Defence Mechanisms underlying the therapist’s behaviour

Submitted by:
Srishti Bhatnagar
MA Part 1 sem. II
Roll no: 04
It seems evident that defence mechanism has an important and useful role in our daily-life.
Most people deal with disappointments, unpleasantness and anxieties by using these mental
mechanisms. Defence mechanism is a term that first appeared in Sigmund Freud’s paper
“The neuro-psychoses of defence” in 1894. The term refers to our unconscious mechanism
that aids in decreasing the anxiety arising from unacceptable stimuli. Ego defence
mechanisms, a concept given by Freud are employed when the ego tries to maintain a balance
between the id and the superego. Freud gave the structure of personality as consisting of id,
ego and superego. Id is the pleasure principle. It seeks immediate gratification of needs.
There can’t be a delay in the gratification of the needs. Id is the child within us. Ego is the
reality principle. It tries to bring a balance between the id and the superego. When the id
wants what it wants and superego is also activated ego takes a middle, realistic path.
Superego is the moral principle. It is the need to act in an idealistic manner. It comprises of
all the internalised morals, values and manners created in us by the society or shaped
culturally.

When the id and the superego are in a nature of conflict, anxiety arises. Ego defence
mechanisms protect us from this anxiety. These work on the level of unconscious. The person
is not aware that he/she is applying such defence mechanisms. These mechanisms take place
outside the individual’s awareness. These processes tend to make us avoid the feelings of
unpleasantness or make us feel good about things that are better. It acts as a safeguard for our
mind from emotions that cannot be handled effectively by our consciousness. These
mechanisms are also automatic. Individuals learn to respond reflexively and automatically.
The greatest problem, however arises when there is an extreme use of these defence
mechanisms. Defence mechanisms could be both adaptive as well as maladaptive.

Are defence mechanisms learnt the way we learn the other mental skills or are they an innate
process? Defence mechanism unfolds as a part of normal development pattern. It is not
learned like coping mechanism. These mechanisms have an adaptive value. They aren’t
pathological until and unless the individual adopt this lifestyle of distorting and avoiding
reality. Apart from Sigmund Freud, who introduced the idea of defence mechanisms, many
researchers have described a variety of defence mechanisms.

REPRESSION

The individual represses thoughts, feelings and emotions that pose a threat to the individual
and are excluded from their awareness. Repressing these memories doesn’t mean that they
have vanished. These memories continue to stay with us, just away from our consciousness
but not away from us. These memories constantly influence our behaviour. These disturbing
thoughts and feelings are pushed into our unconscious. Freud’s therapy’s cornerstone was
repression. In psychotherapy, they would usually focus on the client’s repressed memories
and try to bring it into the client’s consciousness. It is often confused with denial. Whereas,
denial is related with external stimuli, repression is an internalised state. For example a man
may have acute fear of spiders but might not be able to recall the first time when he was
scared or why is there an acute fear.

DENIAL

It is referred to as being blind to the existence of reality that seems threatening to the
individual. Denial is related to the external stimuli. It is apparently the simplest forms of
defence mechanism that can be applied. The individual just keeps denying the reality. Unlike
repression, denial is at conscious or sub-conscious level. The individual is aware of indulging
in it. Denial is when people out rightly refuse to accept the stark reality. In that manner they
just fail to recognise that the events or stimuli that are occurring are for real, and are actually
taking place. There might be instances when the evidence points towards the reality being
reality but the individual still actively seeks to refuse it. This can create anxiety. This then
needs the individual to invest a lot of energy since there is an active denying of what’s in
front. Even if in the presence of strong evidence they do accept the reality they will just deny
their responsibility or will hold external factors or other people accountable. The most
common example for this can be addiction. They may not recognise it as problem behaviour
and will deny their substance abuse being a problem.

REACTION FORMATION

In reaction formation the individual tries to eliminate anxiety by adopting feelings and
emotions opposite to the actual feelings, thoughts and emotions the person is going through.
Freud believed that we used reaction formation as a defence mechanism to hide our true
feelings. In order to hide our true feeling we behave and act in the exact opposite manner of
what we truly feel. They might not just act opposite to what they truly feel but also overdo it
and start convincing themselves & the others that what they are behaving as is actually what
they feel. It is like the saying “fake it until you make it”. This is that you keep faking
something until you start believing it. One example of this is when a person hates someone
and wishes to hide their feelings they may be over-friendly with them.
PROJECTION

Projection defence mechanism comes into play when an individual tries to reduce anxiety by
projecting their own thoughts, feelings and qualities on other people. It can simply be
understood by taking into account the example of a movie theatre. In a movie theatre the
actual film is not coming from the screen rather it is cast from a projector. In this similar
manner, we try to cast our problems and attributes on others. This is done to hide the fact that
we are the ones who have problems. They tend to ascribe these unacceptable things onto
others. Basically these desires and impulses are displaced onto others and then seen as a
threat from the outer world. The feelings and desires or impulses are expressed by the
individual, but in a manner that ego cannot identify it. This therefore, reduces anxiety in the
individual. An example of projection could be that suppose you’re a rude person, but to hide
this fact you feel and behave as if the others are being rude to you.

DISPLACEMENT

Displacement is when the feelings and emotions are taken out on a less threatening target and
not the original one. This happens on a target that holds no power over the person displacing
their feelings. It happens when the id can’t delay gratification of needs but superego has come
in between and can’t let it happen. The ego then needs to find a middle path and maintain
balance between the two. This is then maintained by allowing gratification needs of the id.
By expressing those feelings but also letting superego work and not take it out on the person
it’s meant for but on a substitute powerless target. Hence, resolving conflict between the two.
An example of this could be when your boss at work shouts at you for some reason you don’t
shout back. You remain quiet. Superego is in work here. But when you go home you may
take this aggression out on your spouse or your children, id’s needs are satisfied.

RATIONALISATION

Rationalisation is a defence mechanism in work where people tend to give logical reasons for
their unacceptable behaviour or feelings. It works not only to protect the individual from the
anxiety but also helps in maintaining one’s self-esteem and self-concept. People just basically
tend to distort the facts to reduce anxiety. For most people, making excuses comes naturally.
This means that they are not really aware of the fact that they are making excuses because
they believe in it. It is seen that when there’s an achievement people tend to attribute it to
internal factors. But when there’s a failure they attribute it to the external factors.
REGRESSION

Regression is when individuals go back to early patterns of behaving of development when

faced with an unpleasant feeling, emotion or events. It is like a retreat, going back to the
previous stage. Retreating enables the individual to go back to a period when the felt a lot
safer than they do now. It’s an escape to earlier development. Fixation that might’ve occurred
at any stage decides what stage the person will regress to. For example an individual who
might have had been fixated at the oral stage of psychosexual development might start to
excessively smoke cigarettes or eating a lot.

INTROJECTION

Introjection is considered to be the complete opposite of projection. In projection where the

individuals cast their feelings onto the others and the external world, in introjection they
internalise other people's behaviours and voices. It occurs with minimal thought. These
behaviours and beliefs are adopted from figures of authority or from people who appear to be
influential. They just simply adopt these beliefs and behaviours as it is. They think these
beliefs and behaviours just need to be followed. An example would be if an individual has an
abusive partner who says they’re worthless then it is possible that the individual might
internalise these feelings of worthlessness. Or they might adopt this abusive behaviour.

IDENTIFICATION

It is when people identify with some cause or institution that is successful. It happens because
identifying with such institutions and causes gives them a sense of worth. It helps in
alleviating an individual’s sense of worth. Such identification also helps them protecting
oneself from a sense of being a failure.

COMPENSATION

This includes putting on a mask of positive traits to hide the weaknesses and short-comings.
This might be employed by an individual when they state that people should see his/her
accomplishments and not focus largely on his/her inferiorities.

There are certain defence mechanisms that are adaptive:

ALTRUISM
Altruism is when we help others. We use our resources in aiding people. This process of
helping others takes our mind off our own anxiety and stress.

SELF-ASSERTION

In this the individual puts forth his/her feelings in a direct manner without being manipulative
or aggressive about it.

AFFILIATION

It is when an individual who is undergoing some stressful event or is in a state of anxiety

turns to others for help. They seek support and advice from others which helps in reducing
their anxiety.

HUMOUR

Humour comes into play when the individual sees the stressful situation in a comical manner.
This helps the individual to reduce anxiety and stress.

ANTICIPATION

Anticipation is when an individual pre-plans and is prepared already. They anticipate how the
things are going to be. This reduces anxiety and stress.

SELF-OBSERVATION

In self-observation the individual observes and notices one’s own thoughts, feelings,
emotions and behaviours. Having a knowledge and observation of self-behaviour enables the
individual to choose a path or an action that is not destructive but useful.

SUBLIMATION

It is when people are able to express and act their unacceptable desires in a socially accepted
manner. According to Freud it was a defence mechanism that indicated a sign of maturity. It
enables an individual to act normally in a manner that is socially accepted. In a way, it is
similar to displacement to but happens in a more constructive rather than a destructive way.
An example of sublimation may be when a person who has a lot of aggression may join
boxing and take out his/her frustration there.

SUPPRESSION
Suppression is kind of repression where the individual is suppressing unpleasant thoughts and
emotions. However, repression is a process that happens unconsciously, Suppression happens
at a conscious level. The individual is aware of suppressing these negative thoughts and
emotions. They direct their attention to some other area suppressing their unpleasant
thoughts.

DEFENCE MECHANISM USED BY THE THERAPIST

It is possible that when a client comes for therapy he/she might have these defences up. But
however, sometimes it’s not just the client but also the therapist who could be having these
maladaptive defence mechanisms in use. It is possible that the therapist shows defence
mechanism of reaction formation. It is possible that the therapist might have fallen in love
with the client. The id and the superego are in a state of conflict as a therapist and client can
never have a romantic involvement. This state produces anxiety for the therapist. This is
when reaction formation comes in. The therapist might act exact opposite to hide his true
feelings. I feel in this case the therapist might be insolent. He/she might give dry responses.
This way he/she will be able to hide his/her true feelings of love for the client. However, this
same anxiety provoking issue could also employ the defence mechanism of projection rather
than reaction formation. Since the therapist is in love with the client, he/she will start thinking
and believing that the client is in love with him/her. The feelings of love from the therapist’s
side will be cast as the client’s romantic feelings for the therapist. It is possible that therapist
might use displacement as a defence mechanism. It is possible that some other feelings that
have been troubling the therapist might be taken out onto the client. Another aspect is when
during the process of transference the therapist might indulge in counter-transference. When
the client starts projecting their feelings of the original target onto the therapist and
identifying with him/her as the original target, it is possible that during that act the therapist
can indulge in counter-transference. Counter transference is when the therapist too reacts
emotionally to the client rather than objective reaction. Denial could be another defence
mechanism that the therapist could use. One issue could implicate various defence
mechanisms in the therapist. Other issues too could give rise to these mechanisms. However,
therapist’s use of maladaptive defence mechanism can prove as a hindrance to the therapy.

What can happen is if these maladaptive defence mechanisms can be converted into mature
or adaptive defence mechanisms. The therapist could indulge in affiliation. He/she could seek
advice from a friend when the issue of romantic involvement with the client takes place. The
therapist could also indulge in altruistic behaviour. When a therapist faces a stressful event
he/she they can focus on the therapy of the client. Focusing on the therapy will help them
take their mind off their stressful situation. However, if the therapist feels that it is not
possible to do so, then the therapy session should not be taken. Therapist can also use
suppression to suppress thoughts that produces anxiety. Repression can be turned into
suppression. The therapist could also use self-observation as an adaptive defence mechanism.
Also anticipation could be used by therapist. If he/she anticipates what his actions can lead to
he/she will choose actions that lead to positive rather than negative outcomes. The therapist
could also have sublimation as a defence mechanism. If the therapist falls in love with the
client he could use sublimation as a defence mechanism by probably getting married and
trying to get romantically involved with the spouse.

Therapist, after all, too is a human being. He/she could have both maladaptive as well as
adaptive defence mechanisms. But it is necessary for the therapist to convert their
maladaptive defence mechanisms into adaptive ones.
REFERENCES

Cherry, Kendra (2019). 20 common defense mechanisms used for anxiety.

Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/defense-mechanisms-2795960.

Cramer, Phebe (2006). Protecting the self- defense mechanism in action. The Guilford Press,
New York.