Are You in Denial?
In 1983, Prochaska and DiClemente developed the Stages of Change model, which describes the different stages a person goes through as they attempt to make significant changes. The model includes six well-defined stages that people move through as they work to change a target behavior.
Let’s address stage one, Precontemplation – failing to recognize the need for change. We are in denial. Denial is a defense mechanism in which an individual refuses to recognize or acknowledge objective facts or experiences. It’s an unconscious process that protects the person from discomfort or anxiety.
Think of a child with a mouth full of crumbs who denies eating a cookie. Or the long-term substance abuser who says, “I can stop any time. I just don’t want to.” Or the heavy drinker who says, “I don’t have a problem. I can still function on my job.” Or, “I’ll just eat one.”
A Consumer Reports survey found that Americans are in denial about their weight. There is a disconnect between what people believe and what the numbers show.
Sometimes denial is based on insufficient knowledge or misinformation. For a reality check, people should check the ingredients in their food and track food consumption. According to the survey, 60 percent said they eat the recommended five or more servings of fruit and vegetables daily or most days. But that’s not supported by data. People may mistakenly think that fruit drinks and gummy snacks are healthy.
And most people are confused about what a portion looks like. We tend to under-portion the good stuff and over-portion the bad stuff.
Additionally, we are confused about what constitutes a healthy diet. There are thousands of diets, each with its own goals and food restrictions.
Steve Rose, Ph.D., is an addiction counselor and former academic researcher who wrote, “8 Types of Denial in Addiction,” (https://steverosephd.com/8-types-of-denial-in-addiction).
He says, “When someone with an addiction is in denial, their mind creates a system of rationalizations, justifying their harmful behaviors. The human mind has an extraordinary ability to produce reasons to make us feel better about our behavior.”
I’m adapting his types of denial here to address obesity.
Mental filtering occurs when someone selectively focuses on certain positive or negative aspects of an event, magnifying certain elements and minimizing others.
Example: Food calms me when I’m stressed, and I’ve had a bad day.
Optimism bias consists of an unrealistic belief that things will work out, and one will not experience negative consequences.
Example: I can eat this bag of cookies and I’ll exercise later.
Control fallacies make someone overestimate or underestimate the level of control they have over a situation.
Example: I can lose weight if I want to. But I don’t want to. Or, I have no control, so why try?
Normalizing is another way of maintaining an optimism bias, diminishing a sense of personal responsibility.
Example: It’s normal to eat like this in America.
Externalizing responsibility consists of not taking responsibility and blaming others instead.
Example: I can’t diet when my husband brings junk food into the house.
Avoidance in the short-term causes further long-term distress.
Example: What I don’t see can’t hurt me.
Minimization consists of psychologically diminishing the severity of an issue.
Example: It could be worse.
I know that I went to great lengths to maintain denial about my obesity. I wouldn’t look at myself in a full-length mirror and refused to get on a scale. I even told myself that extra weight plumped out my wrinkles, making me look younger.
But I paid a price for denial. I struggled with acid reflux regularly, and I suffered from gallstones until I finally had surgery to remove it. Denial can be dangerous if we ignore potentially life-threatening conditions that could be treated. Therefore, we need to be honest, at least to ourselves.
I challenge you to consider whether you are in denial. Complete the sentence:
“If I’m being honest, __________.”
“Therefore, I will __________.”