1. Defense Mechanisms

2. Rationalization Using a reasonable excuse or acceptable explanation for behavior in order to avoid the real reason Ex: A person who is afraid of laboratory tests tells their doctor,”I can’t afford to take off from my job”

3. Projection Placing blame for one’s actions on someone else or on circumstances rather than accepting responsibility for the actions. Ex: “The teacher failed me because she doesn’t like me”

4. Displacement Transferring feelings about one person to someone else Ex: A man is mad at his boss or has a bad day at work and takes out his frustration on his family

5. Compensation Substitution of one goal for another to achieve success Ex: l wanted to play shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but I wasn’t skilled enough. I loved sports and decided to used my knowledge of anatomy to become an athletic trainer.

6. Daydreaming A dreamlike thought process that occurs while a person is awake. Can be good or bad Provides an escape if someone is not satisfied with reality

7. Repression The transfer of unacceptable or painful ideas, feelings, and thoughts into the unconscious mind Ex: Being afraid of heights but being unable to remember why. A frightening experience may have happened during childhood and the experience was repressed

8. Suppression Similar to repression, but the person is aware of the unacceptable feelings or thoughts and refuses to deal with them EX: The individual may substitute work or hobby to avoid the situation

9. Denial The disbelief of an event or idea that is too frightening or shocking for a person to cope with. Ex: The diagnosis of a terminal illness, a drug addiction

10. Withdrawal An individual may either cease to communicate or remove themselves physically from a situation Ex: refusing to communicate with co- workers that you do not get along with.