In addiction, denial can prevent someone from recognizing the severity of their substance use. But denial doesn't necessarily disappear when substance use stops. In fact, some of the most dangerous forms of denial can emerge during recovery.
A person may acknowledge that they had a problem but begin to believe they are "cured." They may minimize their need for ongoing support, underestimate their vulnerability to relapse, or convince themselves that their substance use didn't really affect the people around them. These beliefs can quietly undermine recovery before the person recognizes what is happening.
Understanding Denial
Denial isn't always intentional, and it isn't simply lying to yourself or others. Sometimes it allows us to temporarily cope with information we aren't ready to face. The problem occurs when denial keeps us from seeing something important enough to require action.
Drawing from the work of Terence T. Gorski, I help clients learn to recognize common denial blocks, understand how they operate, and develop practical ways to work through them. Rather than simply telling you that you're in denial, we'll explore what may be getting in the way of seeing the situation clearly.