DEFENSE MECHANISMS Mental processes that protect individuals from strong or stressful emotions and situations.

Presentation on theme: "DEFENSE MECHANISMS Mental processes that protect individuals from strong or stressful emotions and situations."— Presentation transcript:

1 DEFENSE MECHANISMS Mental processes that protect individuals from strong or stressful emotions and situations.

2 DAY DREAMING Imagining pleasant things that take your mind off the unpleasant reality. Day dreaming in detention about what it will be like when you get to go the beach spring break

3 DENIAL Refusing to accept reality.
Unconscious lack of recognition of something that is obvious to others. Telling everyone that you are still going out with your boyfriend even though he broke up with you.

4 DISPLACEMENT Shifting feelings about one person or situation to another person or situation. Example: Yelling at your family when you are angry at your teacher.

5 PROJECTION Attributing your own feelings or faults to another person or group. Seeing your own faults or feelings in someone else. Example: Accusing your boyfriend of flirting with others because you flirt.

6 RATIONALIZATION Making excuses to explain a situation or behavior, rather than taking responsibility for it. Spending money for new clothes at the start of school because you just can’t attend in last year’s clothes.

7 REGRESSION Reacting to emotions in a childlike or immature fashion.
Returning to behaviors characteristic of a younger age, rather than dealing with problems in a mature manner. Kicking the lockers because you were sent to the principal’s office.

8 SUPPRESSION Consciously and intentionally pushing unpleasant feelings out of one’s mind. Examples: Feeling sad because your girlfriend likes someone else but you refuse to think about it. “I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow” Scarlett O‘Hara

9 COMPENSATION Making up for weaknesses and mistakes through gift giving, hard work, or extreme efforts. Trying to get an A in your other classes because you are doing poorly in Math.