Review Question - QID 210815

A 24-year-old man is brought to the emergency room by the police after a fall. The patient smells of alcohol and is slurring his words. Obtaining collateral reveals that he has recently been fired from his job as a salesperson for months of tardiness and poor performance. The police also reported that his girlfriend, who was there at the time of the fall, mentioned that the patient had been struggling with alcohol for at least 1 year. His temperature is 98.6°F (37°C), blood pressure is 111/65 mmHg, pulse is 70/min, respirations are 15/min, and oxygen saturation is 98% on room air. Upon physical examination, the patient becomes agitated and starts yelling. He accuses his ex-boss of being a cocaine addict and says he couldn’t keep up sales percentages compared to someone using cocaine. Which of the following psychiatric defense mechanisms is the patient demonstrating?