-
accusing
-
acting
out - giving expression to forbidden desires without concern
for negative consequences.
-
aggression
-
arguing
-
analyzing
- a belief that since we understand and can interpret defense strategies,
we have cleared our repressed feelings and do not need to work through
them.
-
arguing
-
assertion
-
avoidance
-
blaming
-
challenging
-
cockiness
-
compensation
- hiding a weakness in one area by excelling or being rewarded in
another.
-
compliance
-
complaining
-
compromise
-
confusion
-
control
-
criticism
-
deception
-
defiance
-
denial
- refusing to acknowledge the thought or feeling.
-
devaluation
-
discounting
-
displacement
- channeling thoughts or feelings to a neutral or weaker person
or object.
-
dissociation
-
distrust
-
emotional
insulation - withdrawing into inaction so one doesn't get hurt.
-
explaining
-
externalization
- pinpointing outside forces as the cause of one's behavior so one
doesn't have to accept personal responsibility for their actions.
-
fantasizing
- not paying attention or using daydreams to escape an uncomfortable
situation.
-
humor
-
identification
- identifying oneself with a prestigious individual or institution
to build one's sense of self-worth.
-
intellectualization
- coming up with highly intellectual reasons or convincing arguments
to justify the situation and keep attention away from feelings.
-
introjections
- adopting external values and standards as one's own to ensure
those standards are not used against him/her.
-
isolation
- separating feelings and thoughts that are connected
-
isolation
of affect - "thinking" feelings rather than actually experiencing
them
-
judging
-
justifying
-
laughing
it off
-
lying
-
manipulation
-
minimizing
- writing off problematic events and behaviors as being too minor
to worry about.
-
passive
aggression - indirect and unassertive expression of aggression
towards another.
-
projection
- perceiving that another has our thoughts or feelings so we don't
have to own them.
-
rationalization
- thinking up reasons to justify what's happening while ignoring
one's feelings.
-
reaction
formation - unconsciously thinking, feeling and acting in ways
that are opposite to how we really think and feel.
-
regression
- slipping back into old, often immature, ways of behaving to release
the feelings.
-
repression
- burying thoughts and feelings in our unconscious so we no longer
have memory of them.
-
ridicule
-
seeking
approval
-
self-deception
-
shouting
-
silence
-
smiling
-
sublimation
- channeling socially unacceptable feelings into a socially productive
activity.
-
suppression
- some awareness of a thought or feeling, but we try to hide it.
-
threatening
-
undoing
- doing the opposite of how one feels to try to negate the feelings.
-
violence
-
withdrawing