for one’s difficulties or placing one’s unethical desires on someone else.
Attributing your own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to someone or something else.
Lack of insight or one’s own motivation.
Example:
A man who is unconsciously attracted to other women teases his wife about flirting.
Passive aggression
Anger towards others is acted out passively.
Deals with emotional conflict or internal/external stressors by indirectly or unassertively expressing aggression toward others.
Example:
An individual promised to give an acquaintance a ride but leaves early because they really do not like the person
Reaction Formation
A conscious behavior that is the exact opposite of an unconscious feeling.
Unacceptable feelings or behaviors are controlled are kept out of awareness by developing the opposite behavior or emotion.
Saying the opposite of what you actually feel.
Example: When you say you’re not angry when you really are.
Conclusion
A nurse must learn to recognize these behaviors when dealing with clients.
Do not take things personally when this type of behavior occurs.
Teach your client healthy coping strategies, as well as the ability to recognize and change the unhealthy behavior.
Teach them how to recognize what they are doing.
And SMILE
Dysfunctional coping
Is not successful in reducing anxiety or solving the problem.
Even minimal functioning becomes difficult.
New problems begin to develop.
( anxiety never reduced the problem)
Splitting
Inability to integrate the positive or negative qualities of oneself or others.
Example:
The patient viewed the therapist as the most wonderful, loving, and insightful therapist she had ever had. When the therapist refused to write her a prescription for Valium, the patient shouted at her that she was “stupid and thick headed” and demanded another therapist “right away”.
Idealization
Emotional conflicts or stressor are dealt with by attributing exaggerated positive qualities to others.
Overestimate the desirable qualities and underestimates the limitations of the desired object.
Example:
A women met the most wonderful and perfect man. No one could tell her that he had quirks like everyone else. When the man failed to live up. To her expectations, she was devastated and gave up on all men.
Defense Mechanisms
Can be healthy or not-so-healthy
Adaptive use helps people lower anxiety to achieve goals in acceptable ways.
Sublimation
Channeling instinctual drives into acceptable activities.
Unconscious process of substituting mature, constructive, and socially acceptable activity for immature, destructive, and unacceptable impulses.
Channeling anger in a positive manner.
Example:
A person with anger issues initiates an intensive exercise program.
Altruism
Doing good and kind things for others, rather than worrying about one’s own immediate satisfaction or tears.
Handling your own pain by helping others
Example:
After your wife dies, you keep yourself busy by volunteering at your church.
Intellectualization
Using only logical explanations without feelings or an affective component. Process by which events are analyzed based on remote, cold, facts, and without passion, rather than incorporating feeling and emotion into the process.
Focus on the task at hand no emotions is involved.
Example:
A man responds to the death of his wife by focusing on the details of the day; care and operating the household, rather than processing the grief with his children.
Acting out
Dealing with anxiety or stress with actions rather than reflection of feelings.
Deals with emotional conflict by actions rather than reflections or feelings.
Example:
Child’s temper tantrum when she doesn’t get her way with a parent.
Dissociation
The unconscious separation of painful feelings and emotions from an unacceptable idea, situation or object.
Disruption in the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity, or perception of the environment.
Example:
A victim of abuse recalls that at time of abuse they felt as if they were outside their body watching the event without feeling.
Undoing
Doing something to counteract or make up for a transgression or wrong doing.
Most commonly seen in children
When a person makes up for an act or communication
Example:
You have feelings of dislike for someone so you buy them a gift.
Two common features of defense mechanisms
- They all operate on an unconscious level and are operating all the time.
- They deny, falsify, or distort reality to make it less threatening.
Projections
Blaming someone else for one’s difficulties or placing one’s unethical desires on someone else.
Attributing your own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to someone or something else.
Lack of insight or one’s own motivation.
Example:
A man who is unconsciously attracted to other women teases his wife about flirting.
Repression
First line of defense of anxiety
Unconscious and involuntary forgetting of painful ideas, events, and conflicts.
Temporary or long-term exclusion of unpleasant or unwanted experiences, emotions, or ideas from conscious awareness
Example: You can’t remember your father’s funeral.
Affiliation
Seeking out others for emotional support or physical help.
Sharing problems with others but does not imply trying to make someone else responsible for them.
Example:
An alcoholic who wants to take a drink and chooses to attend an extra AA meeting.
Maladaptive Coping
Using one or more defense mechanisms in excess, particularly in the overuse of immature defense.
Unsuccessful attempts to decrease the anxiety without attempting to solve the problem.
The anxiety usually remains.
Types of Defense Mechanisms
Unhealthy
Immature
Passive aggression Acting out Dissociation Devaluation Idealization Splitting Projection Denial
Types of defense mechanisms
Healthy
Sublimation Anticipation Affiliation Altruism Humor Sometimes suppression
Fantasy
Imaginary lives are created.
Example:
A person who is socially inadequate that all members of the opposite sex find them attractive and want to be with them.
Introjection
Unconsciously incorporating wishes, values, and attitudes of others as if they were your own.
Process by which the outside world is incorporated or absorbed into a person’s view of the self.
Example:
When a person becomes depressed due to the loss of a loved one, his feelings are directed to the mental image of the loved one.
Suppression
Voluntary seclusion from awareness, anxiety-producing feelings, ideas, and situations.
May lead to subsequent repression
Example:
A business man who is preparing to make an important speech is told by his wife that day she wants a divorce. Although visibly upset, he puts the incident aside until after his speech when he can give the matter his total concentration.
……….Palliative Coping………..
Temporarily decreases the anxiety, but does not solve the problem.
Anxiety usually returns
Temporary allows the patient to return to problem solving.
Conversion
The unconscious expression of intra-psychic conflict symbolically through physical symptoms.
Unconscious transformation of anxiety into a physical symptom with no organic cause.
Example:
A man becomes blind after seeing his wife with other men.
Anxiety
Coping strategies………….Adaptive Coping…………
Use of defense mechanisms helps people lower anxiety to achieve goals in acceptable ways.
Example: fired from job goes looking for job this is productive and turns into a positive reaction.
Solves the problem that is causing the anxiety, so the anxiety is decreased.
The patient is objective, rational, and productive.
Types of Defense Mechanisms
Unhealthy
Others
Compensation Intellectualizations Introspection Conversion Regression Fantasy
Humor
Noticing the amusing or ironic aspects of something rather than the unpleasant aspects.
Focusing on funny aspects of a painful situation.
Example:
A person’s treatment for cancer makes him lose his hair so he makes jokes about being bald.
Displacement
Discharging pent-up feelings to a less-threatening object
Transference of emotions associated with a particular person, object, or situation to another non threatening person, object or situation.
Taking your anger out on something else instead of addressing the problem.
Example you get mad at your sister and break your drinking glass by throwing it against the wall.
Defense Mechanisms
Unconscious intrapsychic process used to ward off anxiety by preventing conscious awareness of threatening feelings.
Passive aggression
Anger towards others is acted out passively.
Deals with emotional conflict or internal/external stressors by indirectly or unassertively expressing aggression toward others.
Example:
An individual promised to give an acquaintance a ride but leaves early because they really do not like the person
Denial
Unconscious refusal to admit an unacceptable idea or behavior. Not accepting reality because it is too painful.
Example:
You are arrested for drunk driving several times but don’t believe you have a problem with alcohol.d
TYPES OF DEFENSE MECHANISMS
UNHEALTHY
Intermediate
Repression Displacement Reaction formation Somatization Undoing Rationalization
Compensation
Covering up for weakness by overemphasizing or making up a desirable trait.
To make up for perceived deficiencies and cover up short comings related to these deficiencies to protect the conscious mind from recognizing them.
Can be positive, can help reinforce self esteem
Example:
A shorter than average man becomes assertively verbal and excels in business.
Devaluation
When emotional conflicts or stressors are dealt with by attributing negative qualities to self or others.
Deal with emotional conflict by attributing exaggerated negative qualities to self or others.
Example:
A woman who is very jealous of a co-worker says “oh yes, she won the award. Those awards don’t mean anything anyway and I wonder what she had to do to be chosen,”
Regression
Return to an earlier and more comfortable developmental level.
Reverting to an earlier, childlike, less mature way of handling stress and feelings.
Example:
You and your roommate get into an argument so you stomp off into another room and pout.
Anticipation
Thinking ahead to events that might occur in the future and considering realistic responses or solutions.
Deals with emotional conflict by experiencing emotional reactions in advance of possible future events and considering realistic, alternative responses.
Putting money aside to pay a bill on time.
Example:
Knowing your car payment and house payment are due on the same date and you put money in savings account to assume ability to pay on time.
Somatization
Transferring anxiety on an unconscious level into a physical symptom.
Conflicts are represented by physical symptoms involving parts of the body innervated by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
Example:
A professor develops laryngitis on the day he is scheduled to defend a research proposal to a group of peers.
Rationalization
Attempts to make or prove that one’s feelings or behaviors are justifiable.
Justifying illogical or unreasonable ideas, actions, or feelings by developing acceptable explanations that satisfy the teller as well as the listener.
(Make feel better about your actions).
Examples:
I always study hard for test and I know a lot of people who cheat so it’s not a big deal I cheated this time.
A patient using somatization is transferring ________ on an ________ level into a physical symptom.
Anxiety
Unconscious
Passive aggression
~Anger toward others is acted out passively
~deals with emotional conflict or internal/external stressors by indirectly or unassertively expressing aggression toward others
Ex. Promise to do something and not doing it
An individual promised to give an acquaintance a ride but leaves erly because they really do no like the person
Maladaptive coping
Use of defense mechanisms occurs when one or several are used in excess, particularly in the overuse of immature defenses
Ex. loses job and goes out drinking causing other problems
Regression
~return to an earlier and more comfortable developmental level
~ reverting to an earlier, childlike, less mature way of handling stresses and feelings
Ex. You and your roommate have got into an argument so you stomp off into another room and pout
Intellectualization
~ using only logical explanations without feelings or affective component
~ process by which events are analyzed based on remote, cold, facts, and without passion, rather than incorporating feeling and emotion into the process
Ex. A man responds to the death of his wife by focusing on the details of the day: care and operating the household, rather than processing the grief with his children
Rationalization
~Attempts to make or prove that ones feelings or behaviors are justifiable
~ justifying illogical or unreasonable ideas, actions,or feelings by developing acceptable explanations that satisfy the teller well as the listener.
Ex. I always study hard for tests and I know a lot of people who cheat so it’s not a big deal that I cheated this time
Adaptive use of defense mechanisms helps people lower ________ to achieve goals in acceptable ways.
Anxiety
In patients using maladaptive coping, anxiety usually ________.
Remains
Dysfunctional coping
–Is not successful in reducing anxiety or solving the problem
–even minimal functioning becomes difficult
– new problems begin to develop
Ex. Guy goes out drinking, decides to go gambling and loses all of his money
Types of healthy defense mechanisms
~ sublimation ~ anticipation ~ affiliation ~altruism ~ humor ~ sometimes suppression
Two common features of defense mechanisms
- They all operate on an unconscious level and are operating all of the time
- They deny, falsify, or distort reality to make it less threatening
Undoing is doing something to ________ or make up for a ________or wrong doing
Counteract
Transgression
Altruism
~Doing good and kind things for others, rather than worrying about ones own immediate satisfaction of fears
~Handling your own pain by helping others
Ex. After your wife dies , you keep yourself busy by volunteering at your church
(this could be negative when you don’t take time for yourself)
Denial
~ unconscious refusal to admit and unacceptable idea or behavior
~ not accepting reality bc it is too painful
Ex. You are arrested for drunk driving several times but don’t believe you have a problem with alcohol
Undoing is most commonly seen in __________.
Children
Fantasy
~imaginary lives are created
Daydreaming
Compensation
~Covering up for weakness by overemphasizing or making up a desirable trait
~ to make up for perceived deficiencies and cover up shortcomings related to these deficiencies to protect the conscious mind from recognizing them
Ex. Overcompensating for shortcomings
A shorter than avg man becomes assertively verbal and excels in business
A patient in repression has _________ or _________ exclusion of unpleasant or unwanted experiences, emotions, or ideas from conscious awareness
Temporary or long-term
Patients using maladaptive coping have unsuccessful attempts to _________ the anxiety without attempting to solve the problem.
Decrease
Anticipation
~ thinking ahead to events that might occur in the future and considering realistic responses or solutions
~ deals with emotional conflict by experiencing emotional reactions in advance of possible future event and considering realistic, alternative responses
Ex. Knowing ur car payment and house payment are due on the same date and you put money in savings account to assure ability to pay on time.
Displacement
~ Discharging pent-up feelings to a less threatening object
~ transference of emotions associated with a particular person, object, or situation to another nonthreatening person, object, or situation
Ex. Putting off on someone else, spousal/child abuse
When you get mad at your sister, you break you drinking glass by throwing it against the wall.
Affiliation
~ seeking out others for emotional support or physical help
~ sharing problems with others but does not imply trying to make someone else responsible for them
Ex. An alcoholic who wants to take a drink and chooses to attend and extra AA meeting
Undoing
When a person makes up for an act or communication
Ex. You have feelings of dislike for someone so you buy them a gift
~ trying to undo the feelings that we have
Other types of unhealthy defense mechanisms
~Compensation ~intellectualizations ~introjection ~conversion ~ regression ~fantasy
Adaptive coping
Solves the problem that is causing the anxiety so the anxiety is decreased
Reaction formation
Unacceptable feelings or behaviors are controlled and kept out of awareness by developing the opposite behavior or emotion
Ex. When you say you aren’t angry when you really are.
Conversion
~the unconscious expression of intra-psychic conflict symbolically through physical symptoms
~ unconscious transformation of anxiety into the physical symptom with no organic cause
Ex. A man becomes blind after seeing his wife flirt with other men.
He saw his flirt and caused anxiety
A patient in repression is ________ and _________ forgetting of painful ideas, events, and conflicts.
Unconscious and involuntary
Chronic anxiety
Any type of disease
A patient is who uses adaptive coping is ___________, ___________, and ____________.
Objective
Rational
Productive
Ex. Guy loses his job, goes out to find another job or goes back to school.
Palliative coping
–Temporarily decreases the anxiety but does not solve the problem
– anxiety usually returns
–temporary relief allows pt to return to problem solving
Ex. Pushes out of mind and thinks ab other things
– losing job and goes out fishing, but once done, he has to figure out what he is going to do
Somatization
Conflicts are represented by physical symptoms involving parts of the body inner aged by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
Ex. A professor develops laryngitis on the day he is scheduled to defend a research proposal to a group of peers
An example of a patient in repression
You can’t remember your fathers funeral or childbirth
Dissociation
~ the unconscious separation of painful feelings and emotions from an unacceptable idea, situation, or object
~ disruption in the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity, or perception of the environment
~ separating ourselves from what really happened
Ex. A victim of abuse recalls that at a time of abuse they felt as if they were outside their body watching the event without feeling.
Humor
~ noticing the amusing or ironic aspects of something rather than The unpleasant aspects.
~ focusing on funny aspects of a painful situation
Ex. A persons treatment for cancer makes him lose his hair so he makes jokes about being bald
Types of unhealthy intermediate defense mechanisms
~Repression ~Displacement ~Reaction formation ~Somatization ~Undoing ~Rationalization
What is defense mechanisms?
Unconscious intrapsychic process used to ward off anxiety by preventing conscious awareness of threatening feelings
Types of unhealthy immature defense mechanisms
~Passive aggression ~Acting out ~Dissociation ~Devaluation ~Idealization ~Splitting ~Projection ~Denial
Sublimation
~ channeling instinctual drives into acceptable activities
~ unconscious process of substituting mature, constructive, and socially acceptable activity for immature, destructive, and unacceptable impulses
Ex. A person with anger issues initiates an intensive exercise program
Devaluation
~trying to make someone look less than everyone else
~ when emotional conflicts or stressor are dealt with by attributing negative qualities to self or others
Ex. A woman who is jealous of a coworker says “oh yes, she won the award. Those awards don’t mean anything anyway, and I wonder what she had to do to be chosen!”
Splitting
~ inability to integrate the positive or negative qualities of oneself or others
Ex. The pt viewed the therapist as the most wonderful, loving, and insightful therapist she ever had. When the therapist refused to write her a prescription for Valium, the pt shouted at her that she was “stupid and thick headed” and demanded another therapist “right away”
Acute anxiety
Panic attack
Idealization
~Emotional conflicts or stressors dealt by attributing exaggerated positive qualities to others
~ overestimates the desirable qualities and underestimates the limitations of the desired object.
Good: idolizing parents
ex. A woman met the most “wonderful and perfect man”. No one could tell her that he had quirks likes everyone else. When the man failed to live up to her expectation, she was devastated and gave up on all men.
A patient using reaction formation has a _________ behavior that is the exact opposite of an _________ feeling.
Conscious
Unconscious
Acting out
~dealing with anxiety or stress with actions rather than reflection of feelings
~ deals with emotional conflict by actions rather than reflections or feelings
Ex. Child’s temper tantrum when she doesn’t get her way with a parent
Projection
~Blaming someone for ones difficulties or placing ones unethical desires on someone else.
~ attributing you own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to someone or something else.
Ex. A man who is unconsciously attracted to other women teases his wife about flirting.
He is blaming her for his feelings.
Introjection
~ Unconsciously incorporating wishes, values, and attitudes of others as if they were your own
~ process by which the outside world is incorporated or absorbed into a persons view of self
Ex. When a person becomes depressed due to the loss of a loved one, his feelings are directed to the mental image of the loved one
Suppression
~voluntary seclusion from awareness, anxiety producing feelings, ideas, and situations
~ may lead to subsequent repression
Ex. A business man who is preparing to make an important speech is told by his wife that day that she wants a divorce. Although visibly upset, he puts the incident aside until after his speech when he can give the matter his total concentration.
What does this mean?
–Manners in which we behave or think in a certain way to better protect or defend ourselves
–protect people from painful awareness of feelings and memories that can provoke overwhelming anxiety (distancing ourselves from anxiety)
