Overview of defense mechanisms:
Scenario 1:
Sarah failed her driving test for the third time. Instead of accepting responsibility for her mistakes, she
blames the instructor for being too strict and unfair.
Defense Mechanism: [Denial / Rationalization / Regression / Intellectualization]
Scenario 2:
After a heated argument with his boss, Jack comes home and yells at his younger brother for not
cleaning up the living room, despite knowing it's not his brother's responsibility.
Defense Mechanism: [Displacement / Repression / Projection / Sublimation]
Scenario 3:
Lisa has been feeling anxious and stressed about her upcoming exams. Instead of studying, she spends
hours organizing her closet, claiming that it's a necessary task to clear her mind and stay focused.
Defense Mechanism: [Rationalization / Suppression / Regression / Sublimation]
Scenario 4:
Tom is deeply afraid of failing in his new job. Whenever the topic comes up, he talks extensively about
the statistics of unemployment and economic downturns, avoiding discussing his own feelings of
insecurity.
Defense Mechanism: [Intellectualization / Projection / Reaction Formation / Suppression]
Scenario 5:
Despite being repeatedly told by friends and family that her partner is cheating on her, Maria adamantly
refuses to believe any of it, insisting that her partner is loyal and trustworthy.
Defense Mechanism: [Denial / Repression / Projection / Reaction Formation]
Scenario 6:
Mike feels intense jealousy towards his colleague who received a promotion. To hide his envy, he starts
excessively praising his colleague's achievements and offering to help with their workload.
Defense Mechanism: [Displacement / Reaction Formation / Rationalization / Intellectualization]
Scenario 7:
Emily, who was often bullied in her childhood, refuses to acknowledge any memories of those
experiences. When asked about her school days, she claims she can't remember much and changes the
subject.
Defense Mechanism: [Repression / Denial / Projection / Sublimation]
Scenario 8:
After being dumped by his girlfriend, Mark starts flirting with every woman he meets, boasting about his
attractiveness and desirability, despite feeling deeply hurt and rejected inside.
Defense Mechanism: [Reaction Formation / Displacement / Rationalization / Projection]
Scenario 9:
After receiving a poor grade on his project, Alex angrily blames the teacher for not explaining the
instructions clearly. He refuses to accept that his lack of effort and preparation might have contributed to
his low grade.
Defense Mechanism: [Denial / Rationalization / Projection / Regression]
Scenario 10:
Jane, who has a fear of public speaking, volunteers to give a presentation at work. Instead of
acknowledging her fear, she spends weeks meticulously planning every detail of the presentation,
believing that thorough preparation will eliminate her anxiety.
Defense Mechanism: [Intellectualization / Suppression / Regression / Sublimation]
Scenario 11:
Jake is a college student who has been struggling with his grades and procrastination. Despite his own
academic challenges, Jake frequently accuses his classmates of being lazy and unmotivated. He criticizes
them for not taking their studies seriously and often makes comments about how they are destined to
fail. In reality, Jake is projecting his own insecurities onto others, using criticism and judgment as a
defense mechanism to avoid facing his own shortcomings and fears about his academic performance.
Scenario 12:
Alex has been struggling with alcohol addiction for years but refuses to admit that he has a problem.
Instead, he insists that he can quit anytime he wants and that he doesn't drink as much as people say.
What defense mechanism is Alex using to avoid confronting his addiction?
Scenario 13:
David's pet dog passes away, and he refuses to acknowledge his sadness. Instead, he insists that he
never really cared much for the dog and that it's better off now. What defense mechanism is David using
to cope with his loss?
