1) Denial
We have all seen denial play out as a defense mechanism. Denial is the process of refusing to receive information or a bad situation. If you can convince yourself that the bad situation is not present, then you won’t have a need to deal with the situation.
When these activities aren’t as constructive as the person thinks, they could fall into an obsession, addiction, or just plain unhealthy habits.
9) Compensation
Remember in Shrek, when Shrek see Lord Farquad’s tall, phallic-shaped tower and says to Donkey, “maybe he’s compensating for something?” We all have encountered compensating for a specific type of insecurity, but compensation covers more ground than just the size of...you know.
People use compensation as a way to cover up for perceived shortcomings. They take actions or display traits to come across as the thing that they are insecure about. For example, an employee may flaunt all of their awards or recognition because they feel that they are not adequate enough. The list goes on and on. It is similar to sublimation, but rather than growing and building themselves to become the thing they are not, compensation usually involves pretending that they already are that thing they are insecure about.
If you find that you deploy these tactics regularly, it’s time for some self-reflection. What can you do to confront negativity and learn from mistakes?
If you recognize that a friend uses defense mechanisms to try and cope with negativity, you might just want to show them this video and share what you observe. Defense mechanisms aren’t always unhealthy, but in the long run, they can prevent people from facing problems, solving them, and growing in the process.
Explanation:
