What is your defense mechanism?
By bounce58
@bounce58 (17380)
Canada
July 18, 2010 6:39pm CST
I just met a kid with an interesting defense mechanism. He is in the same ice skating class as my son, and because it is his first time learning to skate, he gets really nervous when he is on the ice. I talked to his mom, and she said her son starts coughing when he is nervous. So, throughout their class, he was hacking his lungs away.
It made me think of my own defense mechanism when I am nervous. I think I am more like Friend’s Chandler Bing. Did you notice how he cracks jokes when he was nervous? I think I am the same way. I suddenly get the urge to express funny anecdotes related to what I am doing, that is making me nervous.
How about you? Do you have one? What is your defense mechanism?
4 responses
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
19 Jul 10
Not always, but it is the rare person who can make me feel comfortable on a first encounter.
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
19 Jul 10
There are many psychological defense or coping mechanisms that a person can use. Denial is one. Rationalization too. (Reasoning out to justify a wrong action, to simply put it.) There's many more actually and I think I have used them all, so I noticed.
When I feel tensed, or nervous, I usually start biting my fingernails. That's the reason why they never grow long, and they are all chipped off ugly!
On worst times, I also get LBM, or indigestion and that really sucks. Especially prior to taking an exam, or when I am traveling. My nurse friend calls it Traveler's diarrhea.
@bounce58 (17380)
• Canada
19 Jul 10
Hi Theresaaiza. Thank you for putting in examples of obvious psychological manifestations in here. Some of these I do experience on some level. I remember going through similar experiences before a job interviews. My stomach would become queezy, that I'd have to come in early for interview appointments because I had to find the bathroom first.
@Theresaaiza (10487)
• Australia
19 Jul 10
Very bothersome, isn't it? I sometimes make sure I bring some anti-motility capsules with me to calm my guts down. I hate having to do that because one of the side effects is the inability to poo for a few days which also gets to be very uncomfy in time.
It's called conversion disorder too. Mental stresses become physical symptoms. Some people even go blind after seeing something so traumatic. It's like the brain just shuts down a system inorder to cope.
@frontvisions101 (16043)
• Philippines
19 Jul 10
It's interesting. My defense mechanism when i'm nervous is smoking. Well, come to think of it, i smoke all the time anyway so you can't tell whether i'm nervous or just smoking to chill. Lol.
@arystine (1273)
• Philippines
19 Jul 10
I can't really think of any... So far, I was able to overcome my nervousness on several occasions by being thoroughly prepared (when it comes to exams and nerve-wracking recitations). Does drinking coffee count? I've noticed that whenever I feel helpless and weak, I drink coffee to calm my frazzled nerves.
@bounce58 (17380)
• Canada
19 Jul 10
In some level, I think your habit of drinking coffee might be your coping mechanism. Hey, but I'm no expert so don't take my word for it.
And I guess you're right that being prepared does help to calm the nerves down. But I have the tendency to cram, so it adds to the feeling of being nervous.
Thanks. Hope your having a great day!
