What ego defense mechanism is a male patient with short stature using by abusing steroids and being aggressive?

Compensation is the correct answer as it refers to a defense mechanism where an individual attempts to counteract perceived deficiencies or weaknesses in one aspect of their life by emphasizing or excelling in another. In the scenario described, the male patient, who has short stature—a trait that may cause him feelings of inadequacy—uses steroids to enhance his physicality and becomes aggressive, likely to assert dominance or to align with a societal ideal of masculinity and strength. This behavior indicates that he is compensating for his feelings of inferiority related to his height by boosting his physical presence and aggressiveness, thereby trying to balance out what he perceives as a deficit.

In contrast, identification involves associating oneself with a person or group to bolster self-esteem, which does not directly apply here as the patient’s actions seem more focused on personal enhancement rather than aligning with others for self-affirmation. Repression is a mechanism where uncomfortable thoughts or feelings are unconsciously blocked from awareness, often not allowing the individual to confront or engage with the root cause of their issues, but it doesn’t capture the proactive nature of the patient's aggression and steroid use. Introjection is when individuals internalize the beliefs and values of others, potentially shaping their self-image, but this doesn