ABSTRACT
Psychological defense mechanisms
In situations where the intensity of a need increases and the conditions for its satisfaction are absent, behavior is regulated using psychological defense mechanisms.
A defense mechanism (psychological defense) is an unconscious mental process aimed at minimizing negative experiences. Defense mechanisms underlie resistance processes.
The term was first coined by Freud in 1894 in his work "Defensive Neuropsychoses" and was used in a number of his subsequent works to describe the struggle Iagainst painful or intolerable thoughts and affects. Initially, Sigmund Freud meant the defense mechanism primarily as repression.
At the moment, the concept of a psychological defense mechanism, in one form or another, has entered the practice of most psychotherapists, regardless of the direction of psychology that they adhere to.
Main characteristics of protective mechanisms:
1.Denial or distortion of reality
2.Action on an unconscious level.
There is no generally accepted classification of mental defense mechanisms. This is apparently due to the fact that minimizing negative experiences is generally a natural need of any living organism, and with some assumption, any mental process can be considered aimed at achieving this goal. The need to identify individual defense mechanisms is related to the practical need of psychologists to identify and describe the most universalfrom unconscious defensive processes.
TO psychological defense mechanisms, as a rule, include denial, repression, projection, identification, rationalization, replacement, alienation and some others. Let us focus on the characteristics of each of these mechanisms.
Negationcomes down to the fact that information that is disturbing is not perceived. This method of defense is characterized by a noticeable distortion of the perception of reality. It is a mechanism for rejecting thoughts, feelings, desires, needs or realities that are unacceptable at a conscious level. Behavior is as if the problem does not exist. The primitive mechanism of denial is more characteristic of children (if you hide your head under the blanket, then reality will cease to exist). Adults often use denial in cases of crisis situations (incurable illness, approaching death, loss of a loved one, etc.). Denial is formed in childhood and often does not allow people to adequately assess what is happening around them, which leads to difficulties in behavior. For example, in a large sociological study, adults were asked whether they were convinced by press materials that smoking causes lung cancer. A positive answer was given by 54% of non-smokers and only 28% of smokers. Most smokers denied the significance of these facts, since accepting them would mean realizing a serious danger to their own health.
crowding outis the process of involuntary elimination into the unconscious of unacceptable thoughts, impulses or feelings. Repression (motivated forgetting) is an unconscious mental act in which unacceptable information or motive is rejected by censorship on the threshold of consciousness. It is interesting that what is most quickly repressed and forgotten by a person is not the bad things that others have done to him, but the bad things that he has done to himself or others. Ingratitude, all types of envy and a great many inferiority complexes are associated with this mechanism, which are repressed with terrible force. It matters that a person does not pretend, but actually forgets unwanted, traumatic information; it is completely repressed from his memory. An excellent example of repression is given in an episode from “War and Peace” by L.N. Tolstoy, where Nikolai Rostov talks with sincere enthusiasm about his courage on the battlefield. In reality, he chickened out, but the repression was so strong that he himself already believed in his feat.
Freud described in detail the defense mechanism of motivated forgetting. Repression is the process of removing thoughts and feelings that cause suffering from awareness. Repression plays a significant role in the formation of symptoms. This is how Freud described the emergence of neurosis as a result of repression as a defense mechanism: “According to the data of all our analyzes, transference neuroses arise due to the fact that Idoes not want to perceive the powerful impulse of drives existing in the id, and does not want to assist the motor response of this impulse, or this impulse is unacceptable for the object that it has in mind. Iprotects itself from it using the repression mechanism; repression rebels against its fate and, using the paths over which Ihas no power, creates a substitute education for itself, i.e. symptom. Ifinds that this uninvited guest threatens and violates his unity, continues the struggle against the symptom in the same way as previously he defended himself against the original impulse of the instincts, and all this results in a picture of neurosis. Freud believed that repressed thoughts and impulses do not lose their activity in the unconscious , and to prevent their breakthrough into consciousness requires a constant expenditure of psychic energy. This continuous waste of resources Ican seriously limit the use of energy for more adaptive, self-development-oriented, creative behavior. This is the main and most common defense mechanism.
Projection. With projection, a person attributes his own undesirable traits to others, and in this way protects himself from awareness of these traits in himself. The projection mechanism allows you to justify your own actions. For example, unfair criticism and cruelty towards others. In this case, such a person unconsciously attributes cruelty and dishonesty to those around him, and since those around him are like that, then in his mind his similar attitude towards them becomes justified. By type - they deserve it.
Fuzzy forms of projection appear in everyday life. Many of us are completely uncritical of our shortcomings and easily notice them only in others. We tend to blame others for our own troubles. Projection can also be harmful because it leads to an erroneous interpretation of reality. This mechanism often works in immature and vulnerable individuals. A person who constantly attributes to others his own aspirations that contradict his moral standards has even received a special name - a hypocrite.
Identification- unconscious transference to oneself of feelings and qualities that are inherent in another person and are inaccessible, but desirable for oneself. For children, this is the simplest way to learn norms of social behavior and ethical values. For example, a boy unconsciously tries to be like his father and thereby earn his love and respect. In a broad sense, identification is an unconscious adherence to images and ideals, which allows one to overcome one’s weakness and sense of inferiority.
Rationalization- a pseudo-reasonable explanation by a person of his desires, actions, which are actually caused by reasons, the recognition of which would threaten the loss of self-esteem. Thus, when experiencing mental trauma, a person protects himself from its destructive effects by overestimating the significance of the traumatic factor downward: not having received what he passionately wanted, he convinces himself that “I didn’t really want it.”
The most striking phenomena of rationalization are called “sour grapes” and “sweet lemon”. The first, known from Aesop’s fable “The Fox and the Grapes,” reflects the diminishing importance of the inaccessible. The “sweet lemon” defense is aimed at exaggerating the value of what you have. If a person demonstrates a disdainful attitude towards higher education, then it is possible that he is protecting himself from grief in connection with a missed opportunity to study. This same person spares no effort to give his children a higher education, which he himself supposedly does not need.
Substitution- transferring an action aimed at an inaccessible object to an action with an accessible object. This mechanism discharges the tension created by an inaccessible need, but does not lead to the desired goal. Replacement activity is distinguished by the transfer of activity to another plane. For example, from real implementation to the world of fantasy.
When a person fails to perform the action necessary to achieve the goal set for him, he sometimes makes the first meaningless movement that comes along, providing some kind of release to internal tension. We often see such substitution in life, when a person takes out his irritation, anger, annoyance on another person or the first object he comes across.
Isolation or alienation- removal of the emotional component of what is happening from consciousness. In this case, unpleasant emotions are blocked from access to consciousness, i.e. there is no connection between the emotional coloring and the event. This type of defense resembles alienation syndrome, which is characterized by a feeling of loss of emotional connection with other people, previously significant events or one’s own experiences, although their reality is recognized. Also, if, when performing any work (activity), you become overly immersed in the nature of such activity, then this can lead to a failure in the implementation of this activity. (If a boxer constantly thinks that the enemy’s blows can cause pain and various types of injuries, and even lead to death as a result of a strong blow, then such a boxer will initially lose due to the inability to fight due to fear, etc.)
Thus, it is necessary to know that psychological defense can help maintain a person’s internal comfort, even when he violates social norms and prohibitions, since it creates the ground for self-justification.
Having examined the basic mechanisms of psychological defense, it remains to answer the question: what are defensive reactions for a person - salvation or a false facade?
I propose to consider the answer to this question from Carl R. Rogers, one of the representatives of the humanistic movement in psychology. “I know,” he writes, “that because of defensiveness and fear, people can behave cruelly, immaturely, very destructively, antisocially, and hurtfully. My experience tells me that at the core of being human is the desire for positive change. Having had intimate contact with individuals in psychotherapy, even those whose disorders are most severe, whose behavior is the most antisocial, whose feelings seem the most extreme, I have come to believe that this is true. I began to feel that the more fully a person is understood and accepted, the more he tries to shed the false façade he uses when meeting life."
Carl Rogers compares defensive reactions to a dam that holds feelings locked in a person's inner world. “When a person comes to me, concerned about his own unique difficulties, I am sure that the best thing is to try to create a relationship with him in which he feels freedom and security. My goal is to accept him as he is. My experience is that he uses freedom to become more and more himself. He begins to break down the false façade, throw off the masks and roles in which he met life.”
This is illustrated by the statement of a woman who participated in a series of psychotherapeutic conversations: “As I see it now, layer by layer I got rid of defensive reactions. I didn’t know what was at the bottom, and I was very afraid to reach the bottom. At first I felt that there was nothing inside me - only a huge emptiness was felt where I wanted to have a solid core. Then I felt that I was standing in front of a massive stone wall, too high to climb over and too thick to walk through. After that, the wall seemed to disappear, but behind it I discovered a dam holding back the violently churning waters. In the end, I could no longer withstand this tension and let go. In reality, all my actions boiled down to the fact that I succumbed to the feeling of acute self-pity that gripped me, then to the feeling of hatred, then to love. After this experience, I felt as if I had jumped over the edge of an abyss to the other side and finally felt that I was safe."
This is how a person dramatically describes the process of searching for oneself, which is inextricably linked with getting rid of defensive reactions, according to Carl Rogers. He is confident that the experience that is more characteristic of a person with defensive reactions would be greatly reduced: extreme satisfaction of one need (for aggression, sex, etc.) at the expense of a lack of satisfaction of other needs (for companionship, affectionate relationships, etc.) .d.)
Carl R. Rogers has little sympathy with the almost prevailing view that man is fundamentally irrational and that unless his impulses are controlled he will lead to the destruction of himself and others. “A person’s behavior is rational to the point of sophistication when he moves along a strictly planned, complex path towards the goals that his body strives to achieve. The tragedy is that our defensive reactions prevent us from realizing this rationality, so that consciously we move in one direction, while organismically we move in another.”
With the release of defensive reactions, “...the mind, instead of being the guardian of numerous and dangerous unpredictable impulses, of which only a few can be allowed to emerge, becomes a contented inhabitant of the society of impulses, feelings and thoughts, which are found to govern themselves very well when they are not watched with fear.»
defensive alienation mental resistance
References
1.Granovskaya, Rada Mikhailovna. Elements of practical psychology. - L.: Leningrad State University Publishing House, 1984. - 392 p.
2.Freud, Sigmund. Psychoanalytic studies.-Mn.: Potpourri LLC, 1997. - 606 p.
3.Kociunas, Rimantas. Basics of psychological counseling. - M.: Academic project, 1999. - 240 p.
4.Rogers, Carl Ransom. A look at psychotherapy. The Becoming of Man. - M.: Publishing group "Progress", "Univers", 1994. - 480 p.
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Psychological defense mechanisms Etymology.
Comes from the Greek. psyche - soul, logos - teaching.
Category.A system of mechanisms aimed at minimizing negative experiences associated with conflicts that threaten the integrity of the individual.
Specificity.Such conflicts can be provoked both by contradictory attitudes in the individual himself, and by a mismatch between external information and the individual’s image of the world and the image of J. Z. Freud, who was the first to tackle the problem of psychological conflicts, interpreted them as a form of resolving the conflict between unconscious drives and internalized social demands or prohibitions. Through the implementation of psychological mechanisms, as a rule, only relative personal well-being is achieved. But unresolved problems become chronic, as a person deprives himself of the opportunity to actively influence the situation in order to eliminate the source of negative experiences. Psychological defense has the most positive role when the problems that arise are of little significance and are not worth dealing with at all.
Kinds.As a result of numerous studies conducted primarily in clinical practice, various types of psychological defense mechanisms have been identified:
Repression is the elimination of desires from consciousness;
Identification - increasing one’s own significance through unity with persons or social institutions of high social rank;
Isolation - separation of an emotional reaction from a situation of fear;
Introjection is the integration of external assessments and standards that may pose a threat into the structure of one’s own self;
Compensation - making up for weakness by overemphasizing a desirable character trait;
Formation of reactions - the elimination of desire from consciousness while strengthening external behavior corresponding to this desire;
Denial is a defense against unpleasant reality due to the unwillingness to perceive it;
Transference is the redirection of hostile feelings to an object that is less dangerous than the true cause of these emotions;
Projection - redirecting one's own negative qualities or unacceptable desires to others;
Rationalization is an attempt to find a logical basis for one’s own behavior;
Regression - a decrease in the level of aspirations and the degree of organization of activities;
Fantasy - the realization of a frustrated desire in the imagination;
Emotional isolation - avoiding traumatic experiences by withdrawing into passivity.
Psychological Dictionary. THEM. Kondakov. 2000.
See what “psychological defense mechanisms” are in other dictionaries:
MECHANISMS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DEFENSE- (from the Greek psyche - soul logos - teaching) - a system of mechanisms aimed at minimizing negative experiences associated with conflicts that threaten the integrity of the individual. Such conflicts can be provoked as...
In UP, the concept of mechanisms of psychological defense of the individual is used quite rarely. However, it significantly expands the formal boundaries of the study of the psychology of the personality of the victim or offender. Knowledge of specific psychological... ...
A phenomenon and concept widely used in modern psychoanalytic theory and practice. This is the defense (struggle) of the “I”, the self-awareness of the individual with anxieties and unbearable, painful experiences, thoughts, desires, drives used for... ... Encyclopedia of modern legal psychology
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MECHANISMS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DEFENSE- in modern psychology are interpreted as ways for a person to maintain his mental balance. They manifest themselves, in particular, as a person’s tendency to maintain a familiar opinion about himself, rejecting or distorting unfavorable information that destroys... Eurasian wisdom from A to Z. Explanatory dictionary
defense mechanisms- German: Abwehimechanismen. French: mechanismes de defense. English: mechanisms of defense. Spanish: mécanismes de defensa. Italian: meccanismi di difesa. Portuguese: mecanismos de defesa. Various types of operations characteristic of psychological protection... ... Dictionary of Psychoanalysis
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PROTECTION MECHANISMS- the concept of psychoanalysis, meaning methods of mental. protecting the conscious “I” (Ego) from dangerous drives and impulses that conflict with social norms and attitudes. The most universal of 3. m. is displacement. By 3.00... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia
Appointed in cases where a comprehensive assessment of the offender’s testimony, given by him at different times and containing contradictory information, is required. One of the significant reasons for the distortion of memories of a crime committed is... ... Encyclopedia of modern legal psychology
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Defense mechanisms are psychological strategies unconscious to the individual, with the help of which a person avoids or reduces the intensity of negative states such as conflict, frustration, anxiety and stress. The main difference between defensive automatisms and coping strategies is the unconscious inclusion of the former and the conscious, purposeful use of the latter.
The concept of “defense mechanisms” was introduced by S. Freud to refer to the technique that the Ego uses in conflicts leading to neuroses. With neurosis, patients complain of emotional disorders, which are based on a person’s experience of an internal conflict, a collision of particularly significant personal relationships with the circumstances of a life situation that contradict them. A person’s inability to resolve such a conflict causes an increase in internal tension and discomfort. 3. Freud showed that at this difficult moment for a person, special psychological mechanisms are activated that protect consciousness from unpleasant, traumatic experiences. The activation of defense mechanisms is accompanied by a subjective feeling of relief or relief from tension.
Anna Freud (daughter of Z. Freud) emphasized the role of defense mechanisms in resolving external, that is, sociogenic conflicts; She views these mechanisms as products of development and learning. A. Freud put forward the idea that the set of defense mechanisms is individual and characterizes the level of adaptation of the individual. Subsequently, defense mechanisms began to be considered not only as a neurotic symptom, but also as a function of the self of the conscious part of the personality of any person. When the integrity of the individual is threatened, it is the defense mechanisms that are responsible for its integration and adaptation to real circumstances.
Types of psychological defense mechanisms
To date, more than two dozen defense mechanisms have been described, but the most studied are eight: denial, repression, compensation, regression, projection, replacement, intellectualization, and reactive formation.
N.M. Nikolskaya and R.M. Granovskaya differentiate 11 defense mechanisms in their study.
crowding out. Selective intentional forgetting of information related to conflict and tension. This is the displacement of unpleasant things (desires, thoughts, feelings that cause anxiety) from memory. Repressed impulses, although not resolved in behavior, nevertheless retain their emotional and psycho-vegetative components. For example, a typical situation is when the meaningful side of a psychotraumatic situation is not realized, and a person represses the very fact of some unseemly act, but the intrapsychic conflict persists, and the emotional stress caused by it is subjectively perceived as outwardly unmotivated anxiety. Most often, personal properties, qualities and actions are repressed that do not make the person attractive in the eyes of the person himself and other people, for example, envy, ill will, ingratitude, etc. Psychotraumatic circumstances or unwanted information are repressed from the subject’s consciousness, passing into the subconscious, although outwardly it may appear as a deliberate resistance to recollection and introspection.
Negation– the person either denies some frustrating, anxiety-inducing circumstances, or changes his interpretation of the situation in order to perceive it as less threatening. Denial involves those aspects of external reality that, although obvious to others, are nevertheless not accepted or recognized by the person himself (for example, when a person reports the death of a relative, he does not perceive this news and does not want to believe it). As a process directed outward, denial is often opposed to repression - psychological defense against internal, instinctive demands and impulses. Denial is characterized by an outwardly distinct distortion of the perception of reality.
Suppression. In this case, a person avoids disturbing thoughts and tries not to focus on them. Suppression usually involves switching to something else, diverting attention from unpleasant thoughts (avoidance thinking). Thus, when suppressed, unpleasant thoughts are blocked by other, neutral or pleasant ones (when repressed, the thought is completely inaccessible to consciousness).
Regression- a mechanism of psychological defense, thanks to which a person, in his behavioral reactions, seeks to avoid anxiety, switching to a type of response inherent in an earlier stage of life. With this form of defensive reaction, a person exposed to frustrating factors replaces the solution of subjectively more complex problems with relatively simpler ones that are accessible in the current situation. The use of simpler and more familiar behavioral stereotypes significantly impoverishes the ability to overcome conflict situations. This type of psychological defense is more likely to be characteristic of psychopathic individuals with their impulsiveness and weakness of volitional control.
Identification. By activating this mechanism, a person accepts the personal characteristics (behavioral characteristics) of another person. For example, without enough courage, a person identifies himself with a heroic personality, which gives him more confidence in his abilities. Can imitate the behavior of a cult figure - this increases significance in his own eyes. Thus, identification as a mechanism of psychological defense manifests itself in attempts to find a suitable replacement for a real or imaginary shortcoming or personality defect with another quality, most often through fantasizing or assigning to oneself the properties, virtues, values, and behavioral characteristics of another person. At the same time, borrowed values, attitudes or thoughts are accepted without analysis and restructuring and therefore do not become part of the personality itself.
Compensation. A person makes significant efforts to achieve success in an area where he feels inferior. Another manifestation of compensatory defense mechanisms is overcoming frustrating circumstances or situations through over-satisfaction in other areas. For example, a physically weak or timid person who is unable to respond to threats of violence finds satisfaction in humiliating the offender with the help of a sophisticated mind or cunning.
Projection. At the heart of this defense mechanism is the process by which unconscious and unacceptable feelings and thoughts for the individual are attributed to other subjects. Often a person attributes aggressiveness to others in order to justify his own aggressiveness or hostility, allegedly manifested for defensive purposes. There are well-known examples of hypocrisy, when someone constantly attributes their own immoral aspirations to others. Less common is another type of projection, in which positive, socially approved feelings, thoughts or actions are attributed to significant persons (usually from the microsocial environment).
Substitution. The action of this protective mechanism is manifested in the discharge of suppressed emotions (usually hostility, anger) on objects that pose less danger or are more accessible than those that caused negative emotions. For example, an open manifestation of annoyance or anger at a certain person can be fraught with an unwanted conflict with him, so the anger is transferred to another object, more accessible and not dangerous. 3. Freud considered substitution one of the basic ways of functioning of the unconscious.
Intellectualization. This defense mechanism is often (especially in the psychotherapeutic literature) referred to as “rationalization,” although in essence they are somewhat different. Thus, the effect of intellectualization is manifested in an overly mental way of overcoming a frustrating situation - without experiencing, only on the basis of an analysis of facts.
Rationalization. The difference between intellectualization and rationalization, according to F.E. Vasilyuk, is that it essentially represents a departure from the world of impulses and affects into the world of words and abstractions. With rationalization, a person creates logical (pseudo-reasonable), but plausible justifications for his or someone else’s behavior, actions or experiences caused by reasons that he (the person) cannot recognize due to the threat of losing self-respect. This defense mechanism is associated with the use of good, rather than real, justification for one’s behavior.
Reactive education. According to 3. Freud, if there is a danger of a repressed threatening impulse returning to consciousness, a person can strengthen the repression by behaving in a manner diametrically opposed to this impulse. For example, if someone is threatened by repressed homosexual urges, then in order to increase their repression, that person may choose to engage in excessive heterosexual activity. In essence, reactive education is countermotivated behavior. This type of psychological defense is often identified with overcompensation.
There is evidence about the role of typological features in the use of certain types of psychological defense. Persons with a predominance of the first signal system according to I.P. Pavlova (or the emotional type according to Lazarus) uses denial and suppression, and persons with a predominance of the second signaling system (rational type according to Lazarus) use projection, repression and rationalization.
Psychological defense is a complex mechanism of an individual’s response to any external stimulus. Psychological defense as a mechanism always occurs in response to a real or hidden threat. Moreover, this mechanism, as a rule, is activated in people completely unconsciously. We don’t understand why we suddenly begin to behave aggressively, withdraw into ourselves, or try with all our might to offend our interlocutor, to touch his heartstrings. Psychological defense is a state of personality characterized by increased anxiety, suspiciousness and a feeling of hidden resentment. Psychological protection implies the need to seek refuge within ourselves, relying on our own ideas about reality.
It should be noted that psychological defense mechanisms, as a rule, remain unconscious to the person himself. He constantly justifies his own inaction in order not to make any further efforts to change the situation. After all, it is much easier to endlessly complain about life than to actually try to change something. Psychological defense is a mechanism that works regardless of our desire. Rather, the choice of type of protection in each specific case depends on the character of the person, his temperament, and level of ambition. It just becomes convenient for a person to use this mechanism in life. Among the types of psychological defense, the following are distinguished.
Blocking
This type of psychological defense allows you to prevent a traumatic event from entering your consciousness. A person takes the necessary steps to avoid feelings of guilt, envy, anger, disappointment, etc. Blocking promotes escape from reality without significant emotional loss. Of course, unresolved problems will someday return with renewed vigor and will disturb the consciousness, driving a person into depression and anxiety. Blocking is an unconscious mechanism that allows you to remain at your starting point and postpone active actions for a while. This method cannot be called constructive, since it does not allow the individual to fully grow and develop.
Distortion
Distortion is a type of psychological defense that makes it possible to carry a traumatic event into consciousness, changing its essence to a safer option. Of course, this is self-deception. A person cannot endlessly persuade himself, pretend that everything is fine, but in fact, over the years the situation only increases catastrophically, growing in scale. Distortion is a type of psychological defense that for a long time does not allow the individual to see the truth. Not everyone can look the truth in the eye, because to do this you need to have courage. The more we distort information about ourselves, the more difficult it becomes for us to live in the world and communicate with other people.
Methods of psychological protection
There are several ways of psychological protection. The mechanism of its action is so subtle that most people simply do not notice that they are bogged down in their own discontent and suffering. Types and methods of defense are based on an unconscious escape from reality. People are sometimes so afraid of solving problems that they even avoid thinking about their own problems. Let's take a closer look at the common methods that a person usually resorts to.
Self-accusation
This is a very common way of escaping from a disturbing situation; it can be called classic. A person, under any guise, publicly or privately, tries to blame himself. This is the only way he can feel calm for a while. This mechanism is activated almost automatically. Self-blame, oddly enough, sometimes helps you feel important and needed. The person does not realize that in the end he only makes things worse for himself. Other people will never worry as much about our problems as the person himself, immersed in suffering, does.
Blaming others
This type of psychological defense occurs very often in life. People rush to blame others for their failures and failures, sometimes not noticing that they themselves are to blame for everything. People are sometimes so skillful at abdicating responsibility that one can only wonder how they manage to deceive themselves so smoothly. With this approach, a person’s conscience is partially or completely dulled, and he becomes unable to adequately evaluate his own actions. The psychological defense mechanism remains unnoticed by consciousness. This type of escape from reality partly helps a person compensate for his own stupidity.
Addictive behavior
The appearance of any addiction indicates that it becomes difficult for an individual to live in this world and perceive it adequately. The formation of addiction allows you to remain in illusion for a long time, avoiding specific steps and actions. The very mechanism of the appearance of alcohol, drug or other forms of addiction is associated with a strong fear of life. A person is literally overcome in reality by nightmares that he has created for himself. He is driven by a hidden desire to isolate himself, to hide from life, which seems too scary and dangerous.
Psychological defense mechanisms
Modern psychological science identifies many mechanisms for the development and manifestation of psychological defense. These mechanisms allow you to stay safe for a long time and avoid mental anguish and anxiety. In other words, defense mechanisms contribute to fencing off from reality and falling into oblivion.
crowding out
This mechanism provokes the process of forgetting. The person seems to be pushing away information that is disturbing to him. He concentrates his internal forces not on solving pressing problems, but on pushing them into the depths of the subconscious as quickly as possible. This usually happens when a person has no strength left to fight or the information is so traumatic that it can cause serious damage to the psyche and cause its disorder. In many cases, repression is a mechanism that facilitates quick relief from oppressive suffering. Freed from pain and fear with the help of this mechanism, it even seems to become easier. But in reality this is self-deception.
Negation
The denial mechanism is usually used if there is grief in the family, say, one of the close relatives has died. This psychological defense mechanism is activated completely unconsciously. A person stubbornly repeats the same thing for hours, but does not accept what happened. This is how protection against destructive information works. The brain simply cannot concentrate on anything completely; it blocks the receipt of dangerous news, and the threatening event does not seem to spread, but is suspended. It's amazing what games the subconscious can play with us! By refusing to experience mental pain here and now, we unwittingly transfer it into the future.
Regression
This psychological defense mechanism helps to focus attention on oneself. As a rule, older children resort to this technique when a younger child appears in the family. Parents notice that the elder suddenly begins to behave inappropriately: he pretends to be a little fool, as if he is pretending to be helpless and defenseless. This behavior indicates that he really lacks parental attention and love. Adults, as a rule, slide to a lower level of development and take a position that does not correspond to their skills.
Insulation
This psychological defense mechanism helps a person not to encounter daily circumstances that cause him suffering and irritation. Isolation should often be understood precisely as self-isolation, since a person begins to actively avoid participating in those events that cause him visible inconvenience. By avoiding a problem, a person greatly limits himself, since he does not leave himself the opportunity to return someday later in order to correct the situation for the better.
Projection
This psychological defense mechanism involves hiding one’s own shortcomings by detecting flaws in the character of another person. It has been proven that the more irritated we are by certain personal qualities in ourselves, this is how we see the people around us. Thus, a lazy person projects his own inaction and apathy onto others. It seems to him that there are only couch potatoes and irresponsible people around him. An aggressive person is incredibly irritated by angry people. And those who for some reason consider themselves unworthy of love, happiness and attention will everywhere meet people in whom this feature will manifest itself even more strongly. The projection of the unconscious allows us, for the time being, not to notice our own shortcomings. This is why in rare cases a person is able to independently notice that he is deteriorating.
Substitution
Substitution is a complex mechanism for avoiding a disturbing event. The person doesn’t just push it away, but tries to fill the resulting void by any means necessary. With the help of substitution, people are partly able to compensate for their loss with something else of equal value. For example, after experiencing the death of a pet, some people willingly immediately get another animal. The subconscious dictates to them the idea that they need to immediately acquire a new pet for their own peace of mind. Substitution, of course, does not relieve suffering, since the unexperienced pain does not go away, but is driven even deeper.
Rationalization
When a person finds himself powerless in the face of some depressing circumstances, he begins to explain to himself what happened, calling on the voice of reason to help him. Rationalization as a psychological defense mechanism is a very common phenomenon. We all, to one degree or another, reflect on current events, looking for hidden meaning and meaning in them. With the help of rationalization, you can reduce the destructive effect of any conflict, justify any mistake or moral damage caused. People sometimes don’t think about how much they run away from themselves, turning away from the ugly truth. How much smarter it would be to experience mental pain once than to constantly stumble because of it in similar cases.
Sublimation
Sublimation is a psychological defense mechanism that is aimed at experiencing uncontrollable emotions and feelings, but only in another area of life. Let's say, bitterness can be somewhat reduced by starting to write heartbreaking poems or read poets on similar topics. It would seem that unrequited love itself will not disappear because of this; one thing can reduce the quality of emotional experiences. Sublimation is a great way to forget your own uselessness and restlessness. Very often, sublimation is associated with creative endeavors. Taking up painting, writing, and music helps you forget past failures. Watching TV series and reading books also partially compensates a person for his loneliness, allowing him to experience those feelings and emotions that simply have no place in real life.
Thus, psychological protection helps a person overcome severe mental pain and cope with the deafening manifestations of life. However, you cannot constantly live away from reality, since there is a great risk of being separated from your own plans, hopes and actions.
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