Exploring your Defense Mechanism

Identify a personal defense mechanism you’ve used, and dissect its origins and effects in your life.

Defense mechanisms are unconscious actions or thoughts that protect us from experiencing unpleasant feelings. They could be in the form of denial, repression, projection, and more. Familiarize yourself with Freud’s classification of defense mechanisms, identify one that seems to resonate with you, and explore its roots in your life experiences. Examine how it’s influenced your behavior and either protected or hindered your emotional wellness.