Defense Mechanisms

Ask yourself What do you tend to do when you are anxious? What do you tend to do when you are anxious? What do you tend to do when you are upset? What do you tend to do when you are upset? Are there family stories that capture your basic temperament? Are there family stories that capture your basic temperament? What kind of observations or criticisms, or complaints do people tend to make about you? What kind of observations or criticisms, or complaints do people tend to make about you? How do you find yourself reacting to your therapist? How do you find yourself reacting to your therapist?

Defenses are developed to adapt and cope in the world Freud viewed them as ways of avoiding overwhelming or painful experiences Freud viewed them as ways of avoiding overwhelming or painful experiences Defenses are, at first, healthy & creative adaptations and they often continue to work adaptively thru the life. Their main function is to defend against threat (pain, hits to self-esteem, anxiety, facilitating attachment/separation) and the preferred defenses become an integral part of a person’s Style of Coping Defenses are, at first, healthy & creative adaptations and they often continue to work adaptively thru the life. Their main function is to defend against threat (pain, hits to self-esteem, anxiety, facilitating attachment/separation) and the preferred defenses become an integral part of a person’s Style of Coping

Etiology of Defenses Temperament and biology Temperament and biology Nature of stressors suffered in childhood Nature of stressors suffered in childhood Defenses modeled by or deliberately taught to child by caregivers Defenses modeled by or deliberately taught to child by caregivers The experienced consequence of something unpleasant or painful The experienced consequence of something unpleasant or painful Most families have emotions that they can not tolerate, such as anger, vulnerability, humiliation, etc. When the child displays this emotion and it can not be tolerated, a defense will need to “come to the rescue” shifting the emotion to one that can be tolerated by the family. Most families have emotions that they can not tolerate, such as anger, vulnerability, humiliation, etc. When the child displays this emotion and it can not be tolerated, a defense will need to “come to the rescue” shifting the emotion to one that can be tolerated by the family.

Primitive and Mature Defenses Primitive Defenses Primitive Defenses Protect the ego from conflicts by DISSOCIATIONS to keep apart contradictory expressions between the self and significant others. Protect the ego from conflicts by DISSOCIATIONS to keep apart contradictory expressions between the self and significant others. Mature Defenses Mature Defenses Protect the ego from interpsychic conflicts thru INTERNAL BOUNDARIES between the Id, Ego and Superego (Frued), or between the Observing and Experiencing parts of the ego (Psychodynamic). Protect the ego from interpsychic conflicts thru INTERNAL BOUNDARIES between the Id, Ego and Superego (Frued), or between the Observing and Experiencing parts of the ego (Psychodynamic).

Primitive and Mature All can be healthy at certain times. For example: Splitting is a primitive defense mechanism, however it can be very useful to get away from an abusive situation. How might it be helpful for survival? All can be healthy at certain times. For example: Splitting is a primitive defense mechanism, however it can be very useful to get away from an abusive situation. How might it be helpful for survival? When any of them (or a few of them) become fixed and THE WAY a person interacts with the world…we begin to think about a personality disorder When any of them (or a few of them) become fixed and THE WAY a person interacts with the world…we begin to think about a personality disorder However….. However…..

Don’t forget about diversity and culture I struggle with the fact that middle and upper class White systems define what is healthy (the neurotics) in Psychology. Other cultures would strongly disagree. I struggle with the fact that middle and upper class White systems define what is healthy (the neurotics) in Psychology. Other cultures would strongly disagree. Someone who grows up in a survivalist society has to incorporate certain defenses to survive and these become strong components of ones self esteem Someone who grows up in a survivalist society has to incorporate certain defenses to survive and these become strong components of ones self esteem Hyper vigilance Hyper vigilance Right/Wrong, good/bad Right/Wrong, good/bad Isolation (no affect) Isolation (no affect) No vulnerability No vulnerability Have to fully assess when a PD exists and when it does not Have to fully assess when a PD exists and when it does not If we look at defenses as forms of survival skills, we are likely to have more compassion for our clients and have more confidence in their growth If we look at defenses as forms of survival skills, we are likely to have more compassion for our clients and have more confidence in their growth Also looking at them as having only developed to a certain level can help in their growth, but this again means we are taking in the idea that Neurotic is healthiest. In a survivalistic society, Neurotics would lose the game of Natural Selection. Also looking at them as having only developed to a certain level can help in their growth, but this again means we are taking in the idea that Neurotic is healthiest. In a survivalistic society, Neurotics would lose the game of Natural Selection. But Again….. But Again…..

Don’t be ethnocentric These are western concepts. For example, when a woman in a Latino Culture is dependent on family and her husband…this does not make her a PD. To try and help her “individualize” may cause more harm and loss of support from the community and family. Can anyone give an example? These are western concepts. For example, when a woman in a Latino Culture is dependent on family and her husband…this does not make her a PD. To try and help her “individualize” may cause more harm and loss of support from the community and family. Can anyone give an example? Many Women in the western world of this generation grew up observing a male dominated parental unit (thru home, media, etc), but were told in society to be Independent. The Push/Pull they experience in relationships is about this cultural shift and mixed messages (much like a bicultural identity). Thus they do not always have Borderline PD. Many Women in the western world of this generation grew up observing a male dominated parental unit (thru home, media, etc), but were told in society to be Independent. The Push/Pull they experience in relationships is about this cultural shift and mixed messages (much like a bicultural identity). Thus they do not always have Borderline PD. I’m curious if any of the men would like to address what the impact on their relationship styles has been in relation to what they were told and what they saw from this transition in our society. I’m curious if any of the men would like to address what the impact on their relationship styles has been in relation to what they were told and what they saw from this transition in our society.

With all of that in mind….Let’s look at PDs and their main defenses Psychotic- symbiosis, they are SCARED- provide safety in Supportive therapy Paranoid Paranoid Projection Projection Splitting, Projective Identification Splitting, Projective Identification Schizoid Schizoid Withdrawal (change autistic withdrawal into creative activity) Withdrawal (change autistic withdrawal into creative activity) Isolation, Projection, Introjection Isolation, Projection, Introjection

Borderline Organization (splitting) Antisocial Antisocial Omnipotent control Omnipotent control projective identification, subtle dissociative processes and acting out (Power) projective identification, subtle dissociative processes and acting out (Power) Narcissism Narcissism Primitive Idealization/Devaluation Primitive Idealization/Devaluation Histrionic Histrionic Repression Repression Sexualization, Regression, and acting out in a counter phobic way to their belief that the opposite sex has power and is dangerous. Sexualization, Regression, and acting out in a counter phobic way to their belief that the opposite sex has power and is dangerous.

Neurotic (dealing with anxiety, guilt and shame) Avoidant Avoidant Repression and Denial Repression and Denial Dependent Dependent Repression and Denial Repression and Denial OCPD OCPD Obsessive Obsessive Isolation (higher functioning use more rationalization, moralization, compartmentalization, and intellectualization to separate affect from cognition) also displacement of anger and reaction formations. Isolation (higher functioning use more rationalization, moralization, compartmentalization, and intellectualization to separate affect from cognition) also displacement of anger and reaction formations. Compulsive Compulsive Undoing Undoing