Why do we live in denial when it doesn’t pay?
When confronted with the question of denial, most of us would like to believe that we do so with good reason.
One can successfully even argue in favour of denial and suggest that it is good for us.
I agree with this point of view to the extent that living in denial in the early stages can help us cope with the situation and process the information.
However, where denial becomes a real issue it is important to recognise and deal with it. As consequences of not doing so can be very grim indeed.
To find out whether we are living in denial we can begin by asking three basic questions:
- Do we really acknowledge the difficulties presented by the situation that we are denying?
- Are we able to face the facts about the situation being denied or do we tend to ignore it?
- Finally, do we underplay and dismiss altogether the situation being denied?
Once we have truly reflected on these questions, we would be able to deal effectively with denial.
Dealing with denial is not about how effectively we convince others about the situation but rather ourselves.
Only when we are able to take a dispassionate view about the situation being denied we can find the resolve to do something about it.
I’m sure we can think of a number of examples where people were in denial have successfully moved past it.
Equally, there are countless examples of situations where we find to be stuck in denial.
One such situation that affects us all is our response to climate change and how we adapt to it.
Needless to say, the most vulnerable in our society find it the hardest while others continue to deny and dismiss the issue altogether.
On a positive note, you may want to find out how people with disabilities who are one of the most vulnerable groups in our society are adapting to climate change and doing their bit to build resilient communities in Gadag District of North Karnataka. To access details about this select the link at the end of this blog. So, finally, I will let you be the judge of whether it is better to live in denial or face up to it
and take action to remedy the situation which is the cause for the denial in the first place!
Love to hear from you.
Awarded by Guidestar India