escape mechanism

n (Psychoanalysis) psychol any emotional or mental mechanism that enables a person to avoid acknowledging unpleasant or threatening realities. See also escapism

escape′ mech`anism

n. a means of avoiding an unpleasant life situation, as daydreaming. [1930–35]

Thesaurus

Noun

escape mechanism - a form of behavior that evades unpleasant realitiesdodging, escape, evasion - nonperformance of something distasteful (as by deceit or trickery) that you are supposed to do; "his evasion of his clear duty was reprehensible"; "that escape from the consequences is possible but unattractive"

escape mechanism