Abstract

This paper investigates the correlation between defence mechanisms and other parameters of addiction (age, gender, marital and work status, type of addiction, and length and severity of addiction). Research findings have shown that dominant defence mechanisms in addicts are apathetic withdrawal, devaluation, denial, repression, projection, project identification and rationalization. These results also showed that there are differences in all of the above-mentioned parameters. In women, addiction develops considerably less often than in men, but when addiction develops it has a heavier form (more often, immature defence mechanisms are present). Alcohol and gambling addictions are more associated with repression, rationalization, denial and projection, and addiction to drugs and the internet with apathetic withdrawal, devaluation and projective identification. Further research on defence mechanisms in addicts will significantly contribute to further progress in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.