Exploring Defense Mechanisms: Unraveling Hidden Protectors

Our defense mechanisms, which operate in the hidden recluses of our mind, play a crucial role in protecting us from hurt and limiting our growth. These mechanisms are like guardians, constantly on the lookout for potential threats and vulnerabilities. Defense mechanisms can vary widely from person to person and can arise as a response to different challenges and experiences. While they serve an important purpose in protecting us from immediate psychological distress, it is crucial to acknowledge and examine these defense mechanisms, carefully evaluating their effectiveness. Often, they menacingly morph into maladaptive processes, blinding and misleading. to foster personal growth and emotional well-being.

By gaining insight into our defense mechanisms, we can work towards developing healthier coping mechanisms that foster personal growth and nurture emotional wellbeing.

Introduction to Defense Mechanisms

I can’t help it, I’m an internet junkie. I join groups, follow pages, and constantly read psychology and wellness tweets—a passion. During my early adventures in the cyber world, I was impelled to correct gross errors. I quickly learned my “I don’t agree” comments often poked the beast, inciting emotional, and, sometimes, venomous attacks. I have a fragile ego—I understand. My strong defensive reaction protects against meddling advice that rips crude bandages from old wounds. I often wonder how much learning I missed because of these defense mechanisms.  

Since Freud first introduced defense mechanisms in 1894, they have become part of cultural acceptance in and outside of the psychoanalytic field of study . Even the untrained occasionally recognize when others use a defensive mechanism to soothe their guilt. Yet, we still harbor our own host of unhealthy and maladaptive processes to ease the pains of life. These mechanisms operate quietly (and sometimes loudly) in the background, protecting, disrupting, and unconsciously contributing to our daily experience of life.

​Why We Use Defense Mechanisms

Life is powerful, inciting explosions of emotions that we must channel into effective responses. Our strategy of reaction to experience, our channeling of emotion, is an adaptation. Some adaptations are effective, others are not. We cope by adapting strategies that prevent overload.

Susan David, an instructor in psychology at Harvard University, explains that coping strategies “arise from discomfort with ‘negative’ emotions” (David, 2016). Dr. Jerome S. Blackman, professor of psychiatry and licensed psychoanalyst, says that defense mechanisms work as circuit breakers, defusing the flow of energy when the current gets to strong. Blackman defines defenses as “mental operations that remove components of unpleasurable affects from conscious awareness” (Blackman, 2003).

Ego defense mechanisms are a dynamic restorative process, essential for keeping our bodies in a healthy homeostatic range. George E. Vaillant, psychoanalyst and research psychiatrist, wrote in his classic book Adaptation to Life, that defenses are “normal responses to abnormal circumstances.” He adds, “Defenses are healthy more often than they are pathological” (Vaillant, 1998). 

Five Situations Where We Use Defense Mechanisms

Vaillant (1998) identifies five situations when we are likely to use defense mechanisms:

1. to keep feeling affects within bearable limits during life crises (e.g., following a death or divorce);
2. to restore emotional balance by postponing or redirecting impulses (e.g., sexual drives, anger);
3. to rebalance after major life changes (e.g., following unexpected promotion or illness);
4. to handle unresolvable conflicts with people whom we cannot bear to leave (e.g., our boss, lover);
5. to survive major conflicts with conscience (e.g., supporting an unethical cause or candidate). 

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We use psychological strategies often. None of us our immune to these hidden gems of psychological health and pathology. Believing we are above the nonsense of psychological games is, well, just denial.

​See Self Deceptions for more on this topic

Common Defense Mechanisms

Almost anything can be used as a defense, from screaming at the children to golfing. We find ways to defuse emotions, bringing our systems back to a comfortable homeostasis. Blackman explains, “Whatever the mental activity or behavior, if it shields you from experiencing unpleasant emotion, it is defensive” (Blackman, 2003). Blackman lists 101 defenses in his book.

Six defense mechanisms are commonly identified in research:

1. Repression
2. Denial
3. Projection
4. Displacement
5. Regression
6. Sublimation 

Repression:

Repression is similar to its cousin suppression. The major difference is that repression occurs unconsciously while suppression is a conscious act. Sigmund Freud emphasized that thoughts and feeling affects are individual components. In the case of repression, the thought associated with a feeling affect is repressed while the feeling affect remains.

Unmitigated repression presents a problem. Our denial of personal temptations prevents corrective and protective action. Perhaps, repression is involved when notoriously conservative (liberal) politicians are caught violating standards that they vehemently protect. They repress thoughts associated with an impulse and consciously keep their tidy conservative self image, but occasionally act on contrary impulses in an airport’s bathroom stall.

Denial:

​Denial is often referred to as disassociation. We deny dissociate facts from the object they support. We excuse the obvious. Unsupported conspiracies thrive under the protective sheath of denial. Evidence is denied and emotional reasoning triumphs. Vaillant warns, “In human adjustment, it seems important to experience anxiety in optimal amounts – too little inhibits growth and too much precludes functioning. What is important is that suppression mitigates anxiety, but dissociation abolishes it” (Vaillant, 1998).

Denial is a pathologic defense that inhibits growth. Adequate information is available for reconsidering a belief but we deny it. The discomfort of changing produces too much anxiety, so, we deny anything that rocks the boat. For example, the smoker denies his shortness of breath, instead of acknowledging the detrimental impact of smoking to his health.

​See Emotional Reasoning for more on this topic

Projection:

Projection, often referred to has externalizing, pushes internal thoughts, judgements and feelings onto external sources. Blackman describes it as, “Where you experience a part of your mind as ‘external’ to yourself. You might think someone or ‘society’ will criticize you, when actually you feel self-critical” (Blackman, 2003). I project my frustration onto other drivers. For instance, occasionally, I miscalculate and cut off another driver, causing them to brake. Without a hand gesture or a facial expression from them, I project my discomfort onto them, “they shouldn’t be driving so fast.”

Recently, a facebook poster responded to my research article on Catastrophizing, “Whoever wrote this is projecting enough to run an Imax multiplex.” Perhaps, since I have no idea what he is referring to, he inferred his own meaning onto the article and then projected his inferred meaning onto me, the author.

Displacement:

Displacement allows thoughts and feeling affects to remain connected but outward expression is directed toward a less dangerous object. Sometimes reacting to emotions is dangerous. The person we are angry with either intimidates or frightens us. We suppress our emotionally loaded response out of self preservation. However, we then retaliate against an easier target, diffusing emotional energy.

Robert Sapolsky, a professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University, wrote in his detailed book on human behavior: 

“Stress-induced (aka frustration-induced) displacement aggression is ubiquitous in various species. Among baboons, for example, nearly half of aggression is this type—a high-ranking male loses a fight and chases a subadult male, who promptly bites a female, who then lunges at an infant” (Sapolsky, 2018).

Biologically, displaced aggression reduces stress induced hormone levels. Sapolsky quips: “Giving ulcers can help you avoid getting them” (Sapolsky, 2018).

Regression:

​Ideally we progress. Wisdom from experience can help ineffective defensive strategies develop into effective responses. Yet, life is seldom linear. We grow and then slip backwards a few steps. Vaillant defines regression as the retreat from “adaptive mechanisms at one level to those at a less mature level” (Vaillant, 1998).

These regressions can be seen as bedwetting for an older child or an adult returning to repression and denial during traumatic events. 

Sublimation

Sublimation is often considered a mature defense mechanism. Basically, a morphing of dissociation into a healthy redirecting of emotional energy. Vaillant compares sublimation with repression, he wrote, “Sublimation channels emotions; repression dams them” (Vaillant, 1998). In sublimation impulses and thoughts remain intact and conscious. Accordingly, we diffuse improper impulses by redirecting our energy.

For example, sublimation is the defense I used to redirect powerful emotions from a career in law enforcement. Instead of over indulgence in whisky or displacing frustration by being a bruit to my wife and children, I redirected it to an intensive study of human behavior, leading to a degree in psychology, and the creation of Flourishing Life Society (The predecessor to Psychology Fanatic).

​The Hierarchy of Defense Mechanisms

A common instrument for assessing defense mechanism, and the gold standard of defense mechanism inventories, is the Defense Mechanism Rating Scale (DMRS) (Di Giuseppe & Perry, 2021). The DMRS scores patients on 30 different defenses, placing the defenses into three categories: mature defenses, neurotic defenses, and immature defenses. Within the three categories, seven levels of defenses are identified (Di Giuseppe & Perry, 2021).

Mature Defenses:

All adaptive defenses are considered level 7 defenses, or a high-adaptive defense level.

High Adaptive Defenses (Level 7)

• Affiliation
• Altruism
• Anticipation
• Humor
• Self-assertion
• Self-observation
• Sublimation
• Suppression

Neurotic Defenses:

Obsessional Defenses (Level 6)

• Isolation of Affects
• Intellectualizing
• Undoing

Neurotic Defenses (Level 5)

5a-Hysterical:

• Repression
• Dissociation

5b-Other Neurotic:

• Reaction Formation
• Displacement

Immature Defenses:

Minor Image-Distorting Defenses (level 4)

• Idealization of Self-Image
• Idealization of Others’ Image
• Devaluation of Self-Image
• Devaluation of Other’s Image
• Omnipotence

Disavowal Defenses (Level 3)

• Denial
• Rationalization
• Projection
• Autistic Fantasy

Major Image Distorting Defenses (Level 2)

• Splitting of Self-Image
• Splitting of Other’s Image
• Projective Identification

Action Defenses (Level 1)

• Passive-Aggression
• Help-Rejecting, Complaining
• Acting Out (Di Giuseppe & Perry, 2021).

​Maladaptive Mechanisms

The internet has expanded the game. We can twist our ego-defending mechanisms that are flat out pathological into beautiful psychological prose, giving others advice on how to incorporate similar faulty mechanisms. Surprisingly, the adoring internet crowd spur on maladaptive reactions, laud our errors, and provide a protective barrier of superficial acceptance.

Glorification of Maladaptive Defense Mechanisms

​Learning from the internet, and especially social networks, requires a lot of skepticism. Anyone can publish a site, author a book, or give advice with a tone of expertness. A page may adopt a professional name, utilizing powerful buzzwords like: psychology, science, or financial planner. But a quick glance of the content suggests something much different.

With some foundational knowledge, we can identify the hollow, misguided or helpful material. Unfortunately, many internet surfers are desperately seeking help and the bounteous information flowing through social media is attractive. Accordingly, they are easily duped when the misguided dogma feels good; and duping those without sufficient knowledge to evaluate the content.

Defense mechanisms feel good. They provide a reward that powers their continued use. They relieve displeasure. Accordingly, websites, media, and socially supported outlets thrive when they provide externally created escapes from discomforting emotions. The mal-adaptiveness of many of the mechanisms are duplicated on the web, giving visitors comfort in their own mal-adaptiveness. Denial, avoidance, projection, and acting out are all there on our digital devices, beckoning users to adopt broken ways of thinking.

Soothing Our Sorrows

The desperate seeker of fulfillment, exposes their loneliness in words. Yet, although apparent to some, the writer is oblivious to their own defensive stances. Perhaps, some of my writings expose my personal fears.

A recent ‘psychology; site tweeted she was not anti-social; she just doesn’t like to deal with two-faced and hollow people (denial). A few minutes later she tweeted, don’t worry if what you say hurts other people, they are responsible for their own happiness (displacement, repression). With thousands of likes and shares, these damaging defense mechanisms for social anxiety teach destructive relationships skills, lauding them as profound and healing.

Associated Concepts

• Counterfactual Thinking: This refers to the cognitive process where we imagine different outcomes or events from past actions, often leading to regret or sorrow. It can serve functional purposes like guiding future decision-making, but it can also be harmful if it remains focused on unreachable, idealised alternatives.
• Ego Psychology: This is a school of psychoanalysis that focuses on the role of the ego, or the sense of self, in behavior and development.
• Ego Development: This is a conceptual model to understand the progressive change of the personality in response to life experiences. The development encompasses forming of identity, expanding of consciousness, and individual ways for understanding and adapting to reality.
• Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development: While Piaget focused on cognitive processes, Loevinger’s theory also considers cognitive complexity as part of ego development.
• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Similar to Maslow’s stages, Loevinger’s stages reflect a hierarchy of psychological development, from basic needs and impulses to higher levels of autonomy and integration.
• Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development: Loevinger’s theory includes aspects of moral development, which is also the focus of Kohlberg’s work.
• Separation-Individuation Theory: In early infancy, the ego begins to differentiate from the id as individuals learn to distinguish between their own needs and desires and those of others. Accordingly, this sense of differentiation sets the stage for continued development of the ego.

​A Few Words by Psychology Fanatic

Human interaction will always challenge our skills; but also offer many blessings and opportunities in return. Those struggling do not need a lesson in psychology from a stranger but support and sincere positive regard. Only in security can our defense mechanisms mature into helpful strategies.

We are in this together, with our individual hurts, triumphs, joys and failures. Undeniably, interacting with others and experience is a challenge, sometimes arousing intense anxiety; but with supportive others, and healthy defense mechanisms, we can navigate the rough waters of intense emotions, and wander through the unpredictability of life with awe and curiosity.

Last Update: January 9, 2025

​ References:

Blackman, Jerome S. (2003). 101 Defenses: How the Mind Shields Itself. Routledge; 1st edition. APA Record: 2004-18574-000
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David, Susan (2016). Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life. Avery; First Edition. ISBN-10: 1592409490
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Di Giuseppe, M., & Perry, J. (2021). The Hierarchy of Defense Mechanisms: Assessing Defensive Functioning With the Defense Mechanisms Rating Scales Q-Sort. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.718440
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Sapolsky, Robert (2018). Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst. Penguin Books; Illustrated edition. ISBN-10: 1594205078
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Vaillant, George E. (1998) Adaptation to Life. Harvard University Press; Reprint edition. ISBN: 9780674004146
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Vaillant, George E. (1976). Natural History of Male Psychological Health: V. The Relation of Choice of Ego Mechanisms of Defense to Adult Adjustment. Archives of General Psychiatry, 33(5), 535-545. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.1976.01770050003001
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