Defense Mechanisms

Theories have described the process by which we protect ourselves from awareness of our undesired and feared impulses. Defense mechanisms are our way of distancing ourselves from a full awareness of unpleasant thoughts, feelings and desires...while defense mechanisms are used in an attempt to protect oneself from unpleasant emotions, they often result in equally harmful problems.  Below is an excerpt from the article.

Compartmentalization is a process of separating parts of the self from awareness of other parts and behaving as if one had separate sets of values. An example might be an honest person who cheats on their income tax return and keeps their two value systems distinct and unintegrated while remaining unconscious of the cognitive dissonance.

Fantasy, when used as a defense mechanism, is the channeling of unacceptable or unattainable desires into imagination. This can protect ones self esteem as when educational, vocational or social expectations are not being met, one imagines success in these areas and wards off self condemnation.

Repression is the blocking of unacceptable impulses from consciousness.

For more on common defense mechanisms and the theory, click anywhere in this sentence to continue to continue reading...

 

 Via:  Planet Psych