Which mechanism is often used to shield consciousness from distressing memories or thoughts?

Repression is a defense mechanism that functions to protect an individual from experiencing painful or distressing memories and thoughts by automatically keeping these feelings out of consciousness. This unconscious process allows a person to avoid the anxiety associated with confronting these distressing memories, which might include trauma, guilt, or loss. By pushing these thoughts below the threshold of awareness, repression enables an individual to function without being overwhelmed by these negative experiences.

In everyday life, repression can manifest in various ways. For instance, a person might not recall a traumatic event from childhood, enabling them to engage in daily activities without being hindered by those memories. However, while repression can provide temporary relief, it may lead to complications in emotional health if unresolved feelings resurface later in life.

Other mechanisms, while they might also serve as ways to cope with distress, do not directly involve excluding memories from consciousness in the same way repression does. Reaction-formation involves adopting beliefs or behaviors opposite to one's true feelings, dissociation might involve a detachment from reality or one's sense of self, and intellectualization focuses on using logic and reason to avoid emotional engagement. Each of these mechanisms serves unique functions but differs fundamentally from how repression works.