Defense mechanism

1. DEFENSE MECHANISM
PREPARED BY
MS. HEMA
MSC. NURSING
LECTURER
FNCON

2. INTRODUCTION
❑THE TERM ‘ DEFENCE MECHANISM’ WAS FIRST USED BY
SIGMUND FREUD IN HIS PAPER “THE NEURO-PSYCHOSES OF
DEFENCE” (1894).
❑ANNA (1937) DEVELOPED THE IDEAS GIVEN BY FREUD AND
ELABORATED THEM, ADDING 5 OTHER OWN
❑IN HIS PSYCHOANALYTICAL THEORY , FREUD EXPLAINED A
DEFENCE MECHANISM IS A TACTIC DEVELOPED BY EGO TO
PROTECT AGAINST ANXIETY.
FOR EXAMPLE :- IF YOU ARE FACED WITH A PARTICULARLY
UNPLEASANT TASK OUR MIND MAY CHOOSE TO FORGET YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY IN ORDER TO AVOID THE DREADED
ASSIGNMENT . IN ADDITION TO FORGETTING , OTHER
DEFENCE MECHANISM INCLUDE RATIONALIZATION , DENIAL ,
REPRESSION , REJECTION ETC.

3. ▪ 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.
▪ DEFENCE MECHANISM ENABLES A PERSON TO RESOLVE
CONFLICT AND REDUCE THE STRESS AND ANXIETY.
▪ USUALLY ALL DEFENCE MECHANISMS ARE OPERATED AT
UNCONSCIOUS LEVEL.
▪ MOST OF DEFENCE MECHANISMS ARE SELF-DECEPTIVE IN
NATURE.

4. MEANING
A DEFENCE MECHANISM IS THE ACT OR
TECHNIQUE OF COPING MECHANISMS
THAT REDUCE ANXIETY GENERATED BY
THREATS FROM UNACCEPTABLE OR
NEGATIVE IMPULSES. THE PROCESS IS
USUALLY UNCONSCIOUS .

5. DEFINITION
▪ FREUDIAN PSYCHOANALYTICAL THEORY, DEFENCE MECHANISM
ARE PSYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGIES BROUGHT INTO PLAY BY THE
UNCONSCIOUS MIND TO MANIPULATE , DENY OR DISTORT REALITY
IN ORDER TO DEFEND AGAINST FEELINGS OF ANXIETY &
UNACCEPTABLE IMPULSES TO MAINTAIN ONE’S SELF SCHEMA .
▪ DEFENCE MECHANISM , IN PSYCHOANALYTICAL THEORY , ANY OF
A GROUP MENTAL PROCESSES THAT ENABLES THE MID TO REACH
COMPROMISE SOLUTIONS TO CONFLICTS THAT IS UNABLE TO
RESOLVE.
▪ DEFENCE MECHANISM IS A PATTERN OF ADJUSTMENT THROUGH
WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL RELIEVES ANXIETY CAUSED BY AN
UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION THAT THREATEN SELF-ESTEEM.
▪ WHEN THESE DEFENCE MECHANISMS ARE USED MODERATELY ARE
HARMLESS BUT EXCESSIVE AND PERSISTENT DEFENCE USE IS
HARMFUL.

6. CLASSIFICATION OF DEFENCE MECHANISM
• THESE DEFENCE MECHANISMS ARE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO ITS
RESULTS-
• POSITIVE DEFENCE MECHANISM
• NEGATIVE DEFENCE MECHANISM
• POSITIVE DEFENCE MECHANISMS:-
• COMPENSATION
• SUBSTITUTION
• SUBLIMATION
• RATIONALIZATION
• REPRESSION
• UNDOING
• IDENTIFICATION
• TRANSFERENCE
• INTELLECTUALIZATION
• INTROJECTION

7. NEGATIVE DEFENCE MECHANISMS:-
1. SUPPRESSION
2. DISPLACEMENT
3. PROJECTION
4. REGRESSION
5. FIXATION
6. FANTASY
7. REACTION FORMATION
8. CONVERSION
9. DISSOCIATION
10. DENIAL