self-protection
Keeping yourself safe
Self-protection is action taken to defend oneself from harm or threat.
The term covers physical defense, legal safeguards, and psychological boundaries alike: She carried pepper spray for self-protection, The witness invoked self-protection under the Fifth Amendment.
Unlike self-defense, which typically implies responding to an attack, self-protection emphasizes preventive measures.
Acute threat reaction
- reflexInvoluntary stimulus response
- startleFrighten suddenly
- adrenalineEmergency response hormone
- warinessCautious distrust
alertness · vigilance · avoidance · fear · intuition · hypervigilance · flinch · recoil
Lines marking separation
- assertivenessConfident self-expression quality
- detachmentSeparation or emotional uninvolvement
- compartmentalizationDivision into distinct sections
- denialRefusal to accept reality
rationalization · deflection · distancing · guarding · withdrawal · coping
Preventive safety measure
- securityProtection from threat
- alarmUrgent warning signal
- lockMechanism requiring a key
- barrierObstruction preventing passage
buffer · insurance · safeguard · prevention · backup · contingency · firewall · encryption
Handheld defensive armor
- armorProtective combat covering
- guardWatchful defensive attention
- blockSolid mass, or impede
- parryDefensive blade deflection
deflect · counter · repel · barricade · fortify · resist · deter · retaliate
State of being equipped
- emergencySerious sudden danger
- shelterProtected place or structure
- rationingLimiting distribution during scarcity
- foragingSeeking wild food sources
camouflage · endurance · resilience · resourcefulness · perseverance · evacuation · stockpiling · bunker
fight-or-flight
Acute threat reaction
- reflexInvoluntary stimulus response
- startleFrighten suddenly
- adrenalineEmergency response hormone
wariness · alertness · vigilance · avoidance · fear · intuition · hypervigilance · flinch · recoil · suspicion
boundaries
Lines marking separation
- assertivenessConfident self-expression quality
- detachmentSeparation or emotional uninvolvement
- compartmentalizationDivision into distinct sections
denial · rationalization · deflection · distancing · guarding · withdrawal · coping
precaution
Preventive safety measure
barrier · buffer · insurance · safeguard · prevention · backup · contingency · firewall · encryption · password
shield
Handheld defensive armor
parry · deflect · counter · repel · barricade · fortify · resist · deter · retaliate · martial-arts
preparedness
State of being equipped
- emergencySerious sudden danger
- shelterProtected place or structure
- rationingLimiting distribution during scarcity
foraging · camouflage · endurance · resilience · resourcefulness · perseverance · evacuation · stockpiling · bunker · escape
- self-defensemartial arts, karate, pepper spray, defensive force, reasonable force
- defense mechanismsdenial, projection, repression, suppression, displacement
- Self-help remediespersonal defense
- cautioncareful, be careful, cautious, caution, watch out
- warinesscaution, wariness, guardedness, vigilance, watchfulness
- boundariesboundary, boundary line, borders, border, edges
self-protectionrecklessness
Careless disregard for danger
carelessness · reckless abandon · throwing caution to the wind · foolhardiness · heedlessness
self-protectionself-sacrifice
Surrendering for others' benefit
self-abnegation · martyrdom · altruism · selflessness · self-denial
self-protectionself-harm
Deliberately damaging one's body
self-destruction · self-injury · self-sabotage · self-mutilation · self-abuse
self, protect, protection, protective, protector, unprotected, protections, protectors, protectorate