A nurse in an alcohol treatment facility is caring for a client who states, “My job is so stressful that the only way I can cope is to drink.” The nurse should recognize that the client is displaying which of the following defense mechanisms?

Choice A reason: Denial involves rejecting reality, such as denying the severity of drinking. The client acknowledges drinking, attributing it to stress, which is not denial but a justification, indicating a different defense mechanism at play in their psychological coping strategy. Choice B reason: Rationalization involves justifying maladaptive behavior, like attributing drinking to job stress. This defense mechanism reduces guilt by providing a socially acceptable excuse, masking the underlying addiction driven by alcohol’s effect on dopamine reward pathways, a common coping strategy in substance use disorders. Choice C reason: Projection involves attributing one’s feelings to others, not relevant here. The client does not blame others for their drinking but justifies it with stress, indicating rationalization rather than projecting internal conflicts onto external sources, which is unrelated to the statement. Choice D reason: Displacement redirects emotions to a safer target, like yelling at a spouse instead of a boss. The client’s statement justifies drinking as stress relief, not redirecting emotions, making rationalization the appropriate defense mechanism for this alcohol use disorder scenario.