A patient admitted to an alcoholism rehabilitation program says, "I'm just a social drinker. I usually have a drink or two at brunch, a few cocktails in the afternoon, wine at dinner, and several drinks during the evening." The patient is using which defense mechanism?

A) Rationalization
B) Introjection
C) Projection
D) Denial

Defense Mechanism

Psychological strategies unconsciously adopted by individuals to protect themselves from anxiety and to manage emotional conflicts and stress.

Rationalization

The cognitive process of justifying behaviors or feelings with seemingly logical reasons, often avoiding the true reasons.

Introjection

Introjection is a psychological process by which an individual unconsciously adopts the ideas, values, or attitudes of others as their own.