We see there are different ways in which different people tackle stressful situations in their lives, it is known as a coping mechanism. But some might argue that those are defense mechanisms that come into the picture whenever faced with a stressful situation. Both the terms are often confused with each other, and they are not the same. Although both means coming up with certain things that help you overcome difficult scenarios and situations, the only difference between coping mechanisms and defense mechanisms is that with defense, it mostly occurs subconsciously and the person might not know that they are doing it. Whereas, with the coping mechanism, it is mostly physical and easier to have control over as it is done voluntarily by the person.
Psychological stress can be caused by both positive and negative situations, to people suffering from a certain mental disorder or to people who are not. The coping mechanism utilizes a combination of behavior, thought, and emotion depending on the situation. It can be problem-focused or emotion-focused. In the former, people use coping strategies that deal with the problem on hand to reduce stress, whereas the latter focuses on handling any feelings of distress resulting from the problem.
Sigmund Freud gave the concept of defense mechanism, saying that defensive reactions occur when the ego attempts to protect itself. This mechanism refers to a behavioral pattern that people use to protect themselves from unpleasant emotions such as shame, anger, and guilt. It can be seen in actions like projecting one’s unconscious feelings onto another, refusing to acknowledge an unpleasant truth/emotion, or transferring negative emotions into physical symptoms. There can be many ways for people to subconsciously or consciously overcome their distress.
We must get a clear understanding of our emotions and how they get projected towards either ourselves or others so that if any of those projections seem harmful in any way, we should recognize them and get professional help. It does seem like a long shot to get professional help just for our ways to handle stress, but it is imperative as they can guide us to take proper steps towards an organized life.