Substance Abuse and Abuse Q 11

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Elsa is being treated in a chemical dependency unit. She tells the nurse that she only uses drugs when under stress and therefore does not have a substance problem. Which defense mechanism is the client using?

  

     A. Compensation

     B. Denial

     C. Suppression

     D. Undoing

    

    

Correct Answer: B. Denial

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Individuals who have substance problems often use denial. Denial is probably one of the best-known defense mechanisms, used often to describe situations in which people seem unable to face reality or admit an obvious truth (e.g., “He’s in denial”). Addiction is one of the best-known examples of denial. People who are living with a substance use problem will often flat-out deny that their behavior is problematic. In other cases, they might admit that they do use drugs or alcohol but will claim that their substance use is not problematic.

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Option A: Compensation is overachieving in one area to compensate for failures in another. This psychological strategy allows people to disguise inadequacies, frustrations, stresses, or urges by directing energy toward excelling or achieving in other areas.

Option C: Sometimes we do this consciously by forcing the unwanted information out of our awareness, which is known as suppression. In most cases, however, this removal of anxiety-provoking memories from our awareness is believed to occur unconsciously.

Option D: Undoing is trying to make up for what one feels are inappropriate thoughts, feelings, or behaviors (e.g., if you hurt someone’s feelings, you might offer to do something nice for them in order to assuage your anxiety or guilt).

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