Psychological Defense Mechanisms: Personal Experiences and Analysis

This homework assignment delves into the concept of defense mechanisms within the field of psychology, exploring how individuals cope with anxiety and stress through various unconscious strategies. The report begins with an introduction to defense mechanisms, defining their role in reducing anxiety caused by unfavorable stimuli. It then presents personal experiences where the student has employed defense mechanisms such as displacement, and provides examples of how others have utilized denial. The assignment further examines stress coping strategies, outlining various circumstances that induce stress and the personal plans adopted to manage it, including minimizing physiological issues, practicing relaxation techniques, and developing a passive attitude. Finally, the assignment identifies a problem solved through understanding and another resolved using reaction formation, providing insights into how individuals navigate challenging situations. The assignment concludes with a list of relevant references. This assignment is contributed by a student to be published on the website Desklib.

Consumer Behaviour

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Describe one situation in which you have used defence mechanism.....................................3
Explain one situation in which someone know was facing defence mechanism...................3
Write about stress coping strategy..........................................................................................3
Identify the problem which was solved mechanically and understanding.............................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Defence mechanism is an unconscious psychological mechanism that facilitates in reducing
anxiety that may arise due to any unacceptable or any unfavourable stimuli (Mackay, 2018). The
outcome of such mechanism can be healthy or unhealthy which depends upon how frequently it
is being used. It is considered to be the psychological strategies which can be used to manipulate
the unconscious mind, to deny or distort the reality etc. In this report various questions related to
this concept are answered.
Describe one situation in which you have used defence mechanism
Once at the workplace, the situation went unfavourable for me as the decision which was
taken by the boss regarding the project on which I was working was favourable for the other
team. This made me so angry but I could not react upon it in the office. Due to anger I had a fight
with my brother as reacting upon them was less problematic then reacting to the boss. In this
situation I used the displacement as defence mechanism (Pilgrim, 2017). With this she could
easily block the external events which enable her not to deal with the emotional impact of the
situation.
Explain one situation in which someone know was facing defence mechanism
Once, one of my friend appeared in her internal exam and somehow she could not score
well which made her unhappy and stressful. But to deal with it she blamed her teachers that they
favour the students who are close to them and have bonding with them rather than accepting that
she did not studied well (Freud, 2018). In this situation she used the denial defence mechanism
which refuses to accept the reality and to avoid the plain of the event.
Write about stress coping strategy
Circumstances that threaten or perceived to threaten the well-being: An individual may
have to face various stresses which can have both positive and negative impact on the
performance of an individual (Kramers-Olen, 2019). Some of the circumstances are given below:

 One day I had an important appointment with a client that could have offered a better
deal for the company and when I was leaving I realised that my car was almost out of
petrol. Then I rushed to the petrol pump get it filled, paid the amount and rushed to the
client’s office. Such stress impacted my behaviour negatively for the time being.
 I had to submit a report to the client at 4:00 p.m. but suddenly my internet got interrupted
and later on was troubling in getting connecting with the laptop, thus this resulted
negative impact.
 Time limit for completing the work always gives tremendous stress but to such time limit
I could complete my work on time and could utilise remaining time in other things.
 Completion of the course before the exam use to give me tremendous stress but due to
such stress I could manage my lengthy courses, this gives positive impact on the
performance.
 Once I used a new face creamed recommended to me and that gave rashes on my face.
Due to this I got stressed and started assuming what it could be and how severely it can
affect me etc.
 Earlier when I use to see dogs on street I try to avoid that path alone but gradually my
level of stress started going down when I use to see them.
Personal plan for coping with the stress: Stress is associated with any event which affects
the behaviour and due to this it need to be managed efficiently. For coping up with the stress I
adopted various strategies which includes minimising the physiological failing such as false
sleep patterns, eating habits etc.; learning to relax by meditation, providing mental peace with
music, by sitting in comfortable position, developing a passive attitude, providing proper time to
mind for thinking and planning in different situation.
Identify the problem which was solved mechanically and understanding
With the increasing age and experience an individual learn how to manage any situation
efficiently with their level of understanding or by using any defence mechanism (Fordham,
2018). The situation which I resolved with understanding is - I had a fight with my mother as she
denied going out on a trip with my friends, but in that situation I make her understand how it will
going to benefit me and it is completely safe as we are going in a group of 8 people and she
agreed upon it. Another situation in which I resolved mechanically is – I met a girl in my yoga
centre which is annoying as she kept on complaining for one or the other thing and use to

interrupt a lot during the session and due to this I don’t like her at all but I use to behave friendly
with her with the help of reaction formation defence mechanism.
REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Fordham, M., 2018. Jungian psychotherapy: A study in analytical psychology. Routledge.
Freud, A., 2018. The ego and the mechanisms of defence. Routledge.
Kramers-Olen, A., 2019. The defence of sane automatism and non-pathological criminal
incapacity in South Africa: an epistemological intersection between psychology and
law. South African Journal of Psychology. 49(2). pp.188-198.
Mackay, D., 2018. Clinical psychology: theory and therapy (Vol. 15). Routledge.
Pilgrim, D., 2017. Critical realism, psychology and the legacies of psychoanalysis. Journal of
Critical Realism. 16(5). pp.468-482.