In Denial? Maybe That’s Not Such a Bad Thing

We’ve all heard of denial. Chances are good that you’ve claimed that someone was "in denial" at least a few times. Moreover, you’ve probably been in denial about something, whether it was your finances, your health or a romantic relationship. Psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud believed that denial was an important defense mechanism used to protect the ego. According to an interesting article in the New York Times, denial isn’t just a fact of life; it’s actually a necessary part of relationships.

Denial can certainly become destructive, especially in situations involving unhealthy behaviors and habits, but recent research has found that denial also plays an important role in our social lives.

"The psychological tricks that people use to ignore a festering problem in their own households are the same ones that they need to live with everyday human dishonesty and betrayal, their own and others’. And it is these highly evolved abilities, research suggests, that provide the foundation for that most disarming of all human invitations, forgiveness."

Read More: “Denial Makes the World Go Round”| The New York Times

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