Denial protects one from having to incorporate what has been learned into one's life.
One can treat the news like a thing apart, like a possibility, similar to a meteor landing on your head or being struck by lightning. For those who do not duck the issues, there is an adjustment period. One looks around, seeing the sunny day, the smiling faces, the usual empty chatter on the newscasts, and no longer feels one can relate to this . Yet all the loved ones are living in this world. The terrible future one contemplates stares at one from afar, but each day draws closer.