Defense mechanisms are the behaviors people use to separate themselves from unpleasant events, actions, or thoughts. These are unconscious strategies whereby people protect themselves from anxious thoughts or feelings

1. DEFENSE MECHANISM
PRESENSTED BY:
MS. MONIKA KANWAR
M.Sc. (N) [MENTAL HEALTH NURSING]

2. INTRODUCTION
• Defense Mechanism is also known as Adjustment mechanism, Ego
Defense mechanism or Mental Defense Mechanism.
• Defense Mechanism are the Psychological strategies which helps a
person to cope with reality and to maintain psychological balance
or peace.
• Sigmund Freud in 1904 used this term “defence mechanism” to
refer to the unconscious process that defends or protects a person
against anxiety, shame, loss of self esteem, conflict or
unacceptable feelings.
• According to Freud, when Id is in serious conflict with ego and
superego, the individual suffer from tension or anxiety.

3. CONTD….
• Defense mechanism enables a person to resolve conflict and reduce
the stress and anxiety.
• Usually all defense mechanisms are operated at unconscious level.
• Most of defense mechanisms are self-deceptive (blunder) in nature.
• When these defense mechanisms are used moderately, are harmless
but excessive and persistent defense use is harmful.
In 1936, Anna Freud enumerated the ten defense mechanisms that
appear in the works of her father, Sigmund Freud: repression,
regression, reaction formation, isolation, undoing, projection,
introjections, turning against one's own person, reversal into the
opposite, and sublimation or displacement.

4. CONTD….

5. DEFINITION
Defence mechanism is a pattern of adjustment through which an
individual relieves anxiety caused by an uncomfortable situation
that threaten self-esteem.
OR
Defense mechanisms are the techniques or mechanisms used by an
individual to handle tension or reduce anxiety or resolve conflicts.
OR
Defense mechanisms refer to unconscious processes that defend a
person against anxiety.

6. CLASSIFICATION
• The list of defense mechanisms are huge & there is no theoretical
consensus on exact number. Classifying defense mechanisms
according to some of their properties (like underlying mechanisms,
similarities or connection with personality) has been attempted.
• Different theorists have different categorizations &
conceptualization of defense mechanisms.
• These defense mechanisms are classified according to its results-
- Positive defense mechanism/ Healthy / Successful
- Negative defense mechanism/ Unhealthy/ Unsuccessful

7. CONTD….
POSITIVE DEFENCE MECHANISM
1. Repression
2. Rationalization
3. Intellectualization
4. Compensation
5. Substitution
6. Sublimation
7. Undoing
8. Identification
9. Transference
10. Introjection

8. CONTD….
NEGATIVE DEFENCE MECHANISM
1. Regression
2. Negativism
3. Displacement
4. Denial
5. Conversion
6. Suppression
7. Fantasy
8. Projection
9. Fixation
10. Reaction formation
11. Dissociation
12. Acting out

9. POSITIVE DEFENCE MECHANISM
1. REPRESSION:
• According to Freud, repression refers to the process by which an
individual’s unacceptable, painful memories and feelings splits in
to unconscious layer of mind.
• EXAMPLE:-
 A man is jealous of his good friend’s success but is unaware of
his feeling of jealousy.
 A child may got punishment from his mother for bad behavior but
he didn't remember this afterwards. So these memories may goes into
unconscious mind without awareness.

10. CONTD….
2. RATIONALIZATION:
• It is a defence mechanism in which an individual justifies his
failures and socially unacceptable feelings and behaviors by making
excuses or formulate logical reasons/socially approved reasons.
• EXAMPLE:
 A husband does not enjoy the company of wife outside the home
and usually leave his wife at home. He gives logic that his wife is
social shy.
 A girl fails to get admission for the nursing course may point out
a number of difficulties of nursing profession.

11. CONTD….
3. INTELLECTUALIZATION:
• Intellectualization is an attempt to avoid expressing actual
emotions associated with a stressful situation by using the
intellectual processes of logic, reasoning and analysis.
• EXAMPLE:
 During a car accident, a person immediately call to ambulance
and try to control the bleeding instead of showing emotional
reaction.

12. CONTD….
4. COMPENSATION:
• Compensation is a pattern when individual makes an attempt to
make up for a deficiency by directing his energies to another
aspect of one’s personality in which no deficiency exists.
• EXAMPLE:
 A student who fails in his studies may compensate by becoming
the college champion in athletics.
 A plain girl, who cannot compete with her more beautiful sisters,
may compensate by studying hard and come 1st in her class.

13. CONTD….
5. SUBSTITUTION:
• It is a mechanism by which tension or anxiety is reduced by
replacing the unachievable goal with achievable goal.
• EXAMPLE:
 A student who has not been able to get admission to the MBBS
course may try to substitute it with a course of physiotherapy or
nursing.
 A person aspire to become a national level cricket player and not
selected. He may substitute this goal by being a coach at college
level.

14. CONTD….
6. SUBLIMATION:
• It is a mechanism that causes channelization of instinctual drives
from socially unacceptable desires into acceptable form.
• EXAMPLE:
 An unmarried women interested in children may give expression
to her repressed maternal urge by engaging herself in orphanages
work.

15. CONTD….
7. UNDOING:
• Undoing is the act symbolically cancelling or reversing out a
previous act which is unacceptable.
• Consciously doing something to counteract or wrong doing.
• EXAMPLE:
 A daughter shout at her father as there is no petrol in the car and
is getting late for office, brings a favorite film for her father to
watch. This is an example of undoing her behavior of shouting and
then bringing a film.

16. CONTD….
8. IDENTIFICATION:
• Through this process, an individual attempts to increase self worth
by acquiring certain attributes and characteristics of another
individual one who he/she admires. It plays a large part in the
development of personality.
• In this individual feels personal satisfaction in the success and
achievement of other group or person
• EXAMPLE
 The young son of a famous civil rights worker adopts his father’s
attitudes and behavior with the intent of pursuing similar aspirations.
 An illiterate father often takes his son’s higher education as his own
achievement.

17. CONTD….
9. TRANSFERENCE:
• In transference, the image of one person is unconsciously
identified with that of another.
• Redirection of feelings or expectations from one person to another.
• EXAMPLE:-
 A patient who is fond of his daughter finds the nurse of the same
age and height as his daughter. So he transfer his positive emotions
to the nurse as his daughter.
 It is also possible that if he dislikes his daughter he transfers
his negative emotions to the nurse by being rude, abusive, or
aggressive without any cause.

18. CONTD….
10. INTROJECTION:
• In introjections the values and characteristics of significant persons
are incorporated in one’s personality.
• EXAMPLE:
 A women who likes to live in a simple way introjects in her the
sophisticated way of living likes her husband.

19. NEGATIVE DEFENCE MECHANISM
1. REGRESSION:
• Regression means an immature way of responding to a stress or
go backwards.
• An individual does less mature form of behavior when faced with
difficulties, where he finds less conflict hence less anxiety.
• EXAMPLE:
 Nurse makes an error in giving medication and starts crying.
 A person who is depressed may withdraw to his or her room, curl
up in a fetal position on the bed.

20. CONTD….
2. NEGATIVISM:
• It is a mechanism in which individuals react to frustrating situations
by becoming negative. This means they refuse to attack the problem
instead they become stubborn. They do opposite of what should be
done.
• EXAMPLE:
The children who are discouraged or pampered too much become
like that.

21. CONTD….
3. DISPLACEMENT:
• In this defence mechanism, an unconsciously emotional feeling is
transferred to person or object who are less dangerous than those
who initially aroused the emotion.
• Discharging pent up feelings from higher threatening object to
less threatening objects.
• EXAMPLE:
 A person who is angry with his boss but cannot show it for fear
of losing the job, may fight with his wife on return from the
office.

22. CONTD….
4. DENIAL:
• It is a pattern or mechanism of refusal to accept or believe of
something that is very unpleasant to us.
• It protect the individual from shock of reality.
• Denial is quite harmless if practiced in moderation but can lead to
serious difficulties in health and life style if practiced in excess.
• EXAMPLE:
 When some very near and dear one die in the family. Some people
say no, he is still alive.
 A patient may come to know that he is diagnosed with cancer and
nor ready to accept reality.

23. CONTD….
5. CONVERSION:
• In this pattern of defence mechanism, strong emotional conflicts
which are not expressed are converted into physical symptoms.
• EXAMPLE:-
 A student nurse, who is very anxious about her examination, may
develop a headache.

24. CONTD….
6. SUPPRESSION:
• Suppression is the voluntary/conscious blocking of unpleasant
feelings and experiences from one’s awareness to avoid
discomfort and anxiety.
• EXAMPLE:
 Student consciously decides not to think about her insult in
examinations hall so that she can study effectively.
 A patient may refuse to consider his difficulties by saying that he
does not want to talk about it.

25. CONTD….
7. FANTASY:
• Fantasy is used to gratify frustrated desires by imaginary
achievements and wishful thinking.
• The tendency of day dreaming is most common during adolescence.
• EXAMPLE:
 A young boy who could not help his ailing father due to shortage
of money, day dreams that he has got lot of money from lottery
ticket and his father, mother and family members has best of the
facilities for everything.

26. CONTD….
8. PROJECTION:
• Unconsciously or consciously blaming someone else for one’s
difficulties.
• Fails to learn to take personal responsibility.
• EXAMPLE:
 A surgeon who did mistake in operation may insist that it happened
because theatre nurse and ward boy did their task badly.
 A businessperson who values punctuality is late for a meeting and
states , “sorry I’m late. My assistant forgot to remind me of the time.

27. CONTD….
9. FIXATION:
• Fixation refers to the point in the individual’s development, at
which certain aspects of the emotional development do not
advance.
• EXAMPLE:-
 Thumb sucking continuous till adult age.
 An unmarried, middle aged man still depends on his mother to
provide his basic needs.

28. CONTD….
10. REACTION FORMATION:
• In this defence mechanism the unacceptable real feelings are
repressed and acceptable opposite feelings are expressed.
• It is defined as unconscious transformation of unacceptable
impulse into exactly opposite attitudes, impulse, feelings or
behaviors.
• EXAMPLE:
 Women who actually dislike her mother in law hide her feelings
by being always nice to her.

29. CONTD….
11. DISSOCIATION:
• Individual separate out the memory, things that they don’t want to or
can’t deal with. If used excessively it can become a full blown
dissociative disorder which is very intense type of disorder,
• EXAMPLE:
 A woman finds herself engaging in Bulimic eating behaviors in a
subconscious attempt to escape feelings of shame.

30. CONTD….
12. ACTING OUT:
• It is a pattern of performing an extreme behavior in order to express
thoughts or feelings the person feels incapable of expressing.
• Instead of saying, “I am angry with you”, “a person acts out by
throwing a book or any object at the person, or punch a hole through
a wall.
• When a person acts out, it can act as a pleasure release, or often
helps the individual feel calmer and peaceful once again.
• EXAMPLE:
A child’s temper tantrum is a form of acting out when he/ she
doesn't get his/ her way.
Self- injury may also be a form of acting out.

31. CLASSIFICATION
George Eman Valliant’s (1977) categorized defense mechanism on
a continuum related to their psychoanalytical developmental level
LEVEL I:
Pathological
Defenses
LEVEL II:
Immature
Defenses
LEVEL III:
Neurotic
Defenses
LEVEL IV:
Mature
Defenses

32. CONTD….
LEVEL I: PATHOLOGICAL DEFENSE MECAHNISM:
• Pathological defense mechanism helps the person to rearrange
external experiences to remove the need to cope with reality.
• People who use pathological defense mechanism shows
irrational/unsound behavior.
• Excessive use of pathological defense mechanism may result into
psychotic disorders.

33. CONTD….

34. CONTD….
PROJECTION
DELUSIONAL PROJECTION:
Develop false belief where person
blame other that someone or
closed one wants to kill him/her or
is cheating.
E.g.: Person blames that someone
(friends, partner or family
member) wants to kill me
EXTREME PROJECTION:
Self-deficiency was perceived as a
deficiency in another individual.
E.g.: A surgeon who did mistake
in operation may insist that it
happened because theatre nurse
and ward boy did their task badly.

35. CONTD….
LEVEL II: IMMATURE DEFENSE MECAHNISM:
• Immature Mechanism helps the person to lessen their distress and
anxiety provoked by threatening people or reality.
• Excessive use of such defense are socially undesirable and person
is labeled as immature.
• These defenses are often seen severe depression and personality
disorders.
DEFENSE MECAHNISM AND
MEANING
EXAMPLE
Idealization:
Unconsciously perceiving another individual
as having more positive qualities then he/she
may actually have
One always accept his/her boss more
ideal and praise him/her all the time

36. CONTD….

37. CONTD….
LEVEL III: NEUROTIC DEFENSE MECAHNISM:
• Neurotic Defense Mechanism provide short term advantage in
coping, but can often cause long-term Problems in relationships,
work and in enjoying life when used as one’s primary defense of
coping.
DEFENSE MECAHNISM AND
MEANING
EXAMPLE
Compartmentalization:
Lesser form of dissociation, wherein parts
of oneself are separated from awareness of
other parts and behaving as if one had
separate sets of values
A honest person who cheats on his/her
income tax return at one side and criticize
corruption in government department

38. CONTD….

39. CONTD….

40. CONTD….
DEFENSE MECAHNISM AND
MEANING
EXAMPLE
Isolation:
In this there is an unconscious separation
of an unacceptable act or idea from its
memory.
Wife describing the murder of her husband
with graphic details with no emotional
response
Rationalization:
It is a defence mechanism in which an
individual justifies his failures and socially
unacceptable feelings and behaviors by
making excuses or formulate logical
reasons / socially approved reasons.
A husband does not enjoy the company of
wife outside the home and usually leave his
wife at home. He gives logic that his wife is
social shy.

41. CONTD….
LEVEL IV: MATURE DEFENSE MECAHNISM:
• Mature Defense Mechanisms are used by the emotionally healthy
individuals.
• The use of these defenses enhance the pleasure and feelings of
control among subjects.
DEFENSE MECAHNISM AND
MEANING
EXAMPLE
Introjection:
In introjections the values and
characteristics of significant persons
are incorporated in one’s personality.
A women who likes to live in a simple
way introjects in her the sophisticated
way of living likes her husband.

42. CONTD….

43. CONTD….

44. CONTD….
DEFENSE MECAHNISM AND
MEANING
EXAMPLE
Compensation:
Compensation is a pattern when
individual makes an attempt to make
up for a deficiency by directing his
energies to another aspect of one’s
personality in which no deficiency
exists.
A student who fails in his studies may
compensate by becoming the college
champion in athletics.
Assertiveness:
Stand up for own or other people’s rights
in a calm and positive way, without being
aggressive, or passively accepting “wrong”
A person say no to his/her boss for his/her
unreasonable demands without being
aggressive.