Kevin H Thompson (2025)

14/08/2020

7. Displacement

Displacement involves a person feeling that they cannot express a negative emotion toward a particular person, so they direct those negative emotions toward someone else.

For example, a person who feels that their boss has been unfair may also fear being fired if they complain or express anger — and as a result, they may later shout at a family member.

Displacement can have negative consequences for an individual and the people around them.

8. Intellectualization

Intellectualization involves a person using reason and logic to avoid uncomfortable or anxiety-provoking emotions.

Intellectualization can be a useful way of explaining and understanding negative events. For example, if person A is rude to person B, person B may think about the possible reasons for person A’s behavior. They may rationalize that person A was having a stressful day.

However, intellectualization can cause people to downplay the importance of their own feelings and focus instead on treating all difficult situations as problems that need to be solved. This can stop a person from learning how to deal with their own difficult emotions.

13/08/2020

5. Repression

Repression involves avoiding thinking about something to block out painful or uncomfortable feelings, emotions, and impulses. Repression is an unconscious process — a person is unaware that they are doing it.

A person may unconsciously repress a painful or difficult memory, but the memory remains. One aim of psychotherapy is to encourage a person to express repressed thoughts in order to deal with them in a more helpful way.

Repression could help explain the root of certain phobias. For example, some unexplained phobias may stem from traumatic childhood experiences that the person has since repressed.

Suppression is similar to repression, but suppression is a conscious process, it involves deliberately avoiding certain thoughts or memories and actively trying to forget them.

6. Reaction formation

Reaction formation involves acting in a way that contradicts unacceptable or anxiety-provoking thoughts or feelings as they arise. It is a way of protecting the mind from uncomfortable thoughts or desires.

For example, a person may experience normal feelings of sadness or disappointment after a relationship breaks down. If they feel that these emotions are unacceptable, they may publicly act as if they are happy or unconcerned.

Reaction formation can be a pattern of ongoing behavior. For example, a person who feels that expressing anger or frustration toward a parent is unacceptable may never react negatively to anything that their parent says or does, even when this would be a normal response.

12/08/2020

3. Projection

Projection involves a person accusing someone else of having thoughts or feelings that they themselves are having. It can be a way of avoiding unwanted thoughts or avoiding responsibility for a particular behavior.

For example, a person who realizes that they are being aggressive during an argument may accuse the other person of aggression. This deflects criticism away from themselves and onto the other person.

Projection can be harmful, as it may stop someone from accepting and taking responsibility for their own thoughts or behaviors.

4. Dissociation

Dissociation involves feeling disconnected from a stressful or traumatic event — or feeling that the event is not really happening. It is a way to block out mental trauma and protect the mind from experiencing too much stress.

Sometimes, dissociation leaves a person unable to remember traumatic events in their past.

A person who dissociates, often in childhood or adolescence, may go on to develop a dissociative disorder. This is a particularly unhealthy form of dissociation, in which a person dissociates involuntarily and routinely.

11/08/2020

Defense mechanisms

The psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud developed the idea of defense mechanisms as a way to understand human behavior. Freud proposed that people use defense mechanisms unconsciously, as a way to avoid uncomfortable feelings and emotions.

Below are some frequently used defense mechanisms:

1. Denial

This involves a person not recognizing the reality of a stressful situation in order to protect themselves from overwhelming fear or anxiety.

Denial can be helpful in situations that are beyond a person’s control. For example, staying optimistic can benefit a person as they try to overcome a serious illness.

On the other hand, denial can stop a person from dealing with situations that require their attention. For example, it may be easier to ignore the negative effects of excessive drinking than it is to cut down on alcohol.

2. Distortion

Distortion involves a person believing something to be true when it is not.

In some cases, distortion can protect a person from the uncomfortable reality of a situation. For example, a person may believe that they failed a test because of difficult questions, not because they did not prepare fully.

In other cases, distortion can convince a person that a situation is worse than it actually is. For example, a person may only see the negative in a situation and ignore the positive.

Distorted thinking is a common feature of anxiety and depression. It is also common among people with the following disorders:

anorexia nervosa
bulimia nervosa
body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)

People with the above conditions often have a distorted perception of their own body image.

10/08/2020

Defense mechanisms in psychology: What are they?

Defense mechanisms are a way for the mind to cope with stress or difficult feelings. They are unconscious mechanisms, which means that a person uses them without realizing it.

Defense mechanisms can be positive ways to deal with stress. Other times, they can be unhelpful ways to avoid difficult emotions or excuse unhealthy or antisocial behavior.

Recognizing defense mechanisms can help a person understand their own behavior.

Below, we explore eight defense mechanisms. We also describe mental health conditions that may be associated with the routine use of certain mechanisms.

07/08/2020

Summary

A burning sensation in the nose may stem from inflammation or irritation brought about by an infection or allergic reaction.

The feeling may be mild and go away when the infection clears or the reaction subsides. In the meantime, over-the-counter medications and nasal sprays can help ease the burning sensation and other symptoms.

If a person thinks that they might have COVID-19, they should stay at home and call their doctor.

06/08/2020

Cold viruses

Around 1 billion colds occur in the United States each year — most of which result from rhinovirus infections. The symptoms may include:

a sore throat
a runny or stuffy nose, which can cause a burning sensation
a cough
headaches
body aches
a loss of taste and smell
a fever

Usually, cold symptoms go away without treatment, though certain medications and home remedies can ease symptoms. For example, decongestant medications can help unblock a stuffy nose.

Influenza

Influenza, or the flu, is another common respiratory tract infection. The flu can cause mild to severe symptoms that include:

fatigue
headaches
body aches
a cough
a sore throat
a fever
a runny or stuffy nose, sometimes with a burning sensation

Some people also experience vomiting and diarrhea. The symptoms of the flu often develop suddenly.

Most people recover without medical treatment, but certain groups have a higher risk and may require extra care and precautions, including:

adults older than 65
pregnant women
children under 5 years of age
people with chronic health conditions

Learn more about flu symptoms, treatments, and prevention methods.

Other respiratory infections

An infection can develop in any part of the respiratory tract, including the nose, throat, and lungs. Coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, are sometimes responsible.

SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19. Some symptoms of COVID-19 may include:

a fever
a cough
shortness of breath
tiredness
headaches and body aches
a loss of taste or smell
a sore throat
a runny or stuffy nose, which may lead to a burning sensation
nausea or vomiting
diarrhea

05/08/2020

Sinusitis

Sinusitis is an infection of the sinuses. The sinuses are small, empty spaces behind the cheeks and forehead. Sinusitis can occur due to a viral or bacterial infection.

Symptoms of sinusitis include:

a runny or stuffy nose
pain in the cheeks and forehead
headaches
a sore throat
mucus dripping down the throat
a cough
a fever

Most cases of sinusitis result from viral infections, which tend to go away on their own without treatment. When the cause is bacterial, a doctor can prescribe antibiotics.

04/08/2020

Nonallergic rhinitis

Around 1 in 3 rhinitis cases are not caused by an allergic reaction.

In this case, the condition is called nonallergic rhinitis. It tends to affect adults and cause symptoms all year, including:

sneezing
a runny nose
a stuffy nose
postnasal drip
a burning sensation in the nose
Unlike allergic rhinitis, this issue usually does not cause itchiness or symptoms that affect the eyes or throat.

A person with nonallergic rhinitis may have a sensitivity to air pollution, certain odors or chemicals, or changes in the weather. Some medications and health issues such as viral infections can cause inflammation in the nose.

Avoiding triggers may help ease the symptoms of nonallergic rhinitis. While there is no cure, saline nasal sprays and medicated sprays or rinses may help reduce the inflammation.

03/08/2020

Causes and treatments of a burning sensation in the nose.

A burning feeling in the nose can stem from an infection, allergic reaction, or another cause of irritation. A person may also experience burning, irritation, or itching in the eyes, throat, or sinuses.

Causes:

A burning sensation in the nose may result from inflammation or irritation brought about by an infection or allergic reaction.

Allergic rhinitis
“Rhinitis” refers to inflammation inside the nose. In a person with allergic rhinitis, the immune system mistakenly interprets a harmless substance, such as dust or pollen, as a threat and attacks it, leading to the inflammation.

Allergic rhinitis is very common, affecting 10–30% of people worldwide.

When the allergen responsible is pollen or something else that presents seasonally, the doctor may diagnose seasonal allergic rhinitis, which is better known as hay fever.

The symptoms of hay fever can include:

itchiness or a burning sensation in the nose, mouth, throat, and eyes
a stuffy nose
headaches
a runny nose and eyes
dark circles around the eyes
sneezing
postnasal drip, which can cause frequent throat clearing

The quickest way to relieve allergic rhinitis symptoms is to avoid the allergen. For example, people with pollen allergies may limit their time outdoors during days with high pollen counts.

Over-the-counter antihistamines and nasal corticosteroids can also help ease the symptoms.

Another option is allergy immunotherapy, which involves exposing the person to tiny doses of the allergen, “teaching” their immune system not to react to it. For the person, this may involve placing a tablet under the tongue each day or receiving regular injections.

31/07/2020

Summary:

There is no way to get rid of a cold fast. A cold will usually go away on its own without treatment. However, a person may experience uncomfortable symptoms while they recover.

People can take steps to aid recovery, such as getting plenty of rest. Some studies suggest that vitamin C and echinacea may reduce the duration of a cold. However, the evidence supporting this is mixed.

The best way to avoid a cold is to prevent the spread of viruses by staying away from people who have colds and washing the hands with soap regularly.

30/07/2020

How to ease symptoms:

While there is no cure for a cold, people can do things to ease their symptoms while they recover. The CDC provide the following tips for adults:

resting
staying hydrated
using a clean air humidifier
using saline nasal spray or drops
inhaling steam from a bowl of hot water, or in the shower
sucking throat lozenges to soothe a sore throat
using honey to relieve a cough
Children over the age of 1 can also benefit from honey if they have a cough. A 2012 study showed that honey improved cough symptoms and sleep quality in children compared to a placebo.

Over-the-counter (OTC) cold medications may also help. However, the best cold relieving medicines will depend on what symptoms a person has, whether they have any underlying conditions, or take other medications.

Some people should not take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), decongestants, or cough medicines.

Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before taking medications for colds, and before administering medications to children.

Kevin H Thompson

14/08/2020

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