There are three kinds of anxiety: r

There are three kinds of anxiety: reality, neurotic, and moral. Reality anxiety
is the fear of danger from the external world, and the level of such anxiety
is proportionate to the degree of real threat. Neurotic and moral anxieties are
evoked by threats to the “balance of power” within the person. They signal to
the ego that unless appropriate measures are taken the danger may increase
until the ego is overthrown. Neurotic anxiety is the fear that the instincts will
get out of hand and cause one to do something for which one will be punished.
Moral anxiety is the fear of one’s own conscience. People with a well-developed
conscience tend to feel guilty when they do something contrary to their moral
code. When the ego cannot control anxiety by rational and direct methods, it
relies on indirect ones—namely, ego-defense behavior.
Ego-Defense Mechanisms
Ego-defense mechanisms help the individual cope with anxiety and prevent
the ego from being overwhelmed. Rather than being pathological, ego
defenses are normal behaviors that can have adaptive value provided they
do not become a style of life that enables the individual to avoid facing reality.
The defenses employed depend on the individual’s level of development
and degree of anxiety. Defense mechanisms have two characteristics
in common: (1) they either deny or distort reality, and (2) they operate on
an unconscious level. Table 4.1 provides brief descriptions of some common
ego defenses.