Denial Ain't A River In Egypt

At long last I'm back, doing what I love (making fun of others) and I'm ready to enlighten the mind, stimulate the senses and tickle the ivories. (Okay, I don't play piano but I've always loved that line.) The subject I have picked upon my triumphant return to blogging is, denial. This is the first obstacle we must overcome to accomplish any self-help program. No matter the scheme, it all starts with denying denial.



Those in need of serious help can usually be seen cuddling with their favorite excuse. "I can quit whenever I want." "I'm not hurting anyone." and "I need this to get through the day." This leads to more serious stages of this deadly problem like, "Chocolate dipped, deep fried Twinkies aren't that bad for me." which leads to the worse case of all. "The Cubs aren't that bad this year, I mean, they got a shot, right?" Followed by thumb sucking in the fetal position. Don't worry folks, the problem can be cured. Well, at least all but the that last guy, he's a goner.

According to Freud's kid Anna, there are three types of denial.

Simple Denial - which means you deny the fact altogether. This is a skill bred through centuries until mastered today by a species often referred to as, politicians.

Minimization - Admit the fact but deny the seriousness of it. "I can't believe you're wearing the same dress as Jenny to the reception." "So what, it looks as good on me as it does her." " But, she's the bride."

Projection - Admit both the fact and seriousness but deny responsibility. "It was the dog honey, honest." "The dog ran away 4 years ago."

The tendency to deny is natural, but sometimes it can be helpful.