In psychoanalytic theory, altruism is classified as a mature defense mechanism, in which a person manages inner conflict or distress by turning it into constructive service to others, gaining real personal satisfaction from helping rather than simply suppressing the underlying feeling. Mature defenses such as altruism, humor, and sublimation are considered the healthiest coping style in the psychoanalytic hierarchy of defenses because they let a person acknowledge and work with a difficult impulse instead of denying or distorting it.
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