A 14-year-old teenager is demonstrating behavior indicative of an obsessive-compulsive disorder. She is obsessed with her appearance. She will not leave her room until her hair, clothes, and makeup are perfect. She always dresses immaculately. Recently, she expressed disgust over her appearance after she gained 5 lb. After observing a marked weight loss over a 2-week period, her mother suspects that she is experiencing bulimia.
She eats everything on her plate, then runs to the bathroom. In interviewing the teenager, she discusses in great detail all of the events leading to her bulimia, but not her feelings. What defense mechanism is she using?