The essential guide to defense mechanisms

Dr. Susan Krauss Whitbourne discusses eight most common defense mechanisms that have their genesis in the work of the Freuds, father and daughter. During my therapy, my alleged intellectualization was a sore point for me.

Dr. Krauss presents the defenses in a manner that is conducive to understanding the concepts.

There are other defense mechanisms discussed here: http://psychcentral.com/lib/2007/15-...hanisms/all/1/

As Dr. Grohol advises us:

Remember, defense mechanisms are most often learned behaviors, most of which we learned during childhood. That’s a good thing, because it means that, as an adult, you can choose to learn some new behaviors and new defense mechanisms that may be more beneficial to you in your life. Many psychotherapists will help you work on these things, if you’d like. But even becoming more aware of when you’re using one of the less primitive types of defense mechanisms above can be helpful in identifying behaviors you’d like to reduce.

I love defense mechanisms! I wouldn't be here without my wonderful ones. However, I don't need too hearty, over-developed defense mechanisms anymore but I wouldn't "get rid of" or substitute the ones I have for others, what's the point? What I learned and how I deployed my defenses is unique to me and served me well growing up and that makes them easy to use when I do in fact need them, even now. But now I'm aware of what I have and how I use them and can "deploy" them better when they're appropriate and can help me.