A patient is undergoing diagnostic tests. The patient says, “Nothing is wrong with me except a stubborn chest cold.” The spouse reports that the patient smokes, coughs daily, has recently lost 15 pounds, and is easily fatigued. Which defense mechanism is the patient using?
Projection
Regression
Denial
Displacement
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A reason: Projection involves attributing one’s issues to others, not ignoring symptoms. The patient’s dismissal of serious symptoms, like weight loss, suggests denial, not projection. These symptoms may indicate physiological issues, not psychological attribution, making projection incorrect for this defense mechanism.
Choice B reason: Regression involves reverting to childish behaviors, not ignoring symptoms. The patient’s claim of a minor cold despite weight loss and fatigue reflects denial, not regression. These symptoms suggest a serious condition, not immature coping, making this an incorrect defense mechanism.
Choice C reason: Denial involves refusing to acknowledge serious symptoms, like weight loss and fatigue, which may indicate a medical condition. By attributing them to a minor cold, the patient avoids reality, a common defense in stress-related cortisol spikes, making this the correct mechanism.
Choice D reason: Displacement redirects emotions to another target, not ignoring symptoms. The patient’s minimization of serious health issues, like fatigue, reflects denial, not redirected feelings. This mechanism is unrelated to dismissing physical symptoms, making it incorrect for the described behavior.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A reason: Buspirone enhances serotonin activity, taking weeks to reduce anxiety. Panic attacks, driven by acute norepinephrine surges in the amygdala, require rapid intervention. Buspirone’s delayed onset makes it ineffective for acute symptom relief, unlike fast-acting options targeting immediate neurochemical imbalances.
Choice B reason: Venlafaxine, an SNRI, increases serotonin and norepinephrine over weeks, unsuitable for acute panic attacks. Panic involves rapid sympathetic activation, requiring immediate GABA enhancement or similar fast-acting mechanisms, not gradual reuptake inhibition, making venlafaxine incorrect for rapid relief.
Choice C reason: Imipramine, a tricyclic, modulates serotonin and norepinephrine but takes weeks to act. Acute panic, driven by locus coeruleus norepinephrine spikes, needs immediate relief. Imipramine’s slow onset and side effects make it inappropriate for rapid intervention in acute anxiety episodes.
Choice D reason: Alprazolam, a benzodiazepine, enhances GABA-A receptor activity, rapidly inhibiting excessive neural firing in the amygdala during panic attacks. This provides quick relief from acute anxiety symptoms, like tachycardia, within minutes, making it the correct choice for immediate neurobiological stabilization in panic episodes.
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: Denying problems reflects resistance, typical in the orientation phase, where trust is not yet established. Anger management, linked to amygdala-driven impulsivity, requires a therapeutic alliance. This statement indicates avoidance, not readiness for the working phase’s collaborative problem-solving.
Choice B reason: Questioning therapy’s value shows skepticism, common in the orientation phase. The working phase involves active goal-setting, like managing anger tied to serotonin dysregulation. This statement reflects a lack of engagement, not the transition to collaborative therapeutic work, making it incorrect.
Choice C reason: Expressing a goal to manage anger indicates readiness for the working phase, where collaborative problem-solving occurs. Anger, linked to amygdala hyperactivity and serotonin deficits, requires active intervention. This statement shows commitment to addressing neurobiological issues, marking the transition to the working phase.
Choice D reason: Difficulty discussing problems reflects orientation phase challenges, where trust is building. The working phase involves active engagement, like addressing anger’s neurobiological basis. This statement indicates discomfort, not readiness for collaborative work, making it incorrect for the phase transition.
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