Defense Mechanisms

Question 1

Defense mechanisms preserve _____, which gives us a will to live.

Answer 1

Self esteem

Question 2

Defense mechanisms operate via the _____ nervous system, which is part of the _____ nervous system and is made up of the _____, _____, and _____ nervous systems.

Answer 2

Autonomic
Motor
Sympathetic, parasympathetic, enteric

Question 3

Defense mechanisms protect us from emotions we perceive as _____.

Answer 3

Threatening

Question 4

Why is it useful to be aware of our own defense mechanisms?

Answer 4

It helps us see reality.

Question 5

Lack of awareness that the locus of control is outside the self.

Answer 5

Omnipotent control (basic)

Question 6

Lack of awareness that someone has negative qualities, or lack of awareness that they have positive qualities. In this pair of defense mechanisms, we can sometimes flip from one to the other, in an “equal and opposite” way.

Answer 6

Idealization/devaluation (basic)

Question 7

When we misunderstand something to be coming from the outside, but it is actually coming from inside. This can cause us to levy harsh judgment on people who make the same mistakes we did.

Answer 7

Projection (basic)

Question 8

When we misunderstand something to be coming from the inside, but it is actually coming from outside. For example, hearing an idea somewhere else and then thinking it’s your idea.

Answer 8

Introjection (basic)

Question 9

Inability to hold on to a dichotomy within a particular person, and accept the fact that they contain both “good” and “bad” aspects. Reduces anxiety and increases self esteem, by shielding us from the reality and complexity of the situation.

Answer 9

Splitting of the ego (basic)

Question 10

Physical manifestation of an emotional state. For example, fight/flight/freeze/fawn response or getting ulcers.

Answer 10

Somatization (basic)

Question 11

Putting into action something that we lack the words to express. Can be positive, like in play therapy or music therapy.

Answer 11

Acting out (basic)

Question 12

Viewing non-sexual things as sexual in nature. For example, aggression or power.

Answer 12

Sexualization (basic)

Question 13

Separation of mental processes that are normally related. Lack of continuity in thought, memory, surroundings, action, and identity.

Answer 13

Dissociation (higher order)

Question 14

Feeling like our situation isn’t real. For example, it may feel like a nightmare.

Answer 14

Derealization (higher order)

Question 15

Feeling like we aren’t currently ourselves. Feeling detached from our identity.

Answer 15

Depersonalization (higher order)

Question 16

Deliberately forgetting, ignoring, or moving information to the subconscious. Can be problematic if it fails to keep disturbing ideas out of consciousness, gets in the way of positive aspects of living, or operates to the exclusion of more effective coping skills.

Answer 16

Repression (higher order)

Question 17

Sliding into a backward developmental stage with less emotional intelligence. For example, making a mean and childish remark in a moment of anger.

Answer 17

Regression (higher order)

Question 18

Isolation of the feeling from the knowing, aka psychic numbing. For example, describing a traumatic experience without experiencing strong emotions. This means we aren’t acknowledging how an experience has affected us.

Answer 18

Isolation of affect (higher order)

Question 19

Talking about our feelings in an intellectual way, using reason and logic to avoid uncomfortable or anxiety-producing emotions.

Answer 19

Intellectualization (higher order)

Question 20

Making the best of a situation with minimal resentment. For example, if a person hurt us, we tell ourselves that maybe they had a difficult life. Or if we hurt someone else, we tell ourselves it’s because we were stressed out at the time.

Answer 20

Rationalization (higher order)

Question 21

Treating our personal desires as morally obligatory, aka self-righteous narcissism. For example, a parent tells a child “You can’t do that thing because I don’t like that thing, and I’m your parent.”

Answer 21

Moralization (higher order)

Question 22

Holding two contradictory thoughts but not acknowledging the contradiction, to avoid feeling anxiety from the contradiction. For example, being a different person at work vs at home.

Answer 22

Compartmentalization (higher order)

Question 23

Attempting to counterbalance an emotion. For example, love bombing a partner we’ve cheated on, or going to religious confession after hurting someone.

Answer 23

Undoing (higher order version of omnipotent control)

Question 24

Directing our emotions at ourselves instead of the source of discomfort or pain. For example, blaming ourselves for being abused.

Answer 24

Turning against the self (higher order)

Question 25

Redirecting a drive, behavior, or emotion from its initial source to another. For example, having a bad day at work and taking it out on our partner.

Answer 25

Displacement (higher order)

Question 26

Turning something into its polar opposite. For example, being super nice to someone we hate.

Answer 26

Reaction formation (higher order)

Question 27

Switching ourselves from object to subject. For example, continuing the cycle of abuse.

Answer 27

Reversal (higher order)

Question 28

Empathizing with someone we fear, characterized by the capacity to identify with that person. For example, identifying with a celebrity, or fearing that we are becoming our parents.

Answer 28

Identification (higher order)

Question 29

Expressing a biological impulse in a socially acceptable way.

Answer 29

Sublimation

Question 30

Making light of our discomfort in an attempt to process the situation. This is the most adaptive defense mechanism for most people

Answer 30

Humor (higher order)