Coping Mechanisms on ScamPsychology.org

SCARS Psychological Coping Mechanisms/Defense Mechanisms

An Exploration of the Psychological Coping/Defense Mechanisms of the Brain & Mind of Scam Victims Impacted by Scams, Fraud, and Cybercrime

The following is our ever-expanding collection of articles and publications authored by members of the SCARS Team

These articles are intended to be useful introductions for psychologists, criminologists, sociologists, law enforcement, criminal justice professionals, policy decision-makers, care providers, and the victims/survivors of these crimes or their families. For research and studies visit that section of our website.

Curated By: •  Vianey Gonzalez – Licensed Psychologist Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. •  Tim McGuinness, PhD DFin, MCPO, MAnth – Anthropologist, Scientist, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
Coping Mechanism on ScamPsychology.org

Psychological Coping Mechanisms & Defense Mechanisms: An Introduction

Psychological coping mechanisms or defense mechanisms are strategies that individual’s brains employ to handle stress, trauma, or difficult situations. These mechanisms can range from adaptive strategies, which promote health and well-being, to maladaptive strategies, which might offer short-term relief but ultimately worsen the situation. For scam victims, the nature of the coping mechanism or defense mechanism adopted significantly impacts their recovery process. Adaptive coping mechanisms, such as seeking support from friends and family, engaging in problem-solving, or practicing mindfulness, can help scam victims process their trauma, regain confidence, and move forward. These strategies foster emotional healing and resilience, enabling victims to rebuild their lives more effectively. Conversely, maladaptive coping mechanisms or defense mechanisms, such as denial, avoidance, or substance abuse, can impede recovery. Denial, a common response among scam victims, may prevent them from acknowledging the scam’s impact, seeking help, and addressing their emotional wounds. This avoidance of reality can prolong their suffering, leading to deeper psychological and emotional issues, such as chronic anxiety, depression, and a pervasive sense of helplessness. Understanding and addressing these coping mechanisms is necessary for aiding scam victims in their journey toward recovery and empowerment.

A Definition of a Coping Mechanism/Defense Mechanism

Coping Mechanism:

A coping mechanism refers to the strategies or behaviors individuals use to manage stress, adversity, or trauma. These mechanisms help individuals navigate difficult situations by reducing negative emotions, maintaining mental stability, and allowing for effective functioning. Coping mechanisms can be both conscious and unconscious responses to stressors.

Maladaptive Coping Mechanism:

A maladaptive coping mechanism is a type of coping strategy that, while it may provide short-term relief from stress or anxiety, ultimately has negative long-term consequences. These mechanisms are often ineffective and can lead to further emotional or physical harm. Examples include substance abuse, denial, avoidance, self-harm, and excessive risk-taking. Unlike adaptive coping strategies, which promote health and well-being, maladaptive mechanisms can exacerbate problems and hinder recovery or personal growth.

According to the United States National Institute of Mental Health:

Coping is defined as the thoughts and behaviors mobilized to manage internal and external stressful situations. It is a term used distinctively for conscious and voluntary mobilization of acts, different from ‘defense mechanisms’ that are subconscious or unconscious adaptive responses, both of which aim to reduce or tolerate stress. [SCARS NOTE: In this page we group both together for simplicity]

When individuals are subjected to a stressor, the varying ways of dealing with it are termed ‘coping styles,’ which are a set of relatively stable traits that determine the individual’s behavior in response to stress. These are consistent over time and across situations. Generally, coping is divided into reactive coping (a reaction following the stressor) and proactive coping (aiming to neutralize future stressors). Proactive individuals excel in stable environments because they are more routinized, rigid, and are less reactive to stressors, while reactive individuals perform better in a more variable environment.

Source: Coping Mechanisms – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf (nih.gov)

SCARS ScamPsychology.org - Coping Mechanisms/Defense Mechanisms - 2024
Coping Wheel Source: John Hopkins University
About Coping Mechanisms

About Coping/Defense Mechanisms

Here are general articles about coping/defense mechanisms:

Coping Mechanisms

Maladaptive Coping/Defense Mechanisms

Here is a list of several maladaptive or negative psychological coping/defense mechanisms:

  • Anger: Anger functions as a coping mechanism by temporarily alleviating emotional tension and empowering individuals to assert boundaries or address perceived threats. It can serve as a protective response against feelings of vulnerability or helplessness, offering a sense of control in challenging situations.
  • Attention-Seeking Behavior: Behaving in ways to gain attention or validation from others.
  • Avoidance: Refusing to deal with or confront situations, feelings, or thoughts.
  • Avoiding Responsibilities: Ignoring or neglecting obligations as a way to cope with stress.
  • Catastrophizing: Assuming the worst possible outcome in a situation, leading to excessive anxiety or stress.
  • Chronic Seeking of External Validation: Constantly seeking approval or validation from others.
  • Cognitive Distortions: Distorting thoughts or perceptions to fit one’s emotional state.
  • Compartmentalization: Separating conflicting thoughts or emotions into separate compartments of the mind.
  • Compulsive Behavior: Engaging in repetitive behaviors to alleviate anxiety.
  • Control Issues: Attempting to exert excessive control over oneself or others.
  • Cynicism: This is characterized by a general distrust or skepticism towards others’ motives or the sincerity of their actions. It can manifest as a defense mechanism against disappointment, betrayal, or perceived injustices.
  • Denial: Refusing to acknowledge reality or facts.
  • Dependency: Relying excessively on others for emotional support or decision-making.
  • Dependency on Authority Figures: Relying excessively on authority figures for guidance or decision-making.
  • Displacement: Redirecting emotions from their original source to a less threatening recipient.
  • Emotional Eating: Using food to soothe or suppress emotions.
  • Emotional Explosions: Reacting disproportionately with anger or aggression to minor triggers.
  • Emotional Numbing: Shutting down emotions to avoid feeling pain or discomfort.
  • Emotional Volatility: Exhibiting extreme emotional highs and lows in response to stressors.
  • Escape Fantasies: Using elaborate daydreams or fantasies to avoid reality.
  • Escapism: Using activities like excessive gaming, binge-watching, or daydreaming to avoid reality.
  • Excessive Risk-Taking: Engaging in risky behaviors to distract from emotional pain.
  • Externalization: Blaming others or external factors for one’s own problems or shortcomings.
  • Fantasy: Creating unrealistic scenarios as a way of coping with problems.
  • Impulsivity: Acting on sudden urges or desires without considering consequences.
  • Intellectualization: Focusing excessively on intellectual aspects of a situation to avoid emotions associated with it.
  • Isolation: Withdrawing socially to avoid dealing with emotions or situations.
  • Martyr Complex: Seeking suffering or self-sacrifice as a way to gain attention or sympathy.
  • Minimization: Downplaying the significance of one’s emotions or problems.
  • Numbness: Psychological or emotional numbness is a state where individuals become detached from their emotions as a response to overwhelming trauma, serving as both a defense and coping mechanism.
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior: Engaging in repetitive rituals or behaviors to alleviate anxiety.
  • Overcompensation: Overachieving in one area to compensate for deficiencies in another.
  • Overthinking: Obsessively dwelling on thoughts or situations without resolution.
  • Overworking: Using work or productivity as a means of avoiding emotions or problems.
  • Panic Responses: Reacting impulsively and intensely to stressors.
  • Passive-Aggressive Behavior: Indirectly expressing anger or hostility.
  • Perfectionism: Setting unrealistically high standards to avoid feelings of inadequacy or anxiety.
  • Projection: Attributing one’s own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to others.
  • Regression: Reverting to childlike behaviors under stress.
  • Rationalization: Creating logical explanations or justifications for irrational behaviors or thoughts.
  • Repression: Unconsciously forgetting or blocking painful memories or thoughts.
  • Selective Memory: Remembering only certain aspects of a situation to support one’s own viewpoint.
  • Self-Blame: Assuming excessive responsibility for negative outcomes or situations.
  • Self-Deprecation: Criticizing or belittling oneself to cope with feelings of inadequacy.
  • Self-Handicapping: Creating obstacles or excuses to justify potential failure.
  • Self-Harm: Inflicting physical harm on oneself to cope with emotional pain.
  • Self-Hate: a deeply ingrained feeling of intense self-loathing, guilt, and worthlessness, where an individual views themselves as fundamentally flawed and unworthy of love or acceptance.
  • Self-Isolation: Choosing to be alone to avoid social interactions or emotional situations.
  • Self-Pity: Self-pity can lead to rumination on negative thoughts and feelings, withdrawal from social interactions, and a sense of resignation rather than proactive problem-solving. It tends to maintain a focus on perceived injustices or difficulties without actively seeking constructive ways to address or cope with them.
  • Self-Sabotage: Behaving in ways that undermine one’s own success or well-being.
  • Sleeping Too Much or Too Little: Using sleep as a way to avoid dealing with emotions or stressors.
  • Spiritual Bypassing: Using spiritual beliefs or practices to avoid dealing with emotional issues.
  • Substance Abuse: Using drugs or alcohol to cope with stress or emotions.
  • Vicarious Living: Living through others instead of developing one’s own identity and experiences.
  • Withdrawal: Retreating emotionally or physically from relationships or activities.

These coping/defense mechanisms (and there are many more,) provide temporary relief but are ultimately harmful and prevent healthy adaptation and growth.

Maladaptive/Negative Coping/Defense Mechanisms Articles

Coping Mechanisms

Positive Coping Mechanisms

Positive Coping Mechanism Articles