Stress, and Defense

Mechanisms
 Stressor = the stress producing
event or situation

Stress reaction=bodys and mind

response to a stressor
 Types of Stress

Distress
Negative stress
Loss of a child
Eustress
Positive stress
pregnancy
 Things that cause stress

Life Changes loss of money,

status
Work .. dismissed
Environment earth quick
Frustration
Feeling of disappointment that results
when a persons progress toward a goal
is blocked.
Felt in exam
Reactions to Stress

Physiological Reactions

Anxiety
Feeling of imminent but unclear threat
exam
Anger
Usually a result from frustration
quarrel
Fear
Danger, e.g. flight
D Defense Mechanisms
Defense Mechanisms are ways the
brain deals with stress.
1/ Repression
Pushes painful or stressful ideas into
the subconscious.

When she was divorced, she

developed amnesia.
2/ Projection
People deal with
unacceptable
impulses by acting
as if OTHER people
have them.
They see their
own faults in
other people.
3/ Reaction Formation
People act the
opposite of how
they really feel.
Example of Reaction Formation
Acting like you
hate someone you
really love on.
4/ Regression

Regression
Going back to an earlier and less
mature pattern of behavior
Example of Regression

When she got separated from her

husband, she started to crawl again.
5/ Displacement
To transfer an impulse
or idea from a
threatening object to
a LESS threatening
object.

Example: If you are

yelled at by your boss
you cant yell back
youll get fired!

So, you go home and

yell at your loved
ones!
So, you go home and yell at your little
brother
6/ Rationalization

Distorts unacceptable ideas and behaviors

to justify them.
Example of Rationalization
A student who
cheats on a test
may say:
I only cheated on
a few questions, I
knew most of the
answers!
7/ Denial
A person refuses to accept the
reality of anything that is bad.
Example of Denial
People think that
they wont get sick
and die from
smoking because
they are in denial.
8/ Sublimation
When people
channel impulses
into socially
acceptable
behavior.
Example:
Someone who is
aggressive
Can channel their aggression into
playing sports