What refers to unconscious means used by the ego to defend against anxiety?

The term that refers to the unconscious processes employed by the ego to protect against anxiety is ego defense mechanism. These mechanisms serve as mental strategies that help individuals cope with stress, manage internal conflict, and reduce feelings of anxiety that arise from unconscious motives or experiences. They operate automatically and usually without conscious awareness, allowing individuals to navigate challenging emotional landscapes while preserving a sense of normalcy and psychological stability.

For instance, common defense mechanisms include repression, where unpleasant thoughts are pushed out of conscious awareness, or projection, which involves attributing one's unacceptable feelings onto others. This concept is integral to understanding how individuals interact with their feelings and experiences in a protective manner, often at an unconscious level.

The other terms provided do not encapsulate the broad range of unconscious strategies utilized by the ego. Emotion suppression refers specifically to consciously holding back emotions, which does not embody the same unconscious element as defense mechanisms. Directive counseling is a therapeutic approach that involves guiding clients toward specific conclusions and actions, which is not focused on unconscious defenses. Denial, while a type of defense mechanism, is only one specific instance and does not represent the whole concept of ego defense mechanisms.