12 Sneaky Defense Mechanisms That Protect Us From Negative Emotions, Thoughts, or Events 

1. Rationalization

When faced with difficulties, some people will try to rationalize the unpleasant feelings. They use “facts” to feel more at ease despite knowing they are in the wrong at certain levels. One example would be losing a job and justifying it by saying you didn’t even like it. While that may be the truth, the job provides financial security. 

2. Denial 

Denial is easily the most used defense mechanism. When reality becomes too harsh to handle, people seek alternate facts to avoid hurting. Some could even block specific events or “adjust” what had transpired to keep themselves safe. Denial is sadly seen in many victims of abuse, with victims claiming that despite what had happened, they knew their significant other, the abuser, loved them. 

3. Intellectualization 

Intellectualization is similar to rationalization, though instead of using alternate facts, people simply remove their emotions from the equation. The emotional aspects are entirely ignored,  while the person heavily relies on solving the problem as if working on a crossword. One example is convincing yourself that life’s better when you’re single while listing all the negativity that might happen in relationships to avoid being hurt. 

4. Displacement

In this psychological defense mechanism, people blame the negative emotions caused by one person or event on someone or something else. It is a relatively common way to deal with stress, and one example would be a manager shouting at an employee, who later shouts at his wife. The wife then spreads her anger on her kids, and her kids bully another child. This is all happening because the employee did not tell his boss that he was in the wrong. 

5. Compartmentalization

This mechanism helps people avoid dissonance and anxiety in everyday life by separating conflicting thoughts, feelings, or experiences. Compartmentalization occurs daily, for example, while you’re at work and must be 100 percent present and focused. You are distancing your emotions and internal struggles to give your best performance. Similarly, we ignore so-called “red flags” in relationships, though it is hard to say whether we are ignoring or compartmentalizing them.

6. Repression

When overwhelmed, one’s mind can unconsciously block negative thoughts, events, feelings, and ideas from one’s consciousness. For example, a person may be afraid of water because they nearly drowned as a child, but they repressed the memory, so they have no idea what’s causing their phobia. 

7. Misplaced humor 

Reducing negative or fearful emotions through humor, whether satire or dad jokes, is also an effective coping mechanism. If someone is struggling with their weight, they might poke fun at their expense to avoid other people’s comments that could trigger depression or anxiety. Another common example, seen in many movies, is laughing at a funeral. 

8. Overcompensation

Another defense mechanism is overachieving in one field to compensate for previous failures. A child from a less-than-ideal home could thrive academically to suppress the feeling of inferiority compared to other children. Things get complicated once the child faces a bad grade, and it becomes a point of obsession. 

9. Procrastination

Some might call you lazy, while others see it as a lack of time management. However, procrastination can be a powerful defense mechanism because the task appears too difficult. Procreation is often perceived as a coping mechanism among people with self-esteem issues. 

10. Dissociation

Dissociation can be triggered by trauma, highly stressful events, or overwhelming feelings, and it works as an attempt to keep you safe and protect you from future harm. While most people experience it without noticing, it can lead to more severe mental health issues and is often described as “spacing out” or “going blank.” One more common example involves “getting lost” in a book, so much so that you forget all about your surroundings. 

11. Undoing

Canceling out scary or frightening thoughts you had about someone else by trying to “bribe” them with gifts or nice gestures is undoing. Say you had a thought of acting violently against someone close. To avoid feelings of guilt and to avoid dealing with “inappropriate” emotions, you might try to overcompensate by being overly pleasant. 

12. Avoidance

Avoidance is “escaping” from stressful feelings or isolating certain emotions. A person avoids dealing with stressful outcomes instead of tackling the problem. One typical example involves a couple who has issues, but as soon as they approach the burning topics, they change the subject.  

Bottomline 

Defense mechanisms can be helpful, but once they become routine, they can trigger mental health issues, difficulties managing relationships, and bring more anxiety to the person. That’s why improving your responses to adverse or stressful events or feelings should be part of everyday self-care.