Exhibits The nurse engages the client in conversation about her feelings and some of her coping mechanisms. Click to specify which client statement or behaviors is most likely associated with each of the listed defense mechanisms. Some statements or behaviors may be consistent with more than one mechanism. Each column must have at least one response selected.

Isolation: The statement about forgetting why she is in the hospital reflects an emotional detachment or numbing, which can be associated with isolating oneself from the reality of the situation. Fantasy: Discussing moving to Hawaii can be viewed as a way to escape her current distressing reality through imagination or daydreaming. Similarly, her fear of the hospital burning down suggests a disconnect from the present situation, which can be a form of fantasy thinking.