Defense Mechanisms are psychological processes
that protect the conscious mind from threatening
impulses, thoughts and feelings

they do so by denying or distorting reality, and
they are largely unconscious

defense mechanisms are normal and, if used in
moderation, they can be helpful -

helpful in that they can give us time to recognize
our discomfort, identify its source and find ways
to consciously deal with it

however, the extensive and prolonged use of
defense mechanisms can be problematic in that
underlying difficulties remain, energy is wasted
and stress builds

Sigmund Freud first used “defense” as a psycho-
analytic term in 1894; and it was his daughter,
Anna Freud, who refined and expanded his theories
in the 1930s

the defense mechanism referred to as undoing
is an unconscious attempt to take back, nullify or
“un-do” a thought or action that had resulted in
guilt or anxiety

for example,

A physician may become over-solicitous or may
over-medicate a patient in whose treatment he
had made an error.
- Leigh & Reiser (1992)

a husband who showers his wife with roses and
chocolates on Valentine’s Day may be unconsciously
seeking to undo a year of neglect

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