What are defense mechanisms?

Defense mechanisms are mental processes that function as protective strategies, helping individuals cope with anxiety, stress, and emotional pain. These mechanisms subconsciously alter, distort, or deny reality to mitigate the impact of uncomfortable feelings or thoughts. For instance, a person might use repression to push distressing memories out of conscious awareness, or rationalization to justify behaviors that might otherwise cause guilt.

While it's important to recognize various strategies individuals use to manage their lives, only the concept of defense mechanisms specifically addresses how people shield themselves from intense emotions and psychological stressors. The other choices relate to different aspects of human functioning, but they do not encompass the psychological protective strategies that defense mechanisms provide.