If one doesn’t get sucked into the weeds of psychoanalytic theory (in the interpretation, especially in relation to sex, of various psychic phenomena or in the insistence on orthodoxy), there is much to be said on behalf of its essentials.
First, the self, as with life itself, is connected to the world via a circuit of energy. When that energy comes up from the inside and meets with resistance, where does it go (energy being that which moves the self, again, as with all of life)?
Second, the id, one of the lodes of energetic activity, is filled with instinctive impulses that range from specific (e.g., sexual) to an overall assertion of the self’s interest.
Third, the ego, another lode of energetic activity, attempts to keep instinctive energies under control vis-a-vis the demands of the outside world as represented by the superego. The ego attempts to walk that narrow ridge that separates the self (id energy) from the self-as-group member (superego energy). In its defensive measures, Ms. Freud writes, the ego is successful when it establishes “the most harmonious relations possible between the id, the super-ego and the forces of the outside world.”
Fourth, in addition to defending itself against outside threats, physical pains and psychic pains as they emanate from the social environment (and repressed by the superego), the self (ego) defends itself against id impulses that threaten its relationship with the outside world. This is the subject matter for Ms. Freud’s book. “The defensive methods so far discovered by analysis all serve a single purpose,” she writes: “that of assisting the ego in its struggle with its instinctual life.”
Ms. Freud enumerates ten methods of defense, of which five seem to be central, at least now, decades later, as treatment options have evolved (1): Regression - a reversion to an earlier, safer, less demanding state; repression - a negatively regarded impulse is pushed back into the id, but comes out another way as “some substitute is found for it”; reaction formation - acting the opposite way (e.g. acting happy when feeling sad); projection - a negatively regarded unconscious urge is displaced into the outside world; and sublimation - the expression of an instinctual urge in a socially acceptable way (e.g. taking a walk rather than fighting).
Fifth, the two great instinctual forces are the needs of the id for gratification (the self in the best sense - intensity-quantity is the problem, not the quality in question, per se), and the fear-anxiety that this self will get itself into trouble vis-a-vis its need to be part of the group for its survival and wellbeing. The ego’s task is to find that balance point where it can be true to itself on the one hand while accommodating the demands of group life on the other.
Sixth, seen this way, negative energy (disequilibrium) that comes with various forms of defensive mechanisms doesn’t magically disappear. In a way, as in physics, there’s a conservation of energy thing going on here. The role of therapy is to bring these anxiety motive forces to the surface where they can be acknowledged for what they are and dealt with straight-up. Truth is the key to psychic health, unless of course, the underlying instinctive force is so strong that it has no motivation to do other-regarding behavior if such can be done without negative repercussions for the self.
In reading this, I saw no discussion of transference, which among other roles, could be important as a defense mechanism - for example, if one's anxiety is such, one might transfer its fear to a strong figure to provide the security that is needed.
Freud I think makes a correct characterization of empathy’s negative role when she writes of the adolescent: “His empathy into the mental processes of other people does not prevent him from displaying the most outrageous lack of consideration towards those nearest to him.” In other words, understanding another’s mindset does not equate to caring for that individual. Understanding and caring are, thus, different. This distinction between motive force and the intellectual capacity to regulate it is also made when she writes that “the storms of instinct or affect bore an inverse relation to the subject’s intellectual activity.” She uses sexual impulse to illustrate this point, but then concludes, generally, that “The more passionate his desire to fulfil his instinctual impulses, the less inclination has he as a rule to bring his intellect to bear on them and to examine their basis in reason.” I think extending this line of thought accords with Hume’s observation that passions rule reason - in the sense that motivation precedes and governs reason, and that reason can only regulate passion when motivated by a stronger passion.
The book is not easy to read. She is an uneven writer - not particularly systematic - but I think there is a lot of potency in what she puts forward.
(1) Other defense mechanisms that have moved to the front of therapeutic intervention are: Displacement - taking feelings out on others (e.g., negative feelings toward the boss are expressed onto the wife or children); denial - a negative feeling, Stoic-like, does not exist); suppression - consciously keeping unpleasant information from the conscious mind (versus repression, keeping such information away from the unconscious); intellectualization - processing stress via thought (explaining reasons for such); and rationalization (justifying one’s actions).