DenialSo you don't think you're an alcoholic. Chances are you are not, but that is the thinking of many who are unknowingly addicted to alcohol or other mind-altering agents. This barrier of denial is the first of many obstacles to overcome when identifying an addictive disorder. While outright denial is not bad in most cases, addicts are often the last to recognize their illness, pursuing their addiction into mental illness, degeneration of health, and ultimately death. This article will explain the concept of denial, its consequences, and the implications it has for nursing. Review of literature and background knowledge What is denial? Dr. Hilary Knatz, author of Getting On, states that “Rejection is a way of dealing with unpleasant realities” (Knatz, 1999). He then goes on to explain that: Denial, in psychological/psychiatric jargon, is a defensive strategy to minimize anxiety. It is defined and conceptualized in several ways, which differ depending on the theory. In classical Freudian terms, denial is a defense mechanism invoked by a person when there is danger that he or she will become aware of or act on primitive unconscious impulses that are unacceptable. We defend ourselves from such impulses, it is said, by unconsciously limiting our awareness of them, or perhaps by attributing them to others. A homicidal rage, for example, may be repressed or obscured from our awareness, or it may be attributed to others (p. 2). The Oxford English Dictionary defines negation as “the assertion (of anything) as false or invalid; also, the denial of the existence or reality of a thing” (Simpson & Weiner, 1989). Sometimes denial can be constructive and adaptive, according to R. Davidhizar, V...... middle of paper ..... Individual and political dysfunctions in the Thomas-Hill hearings. Journal of Psychohistory, 19, 269-279. Davidhizar, R., Poole, V., Giger, J. N., & Henderson, M. (1998). When your patient uses denial. Journal of Practical Nursing, 48, 10-14.McCracken, A. L. (1998). Healthy People 2000: Aging and alcohol. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 24, 37-43. Simpson, J. A. & Weiner, E. S. C. (1989). Denial. In the Oxford English Dictionary (Vol. 4, p. 456). Taunton, MS: Clarendon Press.Knatz, H. (1999). Go out. [Online]. Available: http://www.awa.com/w2/getting_on/go-3.9.html. US Department of Health and Human Services. (1994). Signs of Effectiveness 2: Preventing Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use: A Risk Factor/Resilience Approach (DHHS Publication No. 94-2098, pages 93-94). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Publications.