The text above the illustration a reads, as follows. The impulsive demands of the id sometimes conflict with the moralistic demands of the superego, resulting in anxiety. When that anxiety becomes excessive, the ego works to relieve this uncomfortable feeling through the use of defense mechanisms. Citation, Freud, 1923 and 1960. Defense mechanisms give us a way to defend against tension and anxiety, but they are not always adaptive, or helpful. Defense mechanisms can be categorized ranging from less adaptive to more adaptive. Citation, Vaillant, 1992. Some defense mechanisms are more adaptive as they help us deal with our anxiety in more productive and mature ways.
A photo below the text shows a young girl holding a boy from back. Accompanied text reads, as follows. EGO relieves anxiety by employing a defense mechanism. An illustration below the text shows a sad young girl with her hand behind her neck. A chart above the girl depicts third divisions of the mind.
Where, Ego leads to anxiety, Id is shown at left side of the girl and Superego is shown at right side of the girl. A forward arrow below ego moving rightward with the corresponding text, I am physically attracted to my best friend’s boyfriend. Another arrow moves leftward, below ego with the corresponding text How dare I? I am wrong to feel those impulses.
Mechanisms comes under more adaptive and less adaptive are given as follows.
Under more adaptive are the following 4 mechanisms;
Under less adaptive are the following 3 mechanisms;
Text below the illustration reads, We may get better at dealing with stress and anxiety as we age. In a study comparing the use of defense mechanisms in different age groups, older participants were found to use fewer maladaptive defense mechanisms.