Repression
keeping negative things from coming to the conscious level; Underlying basis of all defense mechanisms.
Compensation
covering up a weakness by stressing a desirable or strong trait.
Denial
a refusal to recognize reality.
Displacement
transferring expression of an emotion to a less dangerous subject.
General adaptation syndrome
total body coping or adaptation to a catastrophic event (illness, trauma) (alarm, sustained resistance, chronic resistance and exhaustion).
Rationalization
substitute ego-acceptable reasons for real reasons for behavior; cognitive response.
Sublimation
redirects libidinal drive into socially acceptable behaviors. most efficient and creative of the defense mechanisms.
Projection
attributing one's own undesirable behaviors to another; becoming certain that the other person truly thinks, feels, or behaves that way.
Regression
reverting to an earlier, more immature pattern of emotional or physical functioning.
Reaction formation
transforming an unacceptable impulse into an opposite behavior.
Suppression
putting out of mind an unpleasant thing; refusing to think about it, although it's still available for recall.
Affective Disorder/Mood Disorder
disturbance of mood in which feelings of sadness or elation become intensified and unrealistic.
Anxiety Disorders (anxiety neurosis)
excessive anxiety not associated with realistically threatening specific situations, ex- generalized anxiety.
Obsessive-compulsive behavior
persistent anxiety characterized by repetitive, stereotypic acts, or continuous involuntary dwelling on an unwelcome thought and/or involuntary repetition of an unnecessary action Behaviors interfere with social functioning (These personalities have high
Panic attacks
episodes of acute, intense anxiety or terror; may be uncontrollable, accompanied by sympathetic signs, loss of mental control, sense of impending death.
Phobias
excessive and unreasonable fears leading to avoidance behaviors, e.g. agoraphobia).
General anxiety
also free-floating anxiety generalized prevalent anxiety not specifically ascribed to a particular object or event and often a precursor of panic.
Autistic fantasy
engaging in excessive daydreaming to avoid the stress of pursuing human relationships
Bipolar disorder (manic depressive illness)
a disorder characterized by mood swings from extreme mania to extreme depression; treated pharmacologically (often with lithium).
Depression
altered mood characterized by morbid sadness, dejection, sense of melancholy Can be a chronic, relapsing disorder Includes major depressive disorder and dysthymia (chronic low mood).
Dissociation
a partial or complete disruption of the normal integration of a person's psychological functioning that severs the connection between a person's thoughts, memories, feelings, actions, or sense of identity.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
a variety of stress-related symptoms resulting from exposure to a traumatic event (eg re-experiencing the traumatic event, psychic numbing with reduced responsiveness, detachment from the external world, survival guilt, impaired memory or concentration, h
Psychosomatic disorders (somatoform disorders)
physical signs or diseases that are related to/originate with emotional causes.
Conversion Disorder
a psychosomatic disorder characterized by loss or impairment of some motor or sensory function for which there is no organic cause (Sometimes referred to as hysterical paralysis.)
Hypochondria
a psychosomatic disorder in which an individual converts anxiety into a preoccupation with his or her bodily functioning; heightened concerns about health or bodily functions; false beliefs about suffering from a disease or condition.
Schizophrenia
a group of psychoses marked by disruption of thought patterns, severe distortion and disorganization of thought, perception and affect, bizarre behavior, and by social withdrawal; associated with a chemical imbalance in the brain.
Paranoia
a type of schizophrenic disorder characterized by delusions of persecution, extreme suspiciousness, or grandiosity.
Catatonia
a type of schizophrenic disorder characterized by mutism or stupor, unresponsiveness, catatonic posturing (remains fixed, unable to move or talk for extended periods of time).
Acting out
using behaviors to express feelings verbally; usually occurs because certain "negative" feelings such as anger and hurt are too difficult to express verbally.
Aim inhibition
lowering expectations to achieve success
Anxiety
feelings of apprehension, worry, uneasiness; a normal reaction to tensions, conflicts, or stress. Anxiety is considered abnormal when it is out of proportion to the stimulus. Physiologic stress responses (increased HR, nausea, dry mouth, etc.) typically a
Avoidance
mentally or physically avoiding something that causes distress.
Compartmentalization
separating conflicting thoughts into disconnected thought groups.
Delusional thinking
faulty or mistaken beliefs Although related to inaccurate interpretation of environment, it is distinguished by persistence in this belief system, even in the face of contrary information It can run the gamut from delusions of grandeur or persecution to d
Devaluation
being overly critical of self and others.
Disorientation
confusion re: time, place, activity, self-identity, or identity of others Occasional, transient disorientation in not completely uncommon in the average person Persistent disorientation, however, warrants further assessment.
Hyper- and hypovigilance
Intense, over-alert focus on social or physical surroundings (hyper-) or being oblivious to surroundings (hypo-).
Idealization
emphasizing the positive aspects of something and ignoring the negative or limiting aspects
Inappropriate affect
Moods displayed verbally or non-verbally that are contradictory to the situation It can also refer to a gross incongruity between verbalization and displayed affect.
Intellectualization
using cognitive processing to avoid feeling painful emotions.
Mania
an emotional state characterized by intense and unrealistic feelings of elation.
Negative reinforcement
a conditioning procedure in which a response is followed by the removal of an aversive event or stimulus, which has the effect of promoting the response.
Neuroses
conditions in which maladaptive behaviors serve as a protection against the source of unconscious anxiety.
Passive aggression
passive, usually disavowed resistance to following through with expectations in interpersonal or occupational situations, often manifest as learned helplessness, procrastination, or deliberate misinterpretations that relieve the person of responsibility f
Perseveration
the continued repetition of a movement, word, or expression, often accompanied by traumatic brain injury or stroke.
Positive reinforcement
a situation in which a response is followed by a positive event or stimulus which increases the probability that the response will be repeated.
Psychoses
a class of psychological disorders in which the individual's perception of reality is drastically distorted.
Self-destructive behaviors
these can be subtle (eg non-compliance) or overt (eg cutting).
Trivializing
speaking and acting as if something significant is actually insignificant.