Question

This Defense Mechanism Discussion Forum posting might be rather fun. Invent a fictional pt, pick a defense mechanism to have them illustrate but don’t tell us the name of the mechanism. (Make it obvious.) Write a short scenario showing the patient using the defense mechanism.

Answer 1

Mr.X ,a 54 year old ,male patient came to hospital outpatient services, with complaints of feeling sick, weight loss, loss of appetite,yellow skin and eyes . While taking history of the patient ,it was found that Mr.X is a heavy drinker from a young age. On further physical examination (enlarged liver on palpation), laboratory studies (elevated ALT & AST), and an ultrasound study, patient was diagnosed with alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Once the diagnosis was made, the physician explained Mr.X that , his medical condition is due to his heavy drinking habit and if he does not stop this habit, fatty liver can progress to alcoholic hepatitis to cirrhosis. After listening to the physician Mr.X started to explain that he is just a social drinker, and does not have any serious drinking problem, and his medical condition is due to some other causes, not alcohol use.And from the patient response it was clear that he was not ready to stop drinking alcohol ,and further insisted the doctor to prescribe some medications to get over the health crisis.

(Here the patient is using denial, which is one of the most common defence mechanism.When a situation or fact becomes too much to handle ,you may cope by refusing to experience it. Here patient is making excuses instead of dealing with his serious drinking problem)