Defense Mechanisms

Types of Ego: Id, ego, superego
Id is the most childish, raw part of yourself. All desires and thoughts, unacceptable,
inappropriate, unsettling but most true and genuine, they all arise from Id. Superego is the moral
compass, which decides whether the wishes and desires by Id are acceptable, right or wrong.
Whereas, the Ego erects some defense mechanisms to protect Id from the punishments given by
superego like fear, guilt, regret, anger or sorrow.
Defense mechanisms are not always harmful. In fact, all are like reflex actions, they work
through subconscious to defend your ego in the need of the hour. Some of them are quite useful
to navigate through life’s hurdles and hardships. But the unconscious memory is limited. The
immediate actions caused by these defense mechanisms should be revisited afterwards. Even the
knowledge of the behavioral patterns and consistent use of some defense mechanisms in specific
situations will make the issue a bit easier.
Defense Mechanisms
1. Denial:
Refusal to accept reality or fact. Acting as if a painful event, thought or feeling did not
exist.
Example: The movie “Talk”. The man retired still goes to his office and thinks that
he still works there.
Alcoholics denying the fact that they are in fact alcoholics.
Denying the unpreparedness before an exam.
2. Displacement
Feelings or impulses directed towards one person but taken out on another person or
object
Example: Fandry: Jabya actually mad at Patil, but takes it out on Pirya
Self harming, suicidal tendencies may also be a result of a displaced anger or
disappointment.
Kabir Singh: The anger and insult faced by preeti’s family provokes Kabir to hit
preeti.
3. Intellectualization
Approach a situation solely from rational point, shutting down all emotions.
Example: The way some people (mostly men) react to the death of the elderly.
(My own) I move on quickly. After any unsettling incident, I get on with my life quite
quickly as I know crying over it is not going to change the reality.
4. Projection
Projection is when you put your feelings and thoughts onto another person as though they
were that person’s feelings or thoughts.
Example:
(My own) in my last relationship, I desperately needed space, but I had blindly given all
in to our relationship which had gone on to become codependent. But all throughout our
relationship I used to think that my partner needs the space and would leave me one day
for it.
Jabya: He loves Shalu, he also thinks that she also probably loves her.
Introverts: Introverts always hold back conversations as we think people also don’t want
to talk to us.
the person, who is insulted in public by his friends, does the same to his friends. The guy
been called gay in his childhood, and is probably gay, makes gay jokes very frequently
about his friends.
5. Rationalization
Rationalization is putting something into a different light or offering a different
explanation for one’s perceptions or behavior in the face of changing reality.
Basically, creating false but credible justifications.
Example: After hurting or insulting a friend, we remind ourselves of past experiences
where he may have hurt you in some way to try and justify our behaviour.
Jaane tu ya jaane na: Meghna, protagonist’s girlfriend, try to convince herself and
everyone else that her parents are in love and happy, where in reality, it is clearly an
unhappy marriage.
Office US: Michael is having an affair with a married woman. Her husband is a
highschool football coach. Michael justifies his actions by saying “the husband is
probably too busy to give his wife love and affection she needs”.
6. Reaction Formation
Converting unwanted/dangerous thoughts/feelings/impulses into their opposites
Example: Munna bhai MBBS: The father laughs when he gets angry.
Couples with marital issues pretending to have a happy and peaceful married life in
soceity.
(My own) I was in sitting in the computer lab with my ex. We were talking about
something which suddenly made me extremely angry. In that moment I just walked away
plugged my earphones into the computer and started watching Friends and laughing.
7. Regression
It’s the revision to an earlier state of development in the face of unacceptable
thoughts or impulses. (going back to acting as a child). Basically, regression functions
as a form of retreat, enabling a person to psychologically go back in time to a period
when the person felt safer. (childlike behavior)
Example: (My own)I become very childlike, clingy, throw tantrums when I’m sick or in
some pain. Throwing or breaking things when angry.
8. Repression
Unconscious blocking of unacceptable thoughts, feelings and impulses.
People do this unconsciously. So there’s very little control over it.
Example: Dear Zindagi: The protagonist doesn’t remember her childhood’s happy
memory with her parents.
(My own)I do not remember the vacation I took with my friend in Meghalaya, right after
my break up. I do not remember many traumatic days of my life.
9. Sublimation
Sublimation is simply the channeling of unacceptable impulses, thoughts into
comparatively more acceptable ones.
Example: If a certain woman with a strong sexual urge cannot act upon it, then she
channels it into wearing very bold clothes or makeup.
A teenage homosexual boy often spanks his guy friends jokingly.
Or suicidal people sometimes take on life risking jobs like bomb squad.
Many serial killers show a similarity of a habit of collecting animal carcass, or torturing
animals in their earlier years(before the killing has started).
10. Dissociation
Dissociation is when a person loses track of time and/or a person and instead finds
another representation of them in order to continue in the moment.
Example: A woman with body image issues subconsciously engages in compulsive
eating habit. (commonly knows an nervous eating)
11. Compartmentalization:
Compartmentalization is a defense mechanism in which an individual separates various
aspects of oneself and can only access on of these aspects at a given time. This separation
allows to have conflicting ideas or self concepts without experiencing tension from the
contradiction.
Basically it allows one to hold conflicting or hypocritical attitudes, ideas, or behaviour
without conscious feelings of confusion, guilt or shame.
Example: A man who is extremely honest in his work, doesn’t accept bribes. Nor offers
them. But cheats on his ITR.
Kabir singh controversy.
12. Undoing
Undoing is the attempt to take back an unconscious behaviour or thought that is
unacceptable.
Example: insulting your partner, then praising their beauty, intellect etc.
Mafias, gangsters who have killed a lot of people are often seen doing charities.

Defense Mechanisms

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Types of Ego: Id, ego, superego

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