From the author: In connection with the recent International Day of Mental Health (October 10 - by the way, congratulations to everyone), I consider it appropriate to talk about the aspect of this very health, which is surrounded by a large veil of myths and misinterpretations. Namely, psychic defenses, or defense mechanisms of the “Ego.” First, let’s figure out what we’re talking about. What are defense mechanisms? Basically, this concept is used in psychoanalysis and related dynamic areas - where it was introduced by the founding father, Sigmund Freud. In short, defense mechanisms are any unconscious techniques and ways to avoid anxiety (stress) in connection with uncomfortable or “forbidden” impulses, experiences and so on. Although, as is known, Freud considered aggressive and erotic drives to be the main ones, they do not exhaust everything. It often happens that positive experiences (tenderness, pride, etc.) are “forbidden.” In other areas of psychology and therapy, they usually talk about coping strategies, or coping strategies. More than others, George Vaillant noted on this topic, defining psychodynamic defense mechanisms as “unconscious coping strategies.” For completeness of understanding, it is worth keeping in mind the context. In total, Vaillant points out 3 classes of coping strategies, which are easy to understand using the proposed metaphor. Given: let’s take an ordinary situation - a person, without expecting it, fell ill. Well, for example, acute respiratory infections or ARVI, for simplicity. What options does he have to resolve this issue? It turns out that it's only 3.1. Connecting Social Support. Of course, a reasonable person can consult a doctor. Or go to a healer, a shaman, it depends on the culture. In other words, go to society and ask for help there.2. Mobilization of Own Resources. Or you don’t have to go to the doctor - after all, what’s the big deal, colds and colds. You can, without turning to experts, buy pills, take folk remedies (not all of which are effective, but still) and everything else. "Help yourself am."3. Automatic Immunity Activity. But do not forget - during all these evolutions and even before a person consciously realized that he was sick - his immune system is ALREADY working at full capacity, performing its functions to fight the disease. One can say more - all other methods of treatment only do that support the functioning of the immune system and prevent the development of pathogenic factors. How does this analogy relate to this topic of psychic defenses? In the most direct way. Whatever methods of “coping” we use with the help of our will, consciously - in parallel with them, an involuntary, automatic system of mental protection always operates. Let's move on. The modern psychodynamic model states the following: all mental disorders, symptoms and even character pathology are produced precisely by undeveloped (“immature”) defense mechanisms. By the way, going back a little. Translated into medical language, psychodynamics says that all mental illnesses are “autoimmune disorders.” Not many doctors read - so let me clarify: these are diseases in which the immune system works to the detriment of the host organism, recognizing healthy tissues as “foreign.” Naturally, instead of “foreign tissues” in psychotherapy we are talking about what in psychoanalysis is usually called "It" (Id). “It” is, so to speak, parts of oneself, components of the personality structure, perceived as “Not-I”. Simply put, we are talking about healthy emotions, experiences and needs that are assessed as “unhealthy,” unwanted, and otherwise “taboo.” Again, most often such “obscene” feelings are anger and sexual desire, as Sigmund noted. These “taboos” are associated with many cultural and historical factors that shape the corresponding beliefs and attitudes. A person, as a rule, receives all the relevant “indoctrination” in early childhood, from older family members and other close associates. What is characteristic is that this process of formation of incorrect beliefs is calmly managedwithout any "attachment trauma". However, it is also not excluded - as an initial stimulus and activating factor. The only thing is that a trauma somewhere there 30 years ago cannot simply be the cause of current problems logically. The systems of beliefs, ideas and habits that remain after it, in turn, are precisely this “engine of pathology” and turn out to be in each case . Therefore, although understanding the entire “genesis”, sources and development of psychological difficulties is often very interesting, in practice this can be avoided. To sum up everything described, psychological defense mechanisms most often protect the individual from... Himself! Of course, the basis is the avoidance of stress and discomfort - but this is stress and discomfort caused by one’s own experiences and impulses.* * *The key properties of psychological defenses indicated by Vaillant are the following: 1) Relieve stress from painful emotions and also cognitive dissonance; 2) Unconscious (in other words, involuntary, automatic, mechanical); 3) Private defenses are separate from each other; 4) They are acquired and, accordingly, plastic (reversible, in particular); What is interesting, since highly active primitive defenses (delirium , hallucinations, etc.) create the appearance of organic brain disorders - but, at the same time, the nervous tissue itself is intact (which can be seen after diagnosis). Hence Freud's term "psychoneurosis" - i.e. seems to be a neurosis, but not due to biological reasons.5) Depending on the degree of development and conscious access to them, they can be both pathogenic and completely adaptive (even, one might say, progressive);6) For their “user” of protection - in most situations unnoticeable, “invisible”. Whereas for an external observer, they are noticeable and often cause characteristic tension and rejection (like everything unhealthy - imagine, for example, yourself next to a coughing and snotty patient).* * *Well, for the sake of completeness of general development, a classification of defense mechanisms. Many point out that it is a big problem to typify all these types of unconscious behavior, but nevertheless there are relatively successful versions. The most famous are the classifications of the same Vaillant and Nancy McWilliams. The differences between them are a topic for a separate publication. What they have in common is the basis for classification: both authors took “age,” or the level of development of mental defenses, as their fulcrum. However, there is an alternative. Habib Devanloo, “The Tesla of Psychoanalysis,” whether on purpose or not, used a behavioral approach, distributing defenses by functionality (tactical, obsessive, regressive, etc.). So here are the classes of defenses, with several examples. Tactical Defenses. An interesting category - since it is mainly aimed not at avoiding feelings, but at preventing emotional intimacy (in which these feelings and impulses can manifest themselves). Among them are often found: Distance. The simplest and most unpretentious technique is distancing, removing contact. Here, as elsewhere, context is important - a reasonable person understands that not everyone is worth “getting close to,” even vice versa. Hypothetical Speech. “Perhaps...”, “If only...”, “Probably.” The same case - when talking about something really vague, this is appropriate. When to a direct, specific question, for example, “What did you feel when he called you an asshole?” - the answer is given, “Well, maybe anger,” this is quite strange. Generalization. Expression in abstract, general terms - in analogous cases. For example, a great "softening" word is "upset." A man whose wife has died is upset; a person who has been spat in the face is just as upset. But there is a nuance, and not even a small one. Displacement Defenses. Classic - defenses designed to distract, separate, or otherwise “displace” uncomfortable feelings and emotions from consciousness. Naturally, this is a systematic process - feelings are constantly “repressed”. Rationalization. One of the most popular is adjusting supposedly plausible reasons to fit one or another feeling. They are, of course, not particularly reliable iftake a closer look, but this is not required - the main feeling is to “explain” and throw it away without worrying. Rumination. It is mentioned in many directions, but almost never mentioned as a defense mechanism. Rumination is a fixated and abstract “chewing” of the same questions without results: “Why me?”, “What would happen if...” Formation of a reaction. This means a reaction opposite to the impulse that arose initially. So, instead of expressing that feeling of anger, a person can try to please the offender. Naturally, this is not “in a vacuum” - rationalization and destructive self-criticism are also included. Primitive Defenses. Actually, they are also called “regressive” - i.e. some rollback in development, to more infantile stages. Acting out. Or also “discharge” - if you are unable to tolerate emotional stress, it seems to be discharged with the help of external actions: screaming, hitting furniture/dishes, etc. Dissociation. Based on a more basic mechanism - "splitting". This is literally “schisis,” a split in the content of the psyche into, conditionally, desired and unwanted. The unwanted person, accordingly, is alienated (dissociated) and experienced as some separate fragment that does not relate to the structure of the personality in general. This is how memory can be “split off” (amnesia as a consequence), the sense of the body and much more. Projection. Leading primitive defense mechanism. Similar to dissociation - a certain fragment (feeling, thought, etc.) of the personality “breaks off”, but then it is “projected” (shifted in the imagination) onto someone outside. Other interesting types of defenses encountered in practice are: A ) Characteristic Defenses. Which were first noticed by Wilhelm Reich, the founder of the body-oriented approach. Now, this means the ways a person has learned from others (“introjected”) of relating to and treating himself. As a rule, destructive and pathological: that is, we are talking about self-denial, neglect of one’s feelings and needs, self-condemnation and so on. B) Protection by Transfer. Discovered by the same Sigmund Freud - however, he initially wrote about “transference neurosis” and the need to create it for successful therapy. As followers found out, this is one of the fatal mistakes: additional neurosis does not bring any benefit. However, the idea itself has a rational grain. The fact is that the transfer itself (“transfer”) implies the emergence of certain feelings in the patient towards the therapist; the same as for early figures (parents, for example). It can be love, rage, or guilt. The feelings that arise are, as one would expect, “dangerous” from the patient’s point of view, and he also (unconsciously) resists them. But, in addition to the usual defense mechanisms, he uses “transference defense.” Its key feature: transference resistance is an attempt to externalize the conflict within the personality. That is, by creating disagreements with the therapist, the patient avoids meeting and stressing from his own internal contradictory experiences! Thus, “work in the transference” is an excellent means for successful therapy literally in the “here and now.” With the condition that there can be no talk of any “new neurosis” - the essence is in the feelings experienced by the patient, and his current attempts to avoid them. Well, it is also worth mentioning “psychotic” defenses - these are delusions, hallucinations and delusional denial. But in these cases, psychotherapy alone is not enough, as a rule.* * *I’ll take a little more of the reader’s time. A review would be incomplete without identifying a few mature defense mechanisms - which are, in fact, already conscious coping strategies. But, at the same time, they may well function as full-fledged protection (automatically, that is). Humor. Where would we be without this :) “Dangerous” ideas, expressed in a comic way, retain their tension, but it is already somewhat discharged. However, humor can also be used “neurotically” (in particular, sarcasm and humiliation of others). Anticipation. Classic CBT methods: "What's the most :))!