denial /de·ni·al/ (dĭ-ni´il) in psychiatry, a defense mechanism in which the existence of unpleasant internal or external realities is kept out of conscious awareness.
denial
denial
de·ni·al (d -n   l)n. An unconscious defense mechanism characterized by refusal to acknowledge painful realities, thoughts, or feelings. |
denial
[dinī′əl]
Etymology: L, denegare, to negate
1 refusal or restriction of something requested, claimed, or needed, often causing physical or emotional deficiency.
2 an unconscious defense mechanism in which emotional conflict and anxiety are avoided by refusal to acknowledge those thoughts, feelings, desires, impulses, or facts that are consciously intolerable.
denial
Psychiatry A primitive–ego defense–mechanism by which a person unconsciously negates the existence of a disease or other stress-producing reality in his environment, by disavowing thoughts, feelings, wishes, needs, or
external reality factors that are consciously intolerable. See In denial.
How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
| ?Page tools | ||
|---|---|---|
|