(3) Defence Mechanisms

Unconscious psychological processes to avoid or reduce ego anxiety and protect from pain

• Denial
• > don't admit problem, deny reality of situation, don't recognise need for change
• Projection
• > externalise unacceptable feelings about self and projecting onto someone else 
• Turning Against Self
• > thinking badly of self to escape thought that a loved one doesn't want us 
• Sublimination
• > allows partial expression of unconscious unacceptable drives in a socially acceptable way
• Regression
• > avoiding anxiety by returning to simpler, more childlike state of life
• > infantile state of own innocence, rest…