Defense Mechanisms
Definition:
Defense mechanisms are unconscious psychological strategies used by individuals to cope with anxiety, stress, or internal conflict. They protect the mind from feelings and thoughts that are too difficult to tolerate.
Key Characteristics
Usually unconscious and automatic
Can be adaptive (healthy) or maladaptive (unhealthy)
Help reduce emotional conflict and anxiety
Commonly appear in mental health and stress-related scenarios
Denial
Refusing to acknowledge reality or facts
A patient diagnosed with cancer says, “This can’t be happening to me.”
Repression
Involuntary blocking of unpleasant feelings
A survivor of abuse cannot recall the traumatic event.
Suppression
Voluntarily choosing not to think about a distressing topic
A student puts aside anxiety to study for a test.
Projection
Attributing one’s own thoughts/feelings onto another person
A man who is angry at his boss accuses the boss of being angry with him.
Displacement
Transferring emotions from the original source to a safer one
Yelling at your spouse after being scolded by your boss.
Regression
Reverting to behaviors of an earlier developmental stage
A hospitalized child starts wetting the bed.
Reaction Formation
Behaving in a way opposite to actual feelings
Someone who dislikes a coworker acts overly friendly.
Rationalization
Justifying behaviors by substituting acceptable reasons
A student fails a test and says, “The questions were unfair anyway.”
Sublimation
Channeling unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable actions
A person with aggressive tendencies becomes a boxer.
Identification
Adopting characteristics of someone admired or feared
A teenager begins dressing and talking like a popular celebrity.
Introjection
Integrating beliefs of another individual into one’s own
A child adopts a parent's political views without question.
Compensation
Making up for a perceived deficiency by excelling in another area
A small child excels in academics to make up for lack of athletic ability.
Undoing
Attempting to cancel out an unacceptable behavior
Buying flowers after a fight to "make up" for hurtful words.
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Mechanisms
Healthy (adaptive): Sublimation, suppression, humor
Unhealthy (maladaptive): Denial, projection, regression, displacement
🩺 Application in Nursing
Recognize defense mechanisms in patients under stress or facing a new diagnosis
Use therapeutic communication (e.g., empathy, active listening) to support the patient
Help patients identify and replace maladaptive mechanisms with healthy coping skills