DEFENCE MECHANISMS

• DEFENCE MECHANISMS:

  • Used by the EGO
  • UNCONSCIOUS
  • Prevent us from being OVERWHELMED
  • However a DISTORTION of REALITY, and as a LONG-TERM solution- psychologically UNHEALTHY
• Repression:

  • Forcing a DISTRESSING MEMORY out of the CONSCIOUS mind into the UNCONSCIOUS
• Denial:

  • REFUSING to ACKNOWLEDGE some aspects of REALITY
  • EXAMPLE: going to WORK after experiencing a LOSS
• DISPLACEMENT:

  • Transferring FEELING from the true source of DISTRESSING EMOTION onto a substitute TARGET