Being realistically unhappy or distressed helps us to accept the unfortunate events of life and gives us clear direction about what needs to be done. However, there are two ways to avoid the reality of life. One way is through denial. Something bad happens, and we look the other way. We pretend that we don't have a problem when we do.
Denial is like sweeping the problem under the carpet.
It only gets bigger when out of sight. It festers in the dark until it can no longer be ignored and becomes a crisis. It is better to directly face the issue and be realistic, even if it makes you unhappy. Another way of avoiding reality is through exaggeration. This is when you make everything worse than it is.