Denial

Denial appears whenever reality becomes difficult to stay with. It is not tied to a single phase or moment, but arises in response to strain, fear, or overwhelm. This chapter holds the experiences where attention shifts just enough to make something feel manageable again.

The moments in this chapter are often subtle. They can feel reasonable, even helpful – like relief, reassurance, or the sense that something has resolved itself. Denial rarely feels like avoidance while it is happening. More often, it takes the form of explanation, postponement, or a quiet certainty that something no longer needs to be examined.

These terms approach denial without judgment. They recognize it as a common human response to pressure, one that can exist alongside sincerity and effort. Denial moves in and out of experience as needed, leaving few clear edges behind; this chapter simply records where it appears, without fixing it to a place in time.