Defense mechanisms

NB5 wrote:I was wondering what Therapists/Psychologists do to help their clients "turn off" or dismiss their defense mechanisms when it is adverrsly affecting their life?


The reason I ask is I'm currently in college working towards a minor in Psych.
Although we always cover defense mechanisms are, my courses have never covered what is done when defense mechanisms affect someone negatively.

Any insight would be great.

Study:
Summary of Self-help Psychotherapy

in its entirety from beginning to end. It includes a program showing you how to overcome a negative self-image, and assertiveness training program, communication course and values clarification course. You may need the help of a CBT therapist to complete the course. But most people will get better at it by themselves, by just reading the articles over and over again.

How to deal with your defences, study the Assertiveness Training Program.

Hi NB5

Here's an excellent 2009 paper on Defense Mechanism Theory presented to the Rapaport-Klein Study Group, Seven Pillars of Defense Mechanism Theory; excellent presentation for the college student. It presents a quick overview of Defense Mechanism Theory with current references, understandings and support; check out the end notes. Like the openness of the arguments, though leading, they present counter opinion. For example, based on current research, its pillar VII, "Excessive use of defenses, or the use of immature, age-inappropriate defenses, is associated with psychopathology", is not presented as cause and effect, rather an association, since it cannot be shown which comes first, the excessive use of the defense mechanism or the psychopathology. However, as presented, the work with children has demonstrated the closeness of that association. Adults are discussed.

Also check out the Google Wonder wheel. Here the link searches for "adjusting defense mechanisms" to find papers like Defense mechanisms and adjustment in normal adolescents. Google uses flash for the display, click on several graphic links. Results are shown on the right.

Note the bold underlines above are links that when clicked, opens supporting information.