Denial Needs to Go

Denial is actually a defense mechanism implemented to protect us, to keep the mind solvent in lieu of perceived danger. It’s a form of personalized reframing, neuro-linguistic manipulation meant to increase survivability. Yet many of us turn it into a catalyst which allows us to continue our voluntary journey into perdition.

Denial is the ability to lie to one’s self in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. It is the ability to delude one’s self with reasonable to superb success. Only when denial diminishes does character take root.

And, once again, character is identified and maintained by one’s personal beliefs.

Beliefs are the drawstrings to the soul. They are our underlying perceptions of right and wrong, the pylons which support character. It’s also important to note that contradictory beliefs cannot live harmoniously side by side. One will out-muscle the other and, concerning addicts/alcoholics, denial usually wins out. Forget the fact that your rent is due, or that you’ve experienced another blackout. Forget the fact that you’ve stolen someone’s last bit of money, lied to a loved one, went on another shoplifting spree or gotten into another fight. Forget that your hygiene has slipped, you’ve lost another job or the cops are looking for you. Everything is just fine. All you need to do is get more booze/drugs and everything will be peachy.

That’s exactly how I viewed life for many years. As long as I was within reach of my next bottle everything would somehow be okay. And as the warm sensation of alcohol worked its way through my body, I began to feel that everything was made good.

I feel better now.
Everything will be just fine.

Nothing could have been further from the truth.
Denial needed to go.