An alcohol patient blames his family members for his behaviour. This is known as:

Appeared in: AIIMS Delhi NO-2016

Explanation

Projection is a defense mechanism where a person unconsciously attributes their own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or actions to another person or group.
In this scenario, the patient is unable to accept the personal responsibility and guilt associated with his alcoholism.
By blaming his family members, he is 'projecting' the cause of his behavior onto them, which temporarily relieves his anxiety and protects his self-esteem.
This is a classic example of projection, as defined in psychoanalytic theory.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option B: Regression involves reverting to an earlier, more immature stage of development (e.g., childlike behavior) in response to stress. The patient is blaming others, not acting like a child.
Option C: Suppression is the conscious and intentional act of pushing distressing thoughts or feelings out of one's mind. The patient is not consciously ignoring his problem; he is unconsciously shifting the blame.
Option D: Denial is the refusal to accept reality or fact. While common in alcoholism, it involves refusing to acknowledge the problem's existence (e.g., 'I am not an alcoholic'). The patient in the scenario acknowledges the behavior but not the responsibility for it.

Related Visual

A simple diagram illustrating projection. It would show a person with a thought bubble saying I feel guilty, with an arrow pointing to another person, and a speech bubble from...

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Defense Mechanisms in Psychiatry to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Recognizing defense mechanisms like projection is crucial for nurses to understand a patient's behavior and emotional state, especially in mental health and addiction treatment.
It allows the nurse to build a therapeutic relationship by responding with empathy rather than confrontation, which can help the patient eventually gain insight into their behavior.
Addressing the underlying anxiety and guilt that fuels the projection is a key nursing intervention in helping patients with substance use disorders.

How to Approach the Question

First, analyze the core action described in the question stem. Here, the key action is 'blames his family members for his behaviour'.
Next, recall the definitions of the four defense mechanisms provided in the options.
Projection involves attributing one's own unacceptable feelings or impulses to someone else.
Regression is reverting to childlike behavior.
Suppression is consciously pushing thoughts away.
Denial is refusing to acknowledge reality.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Defense Mechanisms in Psychiatry
Stem keywords: alcohol patient, blames, family members, behaviour
Lead-in keywords: known as
Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QUkGtszIZRrckp5k5ScEBB

Reference Book

E6 Psychology Morgan King 9e Part 2 p. 187-189

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 3344-3346

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 2993-2995

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