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October 21, 2009

Defense Mechanisms



Nursing Crib




  1. 1. Acting Out
    • Acting out refers to repeating certain actions to ward off anxiety without weighing the possible consequences of those action.
    • Example: A husband gets angry with his wife and starts staying at work later.
  2. Compensation
    • Also called substitution.
    • It involves trying to make up for feelings of inadequacy or frustration in one area by excelling or overindulging in another.
    • Example: An adolescent takes up jogging because he failed to make the swimming team.
  3. Denial
    • A person in denial protects himself from reality – especially the unpleasant aspects of life – by refusing to perceive, acknowledge, or face it.
    • Example: A woman newly diagnosed with end-stage-cancer says, "I'll be okay, it's not a big deal".
  4. Displacement
    • In displacement, the person redirects his impulses (commonly anger) from the real target (because that target is too dangerous) to a safer but innocent person.
    • Example: A patient yells at a nurse after becoming angry at his mother for not calling him.
  5. Fantasy
    • Fantasy refers to creation of unrealistic or improbable images as a way of escaping from daily pressures and responsibilities or to relieve boredom.
    • Example: A person may daydream excessively, watch TV for hours on end, or imagine being highly successful when he feels unsuccessful. Engaging in such activities makes him feel better for a brief period.
  6. Identification
    • In identification, the person unconsciously adopts the personality characteristics, attitudes, values, and behavior of someone else (such as a hero he emulates and admires) as a way to allay anxiety. He may identify with a group to be more accepted by them.
    • Example: An adolescent girl begins to dress and act like her favorite pop star.
  7. Intellectualization
    • Also called isolation.
    • Intellectualization refers to hiding one's emotional responses or problems under a façade of big words and pretending there's no problem.
    • Example: After failing to obtain a job promotion, a worker explains that the position failed to meet his expectations for climbing the corporate ladder.
  8. Introjection
    • A person introjects when he adopts someone else's values and standards without exploring whether they fit him.
    • Example: An individual begins to follow a strict vegetarian diet for no apparent reason.
  9. Projection
    • In projection, the person attributes to others his own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, and impulses.
    • Example: A student who fails a test blames his parents for having the television on too loud when he was trying to study.
  10. Rationalization
    • Rationalization occurs when a person substitutes acceptable reasons for the real or actual reasons that are motivating his behavior.
    • The rationalizing patient makes excuses for shortcomings and avoids self-condemnation, displacements, and criticisms.
    • Example: An individual states that she didn't win the race because she hadn't gotten a good night's sleep.
  11. Reaction Formation
    • In reaction formation, the person behaves the opposite of the way he feels.
    • Example: Love turns to hate and hate into love.
  12. Regression
    • Under stress, a person may regress by returning to the behaviors he used in an earlier, more comfortable time in his life.
    • Example: A previously toilet-trained preschool child begins to wet his bed every night after his baby brother is born.
  13. Repression
    • Repression refers to unconsciously blocking out painful or unacceptable thoughts and feelings, leaving them to operate in the subconscious.
    • Example: A woman who was sexually abused as a young child can't remember the abuse but experiences uneasy feelings when she goes near the place where the abuse occurred.
  14. Sublimation
    • In sublimation, a person transforms unacceptable needs in acceptable ambitions and actions.
    • Example: He may channel his sex drive into his sports or hobbies.
  15. Undoing
    • In undoing, the person tries to undo the harm he feels he has done to others.
    • Example: A patient who says something bad about a friend may try to undo the harm by saying nice things about her or by being nice to her and apologizing.


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