“D” is for Defense Mechanism

These categories can help you develop and dimensionalize characters – and to help shape storylines – in any kind of fiction. Of course, it made me proud that my favorite personal defense mechanism is Humor, which is considered a ‘Mature’ defense.

28 Defense Mechanisms

Adapted from Adaptation to Life by George Vaillant

Based on The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defense by Anna Freud

Mature Defenses

• Altruism
• Anticipation
• Asceticism
• Humor
• Sublimation
• Suppression

Narcissistic Defenses

• Denial
• Distortion
• Projection

Immature Defenses

• Acting out
• Blocking
• Hypochondriasis
• Introjection
• Passive-aggressive
• Regression
• Schizoid fantasy
• Somatization

Neurotic Defenses

• Controlling
• Displacement
• Externalization
• Inhibition
• Intellectualization
• Isolation
• Rationalization
• Dissociation
• Reaction Formation
• Repression
• Sexualization

This is just one of hundreds of articles and thousands of links in “Miller’s Compendium of Timeless Tools for the Modern Writer” – a comprehensive catalog of writing resources.

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