In general, defensiveness is usually the result of psychosocial causes rather than biological or chemical causes. It is a way of relating to the world that is usually rooted in life experiences or social context. Clinical psychology is useful for people who regularly react defensively, as well as for other people who are in a relationship with a defensive person. A qualified therapist is able to set up an anxiety treatment program for people with panic disorder or another mental disorder. Goal setting allows you to progress in your treatment program. If you are not willing to admit that you might be wrong and that you claim to be superior in your communication, it can cause defensive communication from the people around you. Defensiveness at work can make it harder to get along with co-workers and supervisors. It can also prevent you from doing your best collaborative work. If you are emotionally defensive in your social group, you may become an outcast, or you may remain in the center of the group but secretly despised and unwanted.
“How can you be so calm when things fall apart?” This statement can actually be a compliment if it is spoken with appreciation and affection. When this provokes a defensive reaction, it is usually not a compliment, but a challenge to the ability or willingness of the other person to achieve what they want to do. So you may need to learn how to communicate more effectively and positively. Individual counselling can help you learn what`s behind your defensive attitude. Your advisor can also help you develop strategies to reduce your defensive behavior. People usually start defensive behavior early in life. When you were young, you may have learned defensive behavior from others. If you feel threatened, as everyone sometimes does, you`ve found a way to distract the threat in order to feel safer. But just reading the definition of defensive may not always help a person understand how to use it in a sentence. You can use it to describe how a person acts or what state someone or something is in. A person`s reaction can be defensive.
Or you could keep someone on defense during your debate. In the Merriam Webster English Dictionary, the adjective defensive meaning is “to serve to defend or protect”. Other definitions of defensive (adjective) include “resistance or prevention of aggression or attack” and “sport: by or in connection with the attempt to prevent an opponent from scoring a goal in a match or competition”. “Defensive” (adverb) describes the nature of a behaviour. The subject of defense is a fascinating topic that psychologists and psychotherapists have been dealing with for many years. You can read more about the different defense mechanisms (strategies) that people use in our online self-help book articles on the subject, which start here. Instead of reacting immediately to your feelings, being hurt or criticized, you might try to take responsibility for the party you are responsible for in the situation. If you feel surprised or surprised by someone, it can increase the likelihood that you will react defensively. So if you can anticipate when it`s more likely, you can plan how you`re going to show compassion and how you`re going to react. For example, if you wanted your spouse to help you around the house, you wouldn`t make the statement, “You never do anything to clean up here.” Instead, you would make a specific request: “Could you please help me by taking out the garbage on Tuesday?” or “Could you help me by vacuuming the carpets on Saturday?” Defense is learned behavior, which means it can also be unlearned. If, despite your best efforts, you are still struggling to stop your defensive behavior, it could mean that you would benefit from professional help.
As mentioned earlier, some mental disorders can cause someone to react defensively. As you get older, you may have used the same defensive behaviors, both when you recognized a threat in your environment and even when you expected a threat. And often, the defenses you rely on aren`t the ones you need now, but only the ones you`ve learned in the past. “Where is my stuff?” Asked as a real investigative question, it would look like this: “Did you see the things I left on the couch? Did you put it away somewhere for me? But if the tone is tough and irritated, it will provoke a defensive reaction like, “I didn`t do anything with your stuff. Why do you always assume I did something wrong? I have no idea where he is. Maybe the housekeeper put it somewhere? Someone who is trying to justify what they did is basically saying, “Yes, I did, but let me tell you why it`s not my fault,” and that can also be defensive. Participation in the promotion will be allowed, but responsibility for the promotion will be denied. The net effect is the same disclaimer. Is defensive action what you want to be as a person? If not, it`s time to be clear about how you want to behave. If you feel like you`re on the defensive, how would the best version of yourself handle the situation? If you`re not sure, use your journal to write down a list of things you could do now instead of playing your defensive feelings.
Bipolar disorder causes alternating episodes of depression and “mania” – a condition that some people experience as a form of anxiety. People living with bipolar disorder may deny things that are demonstrably true or false to someone else, even if they are presented with evidence to support the truth. If a person with bipolar disorder is pushed too far, they may react defensively or even aggressively. You may also need to work on building your self-esteem. When you`re comfortable with who you are, you feel less threatened when someone else doesn`t. And if you grew up in a very defensive household, it can be very difficult for you to let go of these behaviors. “Statement of Defence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/statement%20of%20defense. Retrieved 5 November 2022. Someone who is on the defensive is busy justifying their actions or words. They have a defensive attitude when trying to protect themselves.
Imagine staying calm and collected while discussing an issue instead of reacting defensively. With this in mind, all of your examples are potentially reasonable examples of defensive behavior. If you`ve begun to recognize the defensive in you, you may be wondering why it started, what caused it, and what might underlie it. Here are some ideas of steps you could take to prevent yourself from acting defensively in the future: Instead of starting with a criticism, try to formulate what you want in the form of a request. Do this by expressing something positive that you need from the other person. If you`re trying to control the other person, it will likely result in a defensive reaction. Remember that you are responsible for your own behavior and reactions. The other person doesn`t have to act a certain way to make you feel better. If you`re looking for synonyms for things like defining defensive for schoolwork (English, science, technology, literature), look for tools, writing prompts, grammar 101, writing 2, or other courses that can help you develop your writing skills and word choice.
Once you`ve started noticing when you`re on the defensive, it`s important to validate your feelings when you`re being criticized. Simply acknowledging that you feel hurt, worried, ashamed, anxious or insecure can help defuse the situation. The opposite of the definition of defensive is “non-protective” or “negligent.” Someone who is not defensive does not care about protecting themselves. Symptoms of certain mental disorders can cause defensive reactions. Bipolar disorder, panic disorder, personality disorders, eating disorders such as binge eating, or sleep disorders called parasomnias are some of the types of disorders that can cause a defensive response as part of their symptoms. If you`re on the defensive with your partner, you can both benefit from couples counseling, where you can learn together to interact more productively. Talking to a counselor can change the way you interact with others and significantly improve your relationships. However, there is more to defensive behavior. Sometimes the way you behave can trigger defensive behavior in others.
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