defence mechanism

are unconscious psychological strategies brought into play by various entities to cope with reality and to maintain self-image.The primary functions of these mechanisms are: to minimize anxiety, to protect the ego and to maintain repression. The individual deals with emotional conflict or internal or external stress ors by actions rather than reflections or feelings. This definition is broader than the original concept of the acting out of transference feelings or wishes during psychotherapy and is intended to include behaviour arising both within and outside the transference relationship. Defensive acting out is not synonymous with “bad behaviour” because it requires evidence that the behaviour is related to emotional conflicts.The individual deals with emotional conflict or internal or external stressors by turning to others for help or support. This involves sharing problems with others but does not imply trying to make someone else responsible for them.When anxiety occurs, the mind first responds by an increase in problem-solving thinking, seeking rational ways of escaping the situation. If this is not fruitful (and maybe anyway), a range of defence mechanisms may be triggered. In Freud's language, these are tactics which the Ego develops to help deal with the Id and the Super Ego.