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Psych Defense Mechanisms

Terms in this set (28)

Altruism
Involves decreasing ones own internal fears or anxiety by caring for others
Example: a patient with a rare but serious illness devotes himself to a self-help group for others with the same illness
Compensation
effort to use skills or competencies in one area to counterbalance self-perceived deficiencies in other areas.
Example: a patient with a gait disturbance becomes an expert on the history of dance
Conversion
Emotional conflicts are transformed into physical symptoms
Example" a patient who is obviously angry about being subtly insulted denies that he has feelings other than concern about his sudden gastric distress
Denial
failure to acknowledge a disturbing aspect of external reality
Example: a patient with a grim medical prognosis states that he will get better because he just knows it
Displacement
occurs when the emotions associated with a psychologically unacceptable object, idea or activity are transferred to another object or situation. The new object or situation is often symbolically related to the original
Example: a patient who was badly injured in an accident becomes angry with his surgeon for leaving a small scar during reconstructive surgery
Dissociation
Sealing off disturbing thoughts or emotions from consciousness
Example: a few hours after a patient is in a terrible accident, she says that she has no memory of the event
Distortion
An individual distorts his perception of disturbing aspects of external reality to make it more palatable.
Example: a patient who is permanently disabled because of his careless driving views himself as a victim of bad traffic laws
Fantasy
Substitution of reality with a less disturbing view of the world
Example: terminally ill patient states that she is sure she will survive because her long deceased mother assured her in a dream
Humor
Use of amusing thoughts to decrease anxiety
Example: a patient with a severe motor diability tells droll stories about his attempts to cope with airport facilities
Idealization
Occurs when an individual unrealistically attributes only excellent characteristics to another person or situation
Example: an elderly man fondly but unrealistically describes the town where he grew up as the most wonderful place to have lived
Identification
Involves identifying oneself with another person who is perceived as admirable or more powerful
Example: a hospitalized child decides that she wants to be a doctor and asks for a stethoscope of her own
Intellectualization
Transformation of an emotionally disturbing event into a purely cognitive problem
Example: a patient who is also a physician is consumed with reading all available clinical research reports about his illness
Introjection
An individual absorbs aspects of another person into her own self-image
Example: a victim of spousal abuse absorbs negative opinions about her worth and adamantly defends the right of her husband to batter her
Isolation
Separation of a thought from its attached emotional tone, therby making it tolerable. It is often employed during extremely stressful events
Example: hours after a serious accident involving the death of a family member and injury to himself, a patient discusses in a mechanical way the various financial and legal steps that must be initiated
Passive-aggressive behavior
unconscious anger and aggression towards others through passive failures to meet their needs
Example: a resident consistently arrives late to rounds with his attending physician because he has so many important patient care tasks that need immediate attention
Projection
Attribution of uncomfortable internal feelings or thoughts, especially anger and guilt, to other individuals. Asa result, the individual transforms anger at himself into anger towards others. These people often seem bitter or suspicious
Example: a disabled patient who is applying for an unusually large financial compensation accuses other patients of manipulating the system
Rationalization
distortion of reality that makes an undesirable act or event seem more desirable. It is often employed when individuals cannot accept the implications or outcomes of an event.
Example: a patient who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident states that the accident was a blessing in disguise because otherwise he would have ended up in a motorcycle gang
Reaction formation
An unacceptable thought or feeling is transformed into its opposite. Often, anger is transformed into love, or fear is transformed into bravado.
Example: a parent whose child was killed by a drunk driver becomes involved with alcohol rehabilitation counseling
Regression
an individuals return to more immature levels of functioning. it occurs when high anxiety levels are not alleviated by more mature defense mechanisms
Example: patients presented with a poor medical prognosis often manifest regression through denial or fantasy
Repression
aspects of reality (e.g. memories, cognitions, impulses) are not completely separated from conscious awareness
Example: a patient is not consciously aware that he is terminally ill although the situation is obvious
Resistance
active opposition to bringing unconscious thoughts to consciousness
Example: a patient continually misses her psychiatrist appointments to discuss emotional problems associated with her medical illness
Splitting
An individual psychologically separates positive qualities into one individual and negative qualities into another. This occurs because the individual is unable to tolerate ambivalent feelings toward a particular individual or group
Example: a patient in the care of both a neurologist and a neurosurgeon unrealistically consider the neurologist completely incompetent and considers the neurosurgeon caring and skilled
Sublimation
Occurs when unacceptable impulses are channeled into more acceptable activities
Example: a patient with cardiovascular disease who must maintain a limited diet focuses on elaborate recipies
Suppression
Involves forcing anxiety provoking thoughts or feelings into unconsciousness, often by substituting other thoughts or feelings for them
Example: a patient repeatedly misses his doctors appointments by becoming involved with a work project immediately before he should leave for the doctors office, claiming he forgets about the time
Symbolization
an individual substitutes one aspect of internal or external reality for another
Example: a person's overconcern with the make of automobile that she drives reflects insecurity about her self image
Undoing
Involves performing an activity that symbolically reverses a previous behavior or thought. it is commonly present in individuals who feel either conscious or unconscious guilt
Example: a person recently diagnosed with a malignancy becomes excessively concerned with nutrition, exercise and a healthy lifestyle
Acting out
Expressing unacceptable feelings and thoughts through actions
Example: tantrums
Fixation
Partially remaining at a more childish level of development
Example: a surgeon throws a tantrum in the operating room because the last case ran very late
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