Defense Mechanisms

1. Denial – failure to acknowledge an unbearable condition; failure to admit the reality of a situation, or how one enables the problem to continue.

2. Compensation – Overachievement in one area to offset real or perceived deficiencies in other area

3. Conversion – expression of an emotional conflict through the development of a physical symptom , usually sensorimotor in nature

4. Repression – excluding emotionally painful or anxiety-provoking thoughts and feelings from conscious awareness

5. Suppression – the act of stopping yourself from thinking or feeling something.

6. Displacement – ventilation of intense feelings toward persons less threatening than the one who aroused those feelings

7. Projection – unconscious blaming of unacceptable inclinations or thoughts on an external object

8. Rationalization – excusing own behavior to avoid guilt, responsibility , conflict, anxiety or loss of self-respect .

9. Identification – modeling actions and opinions of influential others while searching for identity or aspiring to reach a personal, social or occupational goal

10. Introjections – accepting other person’s attitudes beliefs, and values as one own

11. Fixation – immobilization of a portion of the personality resulting from unsuccessful completion of tasks in a developmental stage

12. Regression – moving back to a previous developmental stage in order to feel safe and have needs met

13. Dissociation – dealing with emotional conflict by a temporary alteration in consciousness or identity

14. Reaction formation – acting the opposite of what one thinks or feels

15. Intellectualization – separation of the emotions of a painful event or situation from the facts involved

16. Sublimation – the unacceptable behavior is converted into a more acceptable behavior