By : Mr. / Mohamed HamzaBy : Mr. / Mohamed HamzaPsycho therapistPsycho therapist

► Defence mechanisms are psychological strategies Defence mechanisms are psychological strategies brought into play by various entities to cope with brought into play by various entities to cope with reality and to maintain self-image.reality and to maintain self-image.

► They are unconscious psychological and They are unconscious psychological and behavioural tactics used by the ego in order to behavioural tactics used by the ego in order to protect the individual against life stressors, protect the individual against life stressors, conflict in the world, shame, anxiety and guilt.conflict in the world, shame, anxiety and guilt.

► They are our way of distancing ourselves from a They are our way of distancing ourselves from a full awareness of unpleasant thoughts, feelings full awareness of unpleasant thoughts, feelings and desires.and desires.

► Most defence mechanisms are fairly unconscious.Most defence mechanisms are fairly unconscious.

►Healthy persons normally use Healthy persons normally use different defences throughout life.different defences throughout life.

► An ego defence mechanism An ego defence mechanism becomes pathological only when its becomes pathological only when its persistent use becomes the normal persistent use becomes the normal course of action and leads to course of action and leads to maladaptive behaviour such that the maladaptive behaviour such that the physical and/or mental health of the physical and/or mental health of the individual is adversely affected.individual is adversely affected.

► Id: Id: a selfish, primitive, childish, a selfish, primitive, childish, pleasure-oriented part of the pleasure-oriented part of the personality with no ability to delay personality with no ability to delay gratification.gratification.

► Superego: Superego: internalized societal and internalized societal and parental standards of "good" and parental standards of "good" and "bad", "right" and "wrong" behaviour."bad", "right" and "wrong" behaviour.

► Ego: Ego: the moderator between the id the moderator between the id and superego which seeks and superego which seeks compromises to pacify both. It can be compromises to pacify both. It can be viewed as our "Sense of Self."viewed as our "Sense of Self."

► Repression:Repression:الكبتالكبت The involuntary exclusion of a painful or The involuntary exclusion of a painful or

conflictual thought, impulse, or memory from conflictual thought, impulse, or memory from awareness.  This is the primary ego defence awareness.  This is the primary ego defence mechanism; others reinforce it.mechanism; others reinforce it.

► Denial: Denial: االنكاراالنكار Failing to recognize obvious implications or Failing to recognize obvious implications or

consequences of a thought, act, or consequences of a thought, act, or situation. Protecting self from unpleasant reality situation. Protecting self from unpleasant reality by refusal to perceive it or face it. by refusal to perceive it or face it.

► Distortion: Distortion: التشويشالتشويش a gross reshaping of external reality to meet a gross reshaping of external reality to meet

internal needs. internal needs.

► Delusional Projection Delusional Projection إسقاط الوهميةإسقاط الوهمية ::

severe disruption of reality that causes the severe disruption of reality that causes the afflicted individual to lose touch with consensual afflicted individual to lose touch with consensual reality and to dwell increasingly into a world and reality and to dwell increasingly into a world and reality of his own. reality of his own.

- It is inaccessible to any corrective data, such as It is inaccessible to any corrective data, such as logic or opinions of others. logic or opinions of others. (they are bad they (they are bad they will destroy our world stay with me I will save will destroy our world stay with me I will save you)you)

- Based on grossly frank delusions about external Based on grossly frank delusions about external reality, usually of a persecutory nature.reality, usually of a persecutory nature.

► Reaction Formation: Reaction Formation: التكوين العكسيالتكوين العكسي

Going to the opposite extreme; Going to the opposite extreme; overcompensation for unacceptable impulses. overcompensation for unacceptable impulses. You turn the feeling into its oppositeYou turn the feeling into its opposite. . ( hate her –( hate her –while really-- I love her )while really-- I love her )

►Projection: Projection: االسقاطاالسقاط

Attributing one's thoughts or Attributing one's thoughts or impulses to another person.  In impulses to another person.  In common use, this is limited to common use, this is limited to unacceptable or undesirable unacceptable or undesirable

impulses. This defence mechanism is impulses. This defence mechanism is commonly over utilized by the commonly over utilized by the

paranoid. You think someone else paranoid. You think someone else has your thought or feeling.  has your thought or feeling.  

► Rationalization: Rationalization: التبريرالتبرير

Offering a socially acceptable and apparently Offering a socially acceptable and apparently more or less logical explanation for an act or more or less logical explanation for an act or decision actually produced by unconscious decision actually produced by unconscious impulses.  The person rationalizing is not impulses.  The person rationalizing is not intentionally inventing a story to fool someone intentionally inventing a story to fool someone else, but instead is misleading self as well as else, but instead is misleading self as well as the listenerthe listener( it’s only because I love you and I ( it’s only because I love you and I care I had to beet you to help you to wake you care I had to beet you to help you to wake you up ). up ). 

► Displacement: Displacement: اإلزاحةاإلزاحة

A change in the object by which an instinctual A change in the object by which an instinctual drive is to be satisfied; shifting the emotional drive is to be satisfied; shifting the emotional component from one object or idea to component from one object or idea to another. You redirect your feelings to another another. You redirect your feelings to another target target (get angry on your dog cause your boss (get angry on your dog cause your boss shout at youshout at you ). ).

Projective Identification: Projective Identification: االسقاط االسقاط على هويات معيZنةعلى هويات معيZنة

► As in projection, the individual deals with As in projection, the individual deals with emotional conflict or internal or external emotional conflict or internal or external

stressors by falsely attributing to another his stressors by falsely attributing to another his or her own unacceptable feelings, impulses, or her own unacceptable feelings, impulses, or thoughts.  Unlike simple projection, the or thoughts.  Unlike simple projection, the

individual does not fully deny what is individual does not fully deny what is projected.  Instead, the individual remains projected.  Instead, the individual remains aware of his or her own affects or impulses aware of his or her own affects or impulses

but mis-attributes them as justifiable but mis-attributes them as justifiable reactions to the other person.  Not reactions to the other person.  Not

infrequently, the individual induces the very infrequently, the individual induces the very feelings in others that were first mistakenly feelings in others that were first mistakenly

believed to be there,believed to be there,

(making it difficult to clarify who (making it difficult to clarify who did what to whom first)( I stole did what to whom first)( I stole

you but you hit me first ). you but you hit me first ).

►Regression: Regression: االرتداداالرتداد By another anxiety-evading mechanism known as By another anxiety-evading mechanism known as

regression, the personality may suffer a loss of regression, the personality may suffer a loss of some of the development already attained and some of the development already attained and may revert to a lower level of adaptation and may revert to a lower level of adaptation and expression. You revert to an old, usually expression. You revert to an old, usually immature behaviour to ventilate your feeling immature behaviour to ventilate your feeling (you go back to lying (relapsing )(you go back to lying (relapsing )األنتكاساألنتكاس ))).).

►Identification: “Identification: “التقمص ”توحدالتقمص ”توحد The unconscious modelling of one's self upon The unconscious modelling of one's self upon

another person.  One may also identify with another person.  One may also identify with values and attitudes of a group.values and attitudes of a group.  ( I follow the ( I follow the spiritual path )(spiritual path )( بالضبط زيه عامل بالضبط أنا زيه عامل )) أنا

► Avoidance : Avoidance : التجنبالتجنب

A defense mechanism consisting of refusal to encounter A defense mechanism consisting of refusal to encounter situations, objects, or activities because they represent situations, objects, or activities because they represent unconscious sexual or aggressive impulses and/or unconscious sexual or aggressive impulses and/or punishment for those impulses; avoidance, according to punishment for those impulses; avoidance, according to the dynamic theory, is a major defense mechanism in the dynamic theory, is a major defense mechanism in phobias phobias ( using the words <Normal, nothing ,its ( using the words <Normal, nothing ,its ok ,elhamdou llah ,I do not know, not my problem )ok ,elhamdou llah ,I do not know, not my problem )

(( مالى , , أنا و حاجة مفيش مشاكل مافيش مالى , , عادى أنا و حاجة مفيش مشاكل مافيش (( عادى

► Omnipotence:Omnipotence:

The individual deals with emotional conflict or The individual deals with emotional conflict or internal or external stressors by feeling or internal or external stressors by feeling or acting as if he or she possesses special powers acting as if he or she possesses special powers or abilities and is superior to others. or abilities and is superior to others. ( I have ( I have special energy easy to fall for in therapy – special energy easy to fall for in therapy – mother tresa )mother tresa )

(( , عنى مكشوف أصلى أنا الناس حعالج سحرية قوة عندى , أنا عنى مكشوف أصلى أنا الناس حعالج سحرية قوة عندى أنا(( الحجابالحجاب

►Fantasy: Fantasy: التخيلالتخيل The individual deals with emotional conflict or The individual deals with emotional conflict or

internal or external stressors by excessive internal or external stressors by excessive daydreamingdaydreaming as a substitute for human as a substitute for human relationships, more effective action, or relationships, more effective action, or problem solving. Gratifying frustrated desires problem solving. Gratifying frustrated desires by imaginary achievements.by imaginary achievements.

I will roll the world one day ( pinky and the brain I will roll the world one day ( pinky and the brain ))

تقعد )) العالم رئيس تبقى لما بقى السييد أبو يا واد يا تقعد ياسالم العالم رئيس تبقى لما بقى السييد أبو يا واد يا ياسالمعايز أنت ما زى تحكم و عايز تأمر أنت ما زى تحكم و ((تأمر

►Compensation: Compensation: التعويضالتعويض Encountering failure or frustration in some Encountering failure or frustration in some

sphere of activity, one overemphasizes sphere of activity, one overemphasizes another. Covering up weakness by another. Covering up weakness by emphasizing desirable trait or making up for emphasizing desirable trait or making up for frustration in one area by over-gratification frustration in one area by over-gratification in another. The term is also applied to the in another. The term is also applied to the process of over-correcting for a handicap or process of over-correcting for a handicap or limitation. limitation. ( I might not be rich and famous ( I might not be rich and famous but I have a Dog )but I have a Dog )

►Acting Out: Acting Out: االنابةاالنابة The individual deals with emotional conflict or The individual deals with emotional conflict or

internal or external stressors by actions rather internal or external stressors by actions rather than reflections or feelings.  This definition is than reflections or feelings.  This definition is broader than the original concept of the acting broader than the original concept of the acting out of out of transferencetransference feelings or wishes during feelings or wishes during psychotherapy and is intended to include psychotherapy and is intended to include behaviour arising both within and outside the behaviour arising both within and outside the transference relationship.  transference relationship.  Defensive acting outDefensive acting out is not synonymous with “is not synonymous with “bad behaviourbad behaviour” because ” because it requires evidence that the behaviour is related it requires evidence that the behaviour is related to emotional conflicts. to emotional conflicts. ( I hate my counsellor he ( I hate my counsellor he looked me inside )looked me inside )

►Passive Aggression: Passive Aggression: السلبية السلبية العدوانية العدوانية The individual deals with emotional conflict or The individual deals with emotional conflict or

internal or external stressors by indirectly and internal or external stressors by indirectly and unassertive expressing aggression toward unassertive expressing aggression toward others.  There is a facade of overt compliance others.  There is a facade of overt compliance masking covert resistance, resentment, or masking covert resistance, resentment, or hostility. hostility. 

►Sublimation:Sublimation: التساميالتسامي You redirect the feeling into a socially You redirect the feeling into a socially productive activity. Attenuating the force of an productive activity. Attenuating the force of an instinctual drive by using the energy in other, instinctual drive by using the energy in other, usually constructive activities. Sublimation is usually constructive activities. Sublimation is often combined with other mechanisms, among often combined with other mechanisms, among them aim inhibition, displacement, and them aim inhibition, displacement, and symbolizationsymbolization. . ( I will be great at my field )( I will be great at my field )

((أنا حأشتغل و أركز فى الشغل بسأنا حأشتغل و أركز فى الشغل بس))

(( أنا مش محتاج ألى حد , أنا أحسن منهمأنا مش محتاج ألى حد , أنا أحسن منهم ) )

►Undoing:Undoing: اإلبطالاإلبطال atoning for and thus atoning for and thus counteracting immoral desires or acts. You counteracting immoral desires or acts. You try to try to reverse or undo your feelingreverse or undo your feeling by DOING something by DOING something that indicates the opposite feeling. It may be an that indicates the opposite feeling. It may be an ""apologyapology" for the feeling you find unacceptable " for the feeling you find unacceptable within yourself. An act or communication which within yourself. An act or communication which partially negates a previous one. partially negates a previous one.

( I’m sorry I talked about you from your back )( I’m sorry I talked about you from your back )

►Isolation:Isolation: العزلالعزل The splitting-off of the emotional The splitting-off of the emotional

components from a thought.  Example: components from a thought.  Example: a a medical student dissects a cadaver without medical student dissects a cadaver without being disturbed by thoughts of deathbeing disturbed by thoughts of death.  .  Isolation may be temporary (affect Isolation may be temporary (affect postponement). postponement). You "think" the feeling but You "think" the feeling but don't really feel it. don't really feel it.

►Humour: Humour: الهزلالهزل The individual deals with emotional conflict The individual deals with emotional conflict

or external stressors by emphasizing the or external stressors by emphasizing the amusing or ironic aspects of the conflict or amusing or ironic aspects of the conflict or stressors.stressors.