Written by: Brian Cho
Artwork by: Uee Jung
Freud once postulated that denial is a frequently used defense mechanism to cope with both physical and emotional burdens. While many of his ideas have long been disproven, denial maintains a prominent role in modern psychology, taking a prominent role as the first in the five stages of grief. In this article, however, I will be exploring whether denial or any form of distraction are effective measures to cope with undue stress.
Denial can be defined as when one rejects the notion that a certain tragedy, a stressful situation, or a crisis occured and rather lives on with a fabricated point of view that said calamity never transpired in the first place. As mentioned, it is a segment of the five stages of grief that may occur regardless of choice. It is a coping mechanism that is used to deal with forms of stress, typically that lie in the extreme end subjective to an individualistic perception, and prevent any thought of the stressor every occuring,
However, the primary focus is whether denial can be used as an effective coping mechanism if it is done on an intentional basis. Whether or not an individual could use forced rejection of a stressful event. In response to an article medically reviewed by Akeem Marsh, a board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist, denial in small doses may be beneficial as it may provide an individual with some time to comprehend the status quo at hand and allow you to unconsciously recognize about the change that had occurred. Furthermore, it prevents oneself from worrying excessively, a factor that may greatly harm an individual’s health and psychology.
However, while the concept of denial itself is a natural response to stressful situations, doing so in the long term is an ultimately baneful choice that would likely degrade an individual’s life in the long term. According to Psychology Today, denial that takes place for extensive periods of time may delay and prevent an individual from taking action in fixing a crisis or problem, causing him or her to cause further emotional burden in the future and may even eliminate the experience of emotional catharsis from overcoming whatever hurdle that caused them to express denial in the first place. Furthermore, persistent denial will result in no growth whatsoever, preventing the individual from achieving a superior life in the long term.
While it is a tempting option to merely escape the horrors of whatever reality presents with us, denying what actually occurred for too long is undoubtedly dangerous to our wellbeing. It is important for us to deal with our problems, big or strong, and compel ourselves to face the music.
Work Cited
Cherry, Kendra. “What Does It Mean When Someone Is in Denial?” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 29 May 2021, https://www.verywellmind.com/denial-as-a-defense-mechanism-5114461.
“Denial.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/denial.
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