Glossary of Defense Mechanisms
Introduction
In psychoanalytic theory, a person’s experience of the “self” is referred to as the ego. The ego has certain boundaries in terms of what is considered to be or not to be a part of oneself or one’s identity. As personality solidifies through life experience, a person develops emotional triggers where certain kinds of thoughts, feelings, impulses, people, objects, or events are perceived as undesirable or unacceptable because they threaten the boundaries of the ego. When this happens, a person will unconsciously engage in self-defense or self-protection. Sigmund Freud pioneered the study of defense mechanisms in an effort to explain the many strategies that people use to cope when reality unfolds contrary to expectations.
Defense mechanisms are attempts to counter psychological stress or negative emotions and, since they are usually deployed unconsciously and habitually, it is difficult to know exactly when and why they are being activated. They are sometimes necessary when encountering highly stressful, emotionally traumatic, or emergency situations but, under normal circumstances, long term reliance on them can ruin your ability to adapt well in life because they distance you from crucial self-knowledge, eventually fragmenting the self. Therefore, the high cost of using a defense mechanism is a corresponding decrease in self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
Generally speaking, the lower a person’s level of ego development, the more unconsciously and automatically they use defense mechanisms. Defense mechanisms are labeled as unhealthy when they produce dysfunctional behaviors that lead to negative, harmful, or destructive consequences. By contrast, healthier defense mechanisms are considered less harmful because they tend to be employed more consciously and maturely, and they can sometimes produce positive consequences if used appropriately. While anyone can theoretically use any coping strategy they want depending on the situation, there is some correlation between personality type and patterns of defense mechanisms.
Learning about defense mechanisms allows you to: 1) become more aware of when you are using them inappropriately in terms of producing more harm than good, 2) exercise greater will and flexibility in choosing the coping strategy that is most appropriate for the situation at hand, and 3) gradually dismantle your system of defense mechanisms when it interferes with achieving your goals, having healthy relationships, or pursuing self-improvement. Examine, as honestly as you can, any past instances in which you used a defense mechanism to poor effect, look for habitual or long running patterns. Get some idea about the kinds of people, events, or situations that easily trigger you to activate a defense mechanism and reflect on whether there is a way for you to stop using it when it prevents you from living life smoothly and successfully. Since defense mechanisms are generally activated by negative emotions (especially fear, shame, guilt, anger), it is advisable to work on improving your emotional intelligence so that you can deal with emotions directly instead of defending against them. It is also a good idea to listen to the feedback that you get from other people about any negative, defensive, or dysfunctional behavior.
Unhealthy Defense Mechanisms
Acting Out
Manifesting extreme and/or dysfunctional behaviors, usually because of not being able to utilize normal means to process feelings of frustration, anger, dissatisfaction, sadness, or unhappiness. Harmful because pent up emotions unconsciously drive aggressive, destructive, or violent action. Common in individuals at low levels of ego development.
Avoidance
Trying to avoid or escape from situations that cause anxiety or stress, often because of perceiving oneself as incapable of confronting a problem directly. Harmful because problems are left to fester, multiply, or worsen over time, lowering self-esteem to the point of helplessness or hopelessness. Common in Ps who are prone to procrastination, Fs who are prone to conflict-avoidance, Ns who do not want to deal with facts and details, Introverts who want to shut out the world, and Extraverts who want to avoid self-reflection.
“Black and White” or “All or Nothing" Thinking
Oversimplifying an issue in order to avoid thinking more deeply about it, usually through refusing to consider other perspectives, alternatives, or hidden factors that are highly relevant to understanding the situation fully and accurately. Harmful because the failure to consider nuance or context often accompanies depression and leads to faulty beliefs, poor problem-solving, or a callous/dismissive attitude. Common in individuals at low levels of ego development, Fs who use their low T function defensively, Ts with a poorly developed F function.
Compartmentalizing
Creating a strict division of one’s sense of self into separate parts in order to decrease full awareness and responsibility for one’s actions (e.g. strictly separating private life from public persona). Harmful when believing that the different roles that one occupies can be used to justify inconsistent, immoral, or hypocritical behavior. Common among people at low levels of ego development as well as unhealthy Fe and Te dominants.
Compensation
Trying to counterbalance one’s perceived weaknesses in order to prop up self-esteem and avoid confronting the negative aspects of oneself, usually by overemphasizing one’s strengths or relying on actions that can superficially camouflage flaws/mistakes. Harmful because a person cannot confront their weaknesses and shortcomings, thus becoming incapable of real improvement. Common in individuals who are prone to looping or grip patterns.
Defensive Pessimism
imagining all the things that could go wrong in order to blunt the hurtful impact of possible failure. Harmful when it exacerbates underlying anxiety, insecurity, or fears. Common in SJs, Ni dominants, individuals who misuse the Ne function, and individuals who are prone to unhealthy perfectionism.
Denial
Conscious or unconscious refusal to accept factual reality in order to avoid confronting painful feelings or negative emotions. Harmful because a person becomes incapable of seeing and solving their problems properly, leading to negative consequences or a snowball effect. Common in individuals at low levels of ego development.
Displacement
Redirecting negative thoughts, feelings, or impulses from the original source of frustration onto someone/something that is considered “inferior” or “safer” to act upon without garnering severe consequences. Harmful because it makes a person more prone to being abusive or exploitative. Common in individuals at low levels of ego development.
Dissociation
Disconnecting from awareness of a negative event in progress, often resulting in a person losing track of themselves, the passing of time, or awareness of physical surroundings. Harmful when a person cannot heal their fractured sense of self upon returning to more normal circumstances. Common in individuals who have suffered severe abuse, intense trauma, or extreme shock.
Fantasy
Using imagination to escape from reality when life is not unfolding according to one’s desires, usually by exploring alternative yet unrealistic realities or engaging in wishful thinking, thereby avoiding feelings of failure, grief, or disappointment. Harmful when fantasy is used in lieu of taking effective action to improve oneself or life conditions, thus getting stuck in a rut. Common in Ne types, Ns with a poorly developed S function, and individuals with poorly developed extraverted functions.
Idealization
Creating a perfect ideal in order to focus on the positive aspects of a situation and avoid confronting the negative aspects. There is a negative form of idealization in which a person evaluates the world in terms of how things fail to measure up to imagined perfection, thus producing a mindset dominated by cynicism and/or perfectionism. Harmful because a person (repeatedly) sets themselves up for disappointment through unrealistic expectations, eventually becoming rigid, delusional, and/or emotionally fragile. Common in Ns with a poorly developed S function.
Identification
Identifying with or mirroring the characteristics of people who are perceived as threatening, often as a means of gaining social acceptance or avoiding social punishment. Harmful when one avoids taking responsibility for perpetuating abusive, manipulative, exploitative, aggressive, or violent behavior. Common in individuals around level 2 ego development as well as Fs with a poorly developed T function.
Intellectualization
Overemphasizing thinking/reason/logic in order to deny the human or emotional context of a situation, usually as a means to distance oneself from undesirable feelings, emotions, impulses, stress, or threats. Harmful because emotions are repressed and then drive behavior unconsciously, or because “pure logic” can lead to lack of empathy or insensitivity to suffering. Common in Ts with a poorly developed F function, Fs who use their low T function defensively, as well as NJs with an unhealthy Ni function.
Introjection
Unconsciously internalizing beliefs, values, attitudes, or behaviors from the surrounding social environment as one’s own in order to reduce cognitive dissonance. Harmful when a person loses oneself or becomes more susceptible to delusional thinking, groupthink, or mob mentality. Common in individuals around level 2 ego development as well as Fs with a poorly developed T function.
Isolation
Separating memory and emotion in order to avoid the stress or anxiety that recalling/reliving a negative situation can produce. Harmful because failure to acknowledge emotions prevents a person from achieving closure for a negative past experience. Common in individuals who have experienced trauma as well as individuals with a poorly developed F function.
Passive Aggression
Using passive or underhanded means to express (unacknowledged) feelings of dissatisfaction towards a person/object/event, often because one cannot handle the social repercussions of being assertive and truthful. Harmful because the behaviors make intimate relationships impossible, and because a person is more likely to develop a reputation as being inauthentic or untrustworthy (since passive aggression is easily detected by others). Common in individuals with low emotional intelligence due to an unhealthy F function.
Projection
Attributing one’s undesirable characteristics, weaknesses, thoughts, feelings, or impulses to another person who does not factually suffer them (due to lack of insight into oneself). Harmful because it produces gross misunderstandings that destroy relationships, and because denying personal weaknesses makes self-improvement impossible. Common in individuals at low levels of ego development.
Rationalization
Reframing or reinterpreting the reason/explanation for a negative event in such a way that one can avoid taking responsibility for one’s role in causing it (aka making excuses). Harmful because a person cannot learn from their mistakes and will likely repeat them. Common among individuals who are prone to looping, individuals with poorly developed judging functions, and individuals who misuse their N function.
Reaction Formation
Converting unwanted thoughts, feelings, or impulses into their opposites, sometimes as a means to avoid them being detected by others (e.g. being extra nice to someone you intensely dislike). Harmful because it results in lack of integrity and negative emotions like guilt, shame, or self-hatred. Common in Fs with low emotional intelligence.
Regression
Reversion to earlier states of psychological development when overwhelmed by stress or negative thoughts/feelings. Harmful because a person’s immature or childish behaviors can result in negative adult consequences. Common in individuals who suffer trauma as well as individuals at higher levels of ego development when under prolonged stress.
Repression
Unconscious attempts to forget or block out thoughts, feelings, impulses, or memories that are perceived as threatening or undesirable. Harmful because one’s sense of self becomes fragmented, and because not acknowledging facts leads to faulty beliefs or ineffectual action. Common in individuals who suffer trauma as well as individuals at low levels of ego development.
Resignation
Accepting existing problems or negative circumstances as being inevitable or unchangeable in order to reduce anxiety/worry. Harmful because one remains in unhealthy, threatening, or dangerous situations, becoming passive and helpless. Common in Si dominants, individuals who misuse their Si function, and individuals who are prone to introverted looping.
Self-Handicapping
trying to minimize the hurt of a future failure by concocting “reasons” that can be blamed for the possible failure, thus saving face and relieving oneself of the responsibility to make an effort or take responsibility for any negative outcome, e.g., chronic underachieving, purposely lowering expectations, predicting/imagining the worst case scenarios, creating unnecessary obstacles to goal completion, criticizing oneself before others do. Harmful because it is a form of self-sabotage. Common in Sensors, FPs, Ne types, and individuals who suffer from unhealthy perfectionism.
Self-Serving Bias
Exaggerating one’s importance, achievements, or positive qualities in order to deflect or avoid confronting criticism for negative qualities. Harmful because it makes intimate relationships impossible, or because it leads to more serious narcissistic behavior. Common in TPs, individuals who misuse the Ti or Ni function, and individuals at around level 3 ego development.
Social Comparison
Comparing oneself downward to someone who is perceived as “worse off” or associating oneself upward with someone who is perceived as “better off” in order to artificially bolster self-esteem. Harmful because it leads to a weak sense of self and prevents a person from developing genuine self-confidence and a realistic self-image. Common in individuals around level 2 ego development as well as individuals who misuse their Fe, Te, or Se functions.
Somatization
When psychological stress becomes physical ailments or complaints, often because of putting off dealing with stress or negative emotions for too long or not knowing how to verbalize/articulate emotional distress, perhaps even done as a way to garner sympathy from others. Harmful because a person becomes incapable of identifying the real source of their problems. Common in children, NPs with an unhealthy Si function, individuals with low emotional intelligence.
Suppression
Conscious attempts to get rid of undesirable thoughts, feelings, impulses, or threatening psychological states. Harmful because it does not work and can instead lead to feelings of failure, guilt, shame, or self-loathing. Common in Ts with an unhealthy F function as well as Fs with low emotional intelligence.
Undoing
Feeling strongly compelled to make up for unacceptable or hurtful behaviors that were done unconsciously, usually by counteracting the damage that was done in hopes that the “wrong” will be “righted” (e.g. being extra nice to someone you snapped at but to the point of seeming fake). Harmful because the intention behind the behaviors is self-centered and does not adequately account for the well-being of the other person. Common in individuals at low levels of ego development who cannot properly admit to or apologize for mistakes (often due to excessive pride), TJs who tend to act insensitively, NJs who frequently suffer regret, Fs who reflexively engage in blame/accusation as a means to deflect criticism.
Healthier Defense Mechanisms
Altruism
Using kindness, positivity, empathy, or service to others as a means to diffuse the negative aspects of a situation. Can be harmful if done at the expense of personal well-being. Common in individuals at higher levels of ego development.
Anticipation
Inferring what will/may happen in the future in order to mentally rehearse or psychologically prepare oneself for any stressful or negative circumstances. Can be harmful if it leads to paralysis in decision making, catastrophizing about the future, undue pessimism, or inability to take effective action due to anxiety or overthinking. Common in individuals who rely heavily on the Ni or Si function.
Assertiveness
Using a direct and firm yet respectful manner to communicate one’s needs, thoughts, or feelings in order to ensure personal well-being. Can be harmful if it inadvertently garners negative social consequences or produces conflict, especially when confronting unstable people. Common in individuals with a healthy T function and/or healthy extraverted functions.
Humility
Lowering expectations or downplaying one’s sense of self-importance in order to save face, fit in, accommodate others, ameliorate unhappiness, or encourage harmony/cooperation. Can be harmful if done unconsciously and leads to denying personal needs or low self-esteem. Common in individuals with decent emotional intelligence.
Humor
Looking for the funny or absurd aspects of negative or stressful situations in order to lighten the mood or improve one’s attitude. Can be harmful if done unconsciously and used in lieu of properly addressing the original source of stress. Common in individuals at mid-high levels of ego development as well as individuals with decent emotional intelligence.
Sublimation
Channeling unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or impulses into a more acceptable and productive medium (such as work, art, humor), thus using psychological energy positively as opposed to reinforcing negative cognitive-behavioral patterns. Can be harmful if done in lieu of addressing the original source of discomfort. Common in individuals around mid-high levels of ego development.