Question

1. Can you identify one or more defense mechanisms that you use in your life? 2. If you find them to be unhealthy, what can you do to change them?

Answer 1

Denial is one of the most important defense mechanisms which I use very often. It refers to people rejecting to accept a fact when in reality, it’s too much for them to take it. In other words, it is to deny that a problem really exists. For example, people who use drugs would deny the fact that it would hurt them on the long run. Secondly, I use displacement which suggests that one would use the effect of certain emotions not at the source but somewhere or on someone else where they are comfortable. Whenever, I’m stressed out or have a bad experience with outsiders, I come home and yell at my parents. People tend to do it when they have a bad experience in the workplace from their bosses, they would come home and show it to their partners or children.

According to me both are unhealthy because in the former, people are not able to see the danger or risk of such behaviors thus, persuade themselves to continue with the behavior which would cause them harm. Thus, using critical analysis and listening to others’ opinion would help one overcome this. The latter is even more dangerous because it affects people who are not connected to the emotion one experiences. Thus, it would be unjust if someone shows their negative emotions to others who they find weak. Thus, they should either show it in the source or they should take some time alone to calm down.

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