A patient has been admitted with a severed spinal cord injury at the T₂ level.The patient has been in halo traction with immobilization for the past week.The practitioner has explained to the patient that the spinal cord has been severed and that the patient will not be able to walk again.The patient states,"I can't wait until I can get on my feet and walk again." Which defense mechanism is the patient exhibiting in this statement?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Denial is an unconscious defense mechanism that reduces anxiety by eliminating or reducing the seriousness of the perceived threat.As with stress overload,posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)is not a disordered response to stress resulting from a failure of a person's will,strength,endurance,or courage.Regression is an unconscious defense mechanism characterized by a retreat,in the face of stress,to behaviors characteristic of an earlier developmental level.Trust manifests itself in critical care patients' belief that the people they depend on will get them through the illness and will be able to manage any untoward event that might occur.

A Patient Has Been Admitted with a Severed Spinal Cord