I have a name for my problems, it's not all in my head. But what happens following diagnosis may determine just how well you pass or fail in dealing with your health problem. This may lead to denial or refusal to face reality.
Denial is a strategy.
Overdoing is the most common expression of denial and frequently leads to worsening of disease symptoms. Continued denial inhibits the necessary emotional and psychological adapting to arthritis and contributes to a rigid refusal to accept reality. Such denial inhibits a person's ability to revise life in the face of changing circumstances. The results can lead to physical and psychological collapse and dependency, rendering a person passive. This cuts out the ability to cope and take action.