Which Defense Mechanisms Do You Use?

During the past week, we dove deep into each other's mind by starting the psychoanalysis unit.  To start the unit, we learned about the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, who specialized in hysteria and hypnosis, and eventually began his own practice in hysteria.  As a pioneer in his field, Freud created the theory of the three levels in the mind.  In this theory, the mind is broken into the id (primal drives), the ego (sense of personality) and the superego (morality).  These three levels of the mind are in a constant battle with eachother, but they work together to produce defense mechanisms, which determine how one functions in society.  In 1977, these defense mechanisms were classified into four categories: pathological, immature, neurotic and mature.  The defense mechanisms are ranked from functionability in society and they were so interesting that it took us nearly two classes to go over the four mechanisms

The first mechanism, pathological, has attributes that would make life miserable.  The traits of the pathological category include: delusional projection, conversion/hysteria, denial, and distortion.  All of these traits seem miserable to possess and I am glad that I do not have to live with them.  The second mechanism, immature, makes it difficult to get around in society, but still possible.  An immature person would display traits such as: idealization, passive aggression, projection, and somatization.  Although they are better than pathological traits, they still seem horrible to possess.  The third mechanism is neurotic, which will allow somebody to funtion, however they will seem a little bit odd.  Traits in this category include: displacement, dossociation, intellectualization, rationalization, regression and repression.  It is better not to have these traits, but I think we all show these traits every once in a while.  The final mechanism is mature, which is the ideal to live by.  People who show mature traits display: humility, mindfulness, acceptance, gratitude, altruism, mercy, humor, thought suppression, self regulation and sublimation.  These are the traits that I hope I live by.

Learning about these traits was very interesting, but it spawned the question, "Under what category do I fall in?"  I strive to fulfill the qualities of the mature defense mechanisms, but I'm sure immature and neurotic mechanisms can show up, especially the traits that isolate the subconscious.  As the schoolyear progesses, I will take more notice upon how I act and try even harder to fall under the mature category, and I will try to find some defense mechanism traits in my friends, and see what category they might fit in.