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Hello dear blog readers! Today we will take a closer look at Freud’s defense mechanisms, since absolutely every person uses them, often without realizing how and why. And I want you to learn to track when one of them turns on for you, because often, instead of protecting the psyche, they harm and do not allow you to feel the fullness of life, restraining a person in manifestations and limiting him in actions.
General information
Psychoanalysis is one of the directions in psychology, founded by Sigmund Freud, it was he who introduced the concept of defense mechanisms into everyday life, believing that this is such a way for the psyche to protect itself from stress.
If we did not have this kind of self-defense, we would all suffer from neurosis without exception. They are acquired, usually in childhood, the child, observing the type of reaction of adults to various stimuli, adopts them, because he believes that this is how it is right and necessary to behave. Thus, he is socialized, even without being able to talk. He will “absorb everything like a sponge” and in the future, of course, repeat.
Children are not as stupid as they seem at first glance, they are able to «read» information, even if it is carefully guarded. They know how to feel, they don’t know how and they don’t know how to deal with it later. And if parents «stuck» on one mechanism, or used them too often, then one should not be surprised that their child, already an adult, will have similar behavior and problems.
Functions of protective mechanisms
- They help to minimize the consequences of intrapersonal conflict. That is, when there is a contradictory struggle between the norms of behavior and desires. For example, the most banal thing is when you need to protect yourself and win, but the law and the Bible say «thou shalt not kill.»
- Minimize the experience of negative feelings, help to cope with them.
- Relieve tension so that the psyche remains intact. With excessive anxiety or if the person is not mature, these mechanisms may not be able to cope. In this case, a neurosis occurs, sometimes depression and destruction, degradation of the personality. You can read more about degradation here.
- Sometimes reality is unnecessarily distorted, as a result of which a person behaves inappropriately, not constructively, and sometimes unsafely.
Types
1.Displacement
The simplest and most common is displacement. That is, when thoughts, feelings, knowledge and other information that causes suffering and pain suddenly disappear from consciousness. Only all this is not just erased, but moved to the unconscious, from where it tries to periodically break through in the form of dreams, jokes, reservations and other things. Repression brings serious consequences for the psyche in the form of a constant waste of energy, which over time greatly depletes the body.
If it is abused, then psychosomatic diseases may well arise. This is when suddenly, without special evidence, a person begins to lose sight or hearing, unconsciously wanting not to see or hear something. Have you noticed how children, playing hide and seek, simply closed their eyes or covered themselves with a blanket, believing that they would not be found that way? In the same way, adults forget unpleasant events, as if they never happened, removing them from their memory.
Has it ever happened that unpleasant words are said to you, but you don’t hear them, but just watch your lips? As if from the outside, noting that they are completely insensitive at the moment?
2. Projection
An interesting way that performs the functions of the so-called «scapegoat». Because with its help the responsibility is shifted to other people, objects, phenomena. A person simply projects, that is, ascribes his character traits, actions, thoughts and feelings to others. And they teach this from childhood, offering to hit the high chair, on which the child was injured, in order to take revenge. Or they say that the ball was caught badly, so it does not go into the goal.
Does it happen that you, for no reason, just disliked someone very much? You notice what annoys you, but you can’t figure out why. This is how projection works. If you think carefully, you can realize that in fact he reminds you of someone very much, maybe even some unaccepted part of your personality, which is why you reacted to him that way. And if you look closely, then the personality seems to be good and interesting.
3.Replacement
This is when, for some reason, mainly due to impossibility and insecurity, a person redirects his impulses to a more real object, not so threatening. Or when he does not satisfy his needs directly, but does not particularly receive saturation. For example, the boss criticized the work of a subordinate, and he is an important figure for him, especially if the leader is directive, so he could not express his anger in response.
But there is anger, and it must be given a way out. Then, at best, dinner at home will not seem tasty to him, and he will criticize his wife, and at worst, he may even use violence against her. And this will not bring any pleasure, causing only guilt and various complexes, a decrease in self-esteem.
4. Rationalization
I talked about it in this article.. An interesting way to find a convenient explanation for something in order to reduce anxiety levels and protect self-esteem. For example, one woman decided to end the relationship because of the aggressiveness of the man. It is difficult for him to accept the fact of rejection, to realize that he hurt with his words and actions, to take responsibility for his actions. Then he will begin to rationalize, devaluing the relationship itself and find arguments in favor of a break.
Well, for example, considering that the partner is not so beautiful, and that he will meet a prettier and more interesting one, but this one simply did not love him and, in general, used it.
5. Jet formation
This is such a system of protection, when something unpleasant, frightening in oneself is suppressed, and then finds a way out in the opposite. It is also called reverse action. Maybe you have heard of such a version that people who are very aggressive against people of non-traditional sexual orientation actually suppress interest in their gender, being afraid of it? And then, driven by fear and confusion, they evoke in themselves a feeling of disgust and anger towards those who allowed themselves this interest.
To understand that this is precisely a reactive formation will help the realization that in some matter a person is completely inflexible. That is, he does not want to hear another opinion, and also exaggerates the negativity of the phenomenon or action he disapproves of. And the stronger the protest is expressed, the stronger his psyche is defended.
6. Regression
It means a return to the past stages of its development, that is, to childhood. In other words, steps back. Sometimes this is useful, as it can point to moments that have not been passed, which you have not coped with in order to complete the process in the present and reach maturity. But, most often for those who do not seek self-knowledge, it causes a threat to life and the inability to equip it.
Simple examples of regression: excessive demonstrative touchiness, when a person is able to shut up and not talk for days with his offender. In quarrels, the use of antics, an uncontrollable desire to «overthrow» all authorities, devalue them.
7. Sublimation
Or creative adaptation, adaptation is an attempt to transform socially or personally unaccepted impulses into more real and approved ones. For example, now less, but earlier, in Soviet times, masturbation was strongly condemned.
Adolescents who began to show sexuality had several options: to engage in it and experience strong guilt and self-loathing for a conscious “sin”, sometimes receiving punishment from adults if caught, or transform this energy, desire into another activity, for example, carried away football and from morning to night, disappearing on the field.
Freud had a theory that it is thanks to the sublimation of sexual instincts that great discoveries and achievements are made, both in science and in art, sports, etc.
8. Denial
The name basically speaks for itself. It is very clearly manifested in the living of grief, being initially the first stage of his work. That is, when there is a sudden death of a close or familiar person, for safety, the psyche has to deny this fact. Therefore, the father of the raped daughter does not believe in what happened for a long time, and the wife denies her husband’s betrayal, even seeing it with her own eyes, she will think that she only imagined it.
But it distorts reality, and if you “get stuck” in this denial, then you can deplete your body very much, leading to death, at least destroy social ties and life — for sure.
For example, if a person is given a terrible diagnosis, oncology, he can ignore it in every possible way, not believing that this could happen to him, because he did not deserve anything else. And then he is not treated, does not notice the symptoms, believing that the doctors were mistaken until it is too late, if he does not have the courage to «face the truth.»
Conclusion
All these types are useful for us if there is a real threat to life or health, but if used at every opportunity, they will cause great damage. Therefore, be attentive to yourself, do not waste energy in vain, it is better to direct it in a useful direction. And for this, you will have to be aware of your actions, actions and thoughts, find an explanation for them and “slow down” yourself in case of irrationality.
Psychology is an interesting thing, so I suggest subscribing to my blog to learn more about yourself, your defense mechanisms and develop in order to improve the quality of your life and be healthy and successful. And that’s all for today, take care of yourself and be careful.