Articles
Denial: When it helps, when it hurts
Content
Understanding denial and its purpose
When denial can be helpful
When denial can be harmful
Moving past denial
When a loved one needs help moving beyond denial
Content
If you're in denial, you're trying to protect yourself by refusing to accept the truth about something that's happening in your life.
In some cases, initial short-term denial can be a good thing, giving you time to adjust to a painful or stressful issue. It might also be a precursor to making some sort of change in your life. But denial has a dark side. Find out when denial is unhealthy and how to move past it.