Reaction formation is an unconscious defense mechanism where someone behaves in a way that is contrary to their true feelings to suppress them. It can be caused by fear, social unacceptability, or consequences. It can be undone through therapy to explore and deal with the underlying emotions.
Reaction formation is a type of defense mechanism in which someone unconsciously redirects id energies to hide true feelings, with the goal of overcoming or suppressing those feelings so they cannot manifest. Like other defense mechanisms, reaction formation is not a conscious choice, with the person choosing to try to suppress wishes, desires, or beliefs. Instead, it is the mind’s attempt to protect itself, and it is done without conscious action. It can even backfire quite spectacularly in some cases.
In reaction formation, someone experiences a craving or desire and behaves in a way that is contrary to that. This may be because the person is afraid of the desire, feels it is socially unacceptable, or is concerned about the consequences of acting on it. Sometimes, the reasons for this defense mechanism are not fully understood and can be extremely complex. Intense emotions such as love, hate, greed, anger, jealousy and bitterness can be involved in forming the reaction.
A simple example of reactive training can be seen in many schools. A child who likes a child of a different gender might be mean to the object of interest, expressing hatred when the child actually experiences the opposite feeling. This also occurs among adults and is often characterized by the same exaggerated or excessive behavior. Many people have been to people who are overly nice to hide dislike, for example, or who act seemingly altruistic to mask greed.
The emotions behind the formation of the reaction can be extremely intense and can get stronger over time. People may become fixated on their emotional responses because persistent denial of their feelings becomes harder to maintain. This is something to keep in mind when interacting with someone who seems unusually emotional about something; someone who loudly and vehemently rails against homosexuality, for example, may experience this phenomenon.
It is possible to undo the reaction-forming work, usually through therapy sessions. The therapist can help the patient explore the reasons behind the intensity of sensation and reaction and assist the patient in dealing with the deeply internal feelings that drive the reaction. People may find this process intense and uncomfortable, but the end result can be better emotional health and the ability to take more pleasure in life by exploring or at least acknowledging internal desires instead of trying to subvert them.
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