Splitting is commonly associated with borderline personality disorder.ДЄnticipation: The devotion of oneвЂ™s effort to solving problems before they arise. Splitting: Failing to reconcile both positive and negative attributes into a whole understanding of a person or situation, resulting in all-or-none thinking. This defense mechanismВ may present commonly in children orВ laterВ in development,В may beВ present in schizoid personality disorder. Schizoid fantasy: Creating an internal retreat into oneвЂ™s imagination to avoid uncomfortable situations. This defense mechanism may be present in someone who has no recollection of a traumatic event, even though they were conscious and aware during the event. Repression: Subconsciously blocking ideas or impulses that are undesirable. For example, a stressful event may cause an individual to regress to bed-wetting after they have already outgrown this behavior. Regression: Adapting oneвЂ™s behavior to earlier levels of psychosocial development. For example, someone who commits an episode of infidelity in their marriage may then accuse their partner of infidelity or may become more suspicious of their partner. Projection: Attributing oneвЂ™s ownВ maladaptive inner impulses to someone else. Identification is also known as introjection.

Identification:В The internalization or reproduction of behaviors observed in others, such as a child developing the behavior of his or her parentsВ without conscious realization of this process. This defense mechanism may be present in someone who continues to shopВ for expensive designer clothes despite being in serious financial debt. This defense mechanism is recognized in conversion disorder, also known as functional neurologic symptom disorder.Дenial: Dismissing external reality and instead focusing on internal explanations or fallacies and thereby avoiding the uncomfortable reality of a situation. This defense mechanism may be present in post-traumatic stress disorder, where one avoids the location of a traumatic motor vehicle accident or avoids driving completely.Д¬onversion: The development of physical symptoms that cannot be explained by pathophysiology or physical injury. This defense mechanism may be present in conduct disorder, antisocial personality disorder, or oppositional defiant disorder.ДЄvoidance: Dismissing thoughts or feelings that are uncomfortable or keeping away from people, places, or situations associated with uncomfortable thoughts or feelings. ДЄcting out: The development of detrimental behaviors that distract attention and energy away from other stressors.

Therefore,В theВ early identificationВ of defense mechanismsВ can have great clinical significance.В Depending on the context and the severity, defense mechanisms can be either maladaptive or adaptive.

If defense mechanisms are identified and adolescence, it can help predict further development of personality disorders.

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