What Psychological Defense Mechanisms Do You Use?

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Freudian psychoanalysis is mostly unfalsifiable and therefore falls outside contemporary psychology, but some of the ego defense mechanisms do have relevance even if it is difficult or impossible to prove their presence objectively. Different people tend to rely on different clusters of defense mechanisms to cope. I have listed some (although this list is not exhaustive) with the associated personality type in parantheses:

• Autistic fantasy (schizoid, schizotypal, paranoid, narcissistic)
• Withdrawal (avoidant, schizoid)
• Intellectualization (obsessive-compulsive)
• Isolation (this means to deal with emotion with detachment) (obsessive-compulsive)
• Suppression (many types)
• Denial (histrionic, others)
• Repression (histrionic)
• Projection (paranoid, narcissistic, antisocial, obsessive-compulsive)
• Reaction formation (this means react the opposite way of how one feels) (masochistic)
• Displacement (negativistic/passive-aggressive)
• Sublimation (healthy)
• Humor (healthy)
• Rationalization (antisocial, others)
• Acting out (antisocial, borderline, histrionic, schizotypal)
• Splitting (all good or all bad) (borderline)
• Grandiosity (arrogance) (narcissistic)
• Vicariousness (dependent)
• Addiction (many types)
• Dissociation (borderline)

• Autistic fantasy (schizoid, schizotypal, paranoid, narcissistic)
  Probably not
• Withdrawal (avoidant, schizoid)
  Probably not
• Intellectualization (obsessive-compulsive)
  Possibly
• Isolation (this means to deal with emotion with detachment) (obsessive-compulsive)
  Probably not
• Suppression (many types)
  Possibly
• Denial (histrionic, others)
  Probably not
• Repression (histrionic)
  Probably not
• Projection (paranoid, narcissistic, antisocial, obsessive-compulsive)
  Possibly
• Reaction formation (this means react the opposite way of how one feels) (masochistic)
  Probably not
• Displacement (negativistic/passive-aggressive)
  Probably not
• Sublimation (healthy)
  Probably
• Humor (healthy)
  Probably
• Rationalization (antisocial, others)
  Possibly
• Acting out (antisocial, borderline, histrionic, schizotypal)
  Probably not
• Splitting (all good or all bad) (borderline)
  Probably not
• Grandiosity (arrogance) (narcissistic)
  Probably not
• Vicariousness (dependent)
  Probably not
• Addiction (many types)
  Possibly
• Dissociation (borderline)
  Probably not

I think I mostly use the humor. Some withdrawal and intelectualization.

I think dissociation is my most common but also told by several therapist that I intellectualize and appear detached from emotions when discussing "painful" past experiences.(Mostly feel like it happened to someone else,like a storey that I read along time ago).I do avoid stressful and conflict situations and can be passive-aggressive(especially in adolescents,when I was particularly powerless in life choices).

I am probably not aware of other defense mechanisms....they work better that way...

Humor. Humor big time. I would prove it right now by saying something funny, but where would be the fun in proving myself right?

Thought this was a cool thread so I unearthed it again:

I use most of these, given that I have a very neurotic psyche.

Autistic fantasy, grandiosity and projection are ones I use all the time actually, the perfect triad that basically allows me to keep my fragile self-esteem and psyche intact, by not only bolstering my self-worth though imagination and gratifying frustrated needs this way too, but also by remaining blind to all of my unattractive traits and behaviors, attributing them to others -- for example, I sometimes loathe myself for being on the spectrum, so I'm hyper-vigilant and quietly judgmental towards others who are this way too (no offence to anyone here).

I'm withdrawn by choice, I do intellectualize and rationalize often, saving me from painful feelings of shame and guilt, even if it's not healthy. I have at times used denial, although I use "minimization" more, and I sometimes use repression, although this is an unconscious defense mechanism so I don't actively know I'm using it. In fact, I actually suspect I suffered some form of abuse during childhood, but I have no recollection of it, probably for the best.

Suppression then displacing the anger and frustration later is something I have done often, which basically stops me from acting out on someone who is pushing my buttons in the moment. As for sublimation, humor, isolation, reaction formation, acting out and splitting, I rarely use these ones to be honest. Also, I don't think I've ever truly dissociated...

I bolded the ones I use. I'm starting to think there's a lot in Freudian psychoanalysis that is useful, even though like you said, it's unfalsifiable.

I'm not entirely sure what all of them mean.

Autistic fantasy (schizoid, schizotypal, paranoid, narcissistic)
If this means going off into your own little world, then yes, I do that a lot.
Withdrawal (avoidant, schizoid)
I do this one a lot, too.
Intellectualization (obsessive-compulsive)
Sometimes.
Isolation (this means to deal with emotion with detachment) (obsessive-compulsive)
This is another I do.
Suppression (many types)
Not sure
Denial (histrionic, others)
Nope - though I find it somewhat amusing to be denying denial
Repression (histrionic)
I don't understand the difference between this and the aforementioned "suppression."
Projection (paranoid, narcissistic, antisocial, obsessive-compulsive)
Nope. Other people do it to me all the time, though, projecting what they want/expect from me onto me.
Reaction formation (this means react the opposite way of how one feels) (masochistic)
Definitely not.
Displacement (negativistic/passive-aggressive)
Not entirely sure of the definition.
Sublimation (healthy)
I don't know what this means.
Humor (healthy)
Not a lot, although I do sometimes laugh at myself.
Rationalization (antisocial, others)
Sometimes.
Acting out (antisocial, borderline, histrionic, schizotypal)
I did this as a kid, because I didn't understand the difference between a good reaction and a bad reaction - I was just looking for a reaction from people. As I got older, though, I changed to doing everything I can to avoid drawing any sort of attention to myself.
Splitting (all good or all bad) (borderline)
No, I'm actually quite good at seeing both sides of things.
Grandiosity (arrogance) (narcissistic)
Definitely not, I'm about as humble as they come.
Vicariousness (dependent)
I think so, with characters from games, TV shows, and movies.
Addiction (many types)
Recently I've become addicted to self-harm.
Dissociation (borderline)
I mostly only get this when my depression is really bad.

Mostly regression. I just start to curse at people in traffic or I watch SpongeBob on my phone or I bully people on wrong planet. Just basically I revert to the child in me whenever I get stressed. Like for example I might say, that's a bad question stupid. What are you taking psych 101 and think you can apply that s*** to us like we're your lab rats? See, I'm getting stressed cause I have to go to work soon and I haven't even showered yet. Avoidance is what I'm doing now also. I also use mast*** as a coping strategy usually before work or school or before bed. I like foot stuff. I visit a certain Hub and heat up some coffee before shower. In the winter I leave my windows open cause my neighbor Bellow cranks up the heat cause she's an old B who's body can't sustain her in less than 80 degree temp so she should just die because I am forced to leave my windows open which makes hanging out in the Hub akward. I have to be like a ninja cause I'm on the second floor and there are people working bellow!

The opening list left out Reaction Formation and Displacement, which are reasonably common, particularly displacement (also sublimation basically means to bury or suppress the material in a part of the mind that one is not particularly conscious of).

I was unaware that Freud ever linked the 7 major defence mechanisms he identified with the syndromes in the OP's list. He thought that denial, projection, reaction formation, displacement, sublimation were the most common in everyday life.

My best defence/coping mechanisms to avoid or calm psychological distress are 1) to spend time in my garden with my cat or 2) walk in beautiful walkways and parks and watch the birds. Works for me!

I think that it was this part of Freud's theories (the 7 defence mechanisms) that was the most valid. Unfortunately much else wasn't, as his archives fairly recently showed. If anyone interested in what really happened in terms of other pronouncements he made as a "scientist", but in fact were motivated by factors other than science, then the book "The Assault on Truth" is (I think) the best place to start. I used to teach psychology and students were amazed at the disparity between the facts and myths about Freud which are still very current, and the paucity of critical thinking applied to his work.

I come from a completely different philosophy of psychology to that of Freud, although I do work with others who draw from some of his theory.

My take on human nature comes from the Humanistic school of thought and I work in a Person-Centred way or client-centred as it used to be called developed by Carl Rogers.

Subception plays a big part and is said to be the only defense mechanism - denial, distortion and ingnoring all come under this.

We do not tend to work with the unconscious as this is unknown, but we work with that which can emerge or is already in mind or on the edge of awareness.

The client is the expert and knows what is wrong so we work with this. Applying theory is difficult because it can end up herding people into a pen and sticking labels on them. I find it is far more empowering for the client and has good long-term outcomes.

I prefer the humanist psychotherapeutic perspectives too, and in its day (still worth reading) Virginia Satir's book "Peoplemaking" was widely read by people interested in non-Freudian conceptualisations. Even the popular paperback "I'm OK Your OK" is a little gem of information of its kind.

I know of ' Im ok your ok' - the games people play or TA. Parent,adult,child transactions.

Not read 'peoplemaking' though, I did read ' families and how to survive them' by Robin Skynner and John Cleese.

I enjoyed 'Loves executioner' by Yalom and I have just dug out 'the road less travelled' by Beck, which is my current read.

I am particularly interested in how I can combine Buddhist psychology with my current practice. Lots of therapist seem to be working with mindfulness now days.

Mick Cooper does a great job in explaining pluralistic counselling and has written some great books including 'Working at Relational Depth'.

My tutors and supervisors encouraged me to hold my theory lightly and see the person in front of me rather than try to fit them to anything written in a book. Sometimes there is no theory which can be used to understand what a client has disclosed.

The first writer who made an impact integrating eastern and western approaches was Alan Watts. He wrote a number of books you may find very interesting if you have not already read them. Given that he wrote them starting about 50 years ago, it is striking how fresh they still sound.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Watts

An (off-topic) PS: For people in or contemplating addiction recovery from a Buddhist perspective, see "The Twelfth Step Buddhist" by Darren Littlejohn who is an American Buddhist who writes for an addict audience in down to earth language and of his personal experience in recovery.

Thanks for those suggestions - I will take a look.

I quite like the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh - his books are very easy to understand and he is a very humble Buddhist Master.

Yes, he's good value for sure.