Defence mechanism is a tool used to avoid or deal with the uncomfortable and difficult thoughts, memories, feelings, impulses, etc. These are the situations that are found to be threatening or unsafe by the conscious mind. The defence mechanisms are the psychological reactions that safeguard from anxiety, any attack on the Self-esteem, or self-respect that tries to deny or go against the self – morals and values of life. These mechanisms sometimes can also act as a tool to distort the reality. Majority of the times these defence mechanisms are unhealthy, rarely do they act in a productive manner. These tools take an individual away from reality curtaining the right behaviour. There are many kinds of defence mechanisms.

Few of them are as follows:

  • Displacement:

Displacement involves passing on to the negative or unhealthy behaviour to the less threatening object or individual as compared to the stronger origin.

E.g. Boss scolding the employee and the employee taking that frustration on the family members.

Parents fighting and later on one of them takes out that anger on a child.

 

  • Denial:

When an individual refuses to accept or face the reality is denial. The individual feels safe by doing so.

E.g. the individuals with substance abuse or addiction deny any relation of the problems in their life with their level of addiction.

  • Repression

Hiding or suppressing unfavourable or difficult emotions and feelings. These feelings are made to sink in the individual’s mind in place of releasing. These memories do not disappear and keep playing an important in influencing one’s behaviour until modified.

E.g. traumatic childhood memories or loss of a loved one

 

  • Regression

Regression is also the fixation of an individual to a specific stage of development. When an individual faces any stressful situation there is a reversion of patterns of behaviour that were used earlier in development.

E.g. bed wetting, thumb sucking, throwing tantrums to get something, etc.

 

  • Sublimation

Sublimation makes one convert the unacceptable behaviour to the acceptable behaviour. It is believed to be one of the very few healthy defence mechanisms.

E.g. Excessive anger being vented out through running, gym, or any other physical sports.

  • Projection

When an individual assigns their own unacceptable feelings and thoughts to others is known as a projection defence mechanism.

E.g. accusing someone of hating just because the individual hates them.

 

  • Intellectualization:

When an individual diverts from the reality based on the knowledge or logic applied on the stressful situation. The thought is on the intellectual component rather that the real aspect of the situation.

E.g. learning clinical aspect of a disease rather than working on the treatment.

 

  • Rationalization

When an individual starts to explain the unacceptable behaviour in a way that directs towards a favourable situation for the individual. The individual avoids the true reasons for the safeguard of their behaviour.

E.g. a student scoring less marks blames the teacher for low marks rather than their own lack of preparation.

 

  • Reaction Formation

The individual here, behaves in an exactly opposite manner than the one felt. The uncomfortable and unacceptable behaviour is hidden behind the good behaviour that is exactly antagonistic.

E.g. showing excessive liking for someone despite hating them.

 

  • Dissociation

Dissociation is where an individual alters the reality and mildly detaches from the immediate surroundings to more severe detachment from the physical and emotional experience. The individual disconnects from the real world to defend from unbearable thoughts, feelings, and memories.

E.g. Amnesia, Multiple personality disorder, etc.

  • Fantasy

When the individual indulges into dreaming and imagination instead of the present world because of the incompleteness felt. The channeling of unacceptable or unattainable desires through imagination for escaping out the real life scenarios. Majorly it is done to avoid the feeling of failures or lack of achievement.

E.g. making stories of success rather than working for success.

Dreaming to be a king to escape the authority felt from the boss.