Freud theorized that people's brains unconsciously come up with ways to cope with certain situations. Some of these ways include things that can be as simple as acting out, humor, and denial. Projection (pushing one's own inappropriate or unwanted thoughts onto others), sublimation (turning inappropriate thoughts into acceptable actions), passive aggression (indirectly expressing one's anger), and fantasy (resorting to fantasy or false realities) are also all forms of defense mechanisms.
Karev has been accused of being insensitive and rude multiple times, when it really just seems to be his go-to defense mechanism whenever he goes through a traumatic experience or even just when his life gets more stressful. Mark Sloan used to resorts to acting out, but usually more in a sexual way then an aggressive way. He would constantly find new doctors, interns, or co-workers to bring home as his way to cope with his problems. Meredith has had many different defense mechanisms, but she has commonly resorted to passive aggression, especially toward her best friend, Christina Yang.
Altruism is a high concern for other's well being, or focusing on the problems of others. In a sense, all of the doctors at Seattle Grace use this defense mechanism in addition to their own personal ways of coping. Whenever their lives get stressful or overwhelming, they tend to delve deeper into their work and focus more than usual on their patients. Sometimes they even become emotionally unstable when their patients don't make it, or when they can't seem to solve their problems or figure out what the diagnosis should be.
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