defense mechanisms for anxiety - NRS316 exam 2

compensation

hiding something you’re insecure about by being really good at something else; EX: bad at school → becomes amazing at sports to feel better

denial

refusing to believe something is real; EX: someone keeps smoking but says “it’s not hurting me”

displacement

taking your feelings out on the wrong person; EX: mad at your boss  come home and yell at your mom

identification

copying someone you admire or fear to feel safer; EX: A kid imitates a strict teacher’s behavior to feel in control

intellectualization

avoiding feelings by overthinking or focusing on facts; EX: talking only about medical details after a loss instead of emotions

introjection

taking someone else’s beliefs and acting like they are your own; EX: a child adopts their parent’s opinions without questioning them

minimization

acting like something isn’t a big deal when it actually is; EX: “I only drink a little” when it’s actually a lot

projection

blaming others for your own thoughts/feelings; EX: you’re jealous → accuse your partner of being jealous

rationalization

making excuses to justify something you did; EX: “I failed because the test was unfair” not because you didn’t study

reaction formation

acting the opposite of how you really feel; EX: being extra nice to someone you actually dislike

regression

going back to childish behavior when stressed; EX: an adult throws a tantrum when overwhelmed

repression

your brain hides painful memories without you realizing it; EX: not remembering a traumatic childhood event at all

sublimation

turning bad urges into something good/productive; EX: angry → goes to the gym instead of fighting

substitution

settling for something else when you can’t have what you want; EX: didn’t get into dream school → goes somewhere else and focuses on that

undoing

trying to “fix” something bad you did to feel less guilty; EX: say something mean → buy the person a gift afterwards