You can't handle the truth!

Hopefully, Jack Nicholsen is ringing in your ears. We all have something to hide. We hide certain facts and realities to save drama, hurt feelings, to deny reality, and to avoid conflict. Come on, you know it is true!  How many times has a friend asked you if they looked fat? Come on-they looked fat!  Admit it! Ok, I admit it -I looked fat but God help you if you say I did! Or maybe someone has asked you if you could see their gray or age lines. Don't go there! Those are trick questions, right?


What are you lying to yourself right now about? Are you avoiding guilty puddles? The strongest denial is self denial. We have all suffered from it. Our love doesn't feel the same about us anymore but your denial says your relationship is perfect. In fact, he bought you roses last week. Patrick Dempsy is a wife beater compared to your love, right? Self denial has the ability to become a mirage. You can feel, taste, see, and hear it. Self denial it is the worst chronic condition.


Self denial was my best friend for over ten years. It got closer to me at times than my husband. It lied to me and comforted me and helped lies pour out of my mouth.  It was strong and filled my ego. It was always by my side.  At most times, it help dry my many guilty puddles and saved me from destructive behaviors. I think it was my self denial that saved me from echoing Nicholas Cage's behavior in "Leaving Las Vegas".  

Have you ever been in denial about anything? Are you always truthful? Has being truthful always been easy? It is also interesting to know, who's truth is it? Truth in your eyes or truth from other people?
How do you know the truth is valid and can be proven?

Well, my denial is short. I avoided the truth because I could not handle it. I still can't and neither can other people in my life. I think my reaction to my issue is not unusual. I don't think anyone else would of faced it either. How have you reacted when you heard troubling news? How do you deal with hard truths? Please share your story as a comment below.

 I denied what was happening me like an alcoholic denies drinking daily or a drug user only does drugs on the weekends. I, too, did not want to face facts. I have MS. I had MS. I will always have MS. No, I don't have IBS like the doctors told me. I had MS. No, I wasn't born with short ureters and no, I did not need surgery. I had MS.  I was not tired because I was lazy. I had MS. Denial looked so good like a cold Pepsi after pulling weeds on a hot day. Denial had the angels singing behind it and promised success, love, and constant acceptance. Denial made me feel safe. Denial made everyone else in my life feel better about me. Denial kept worry away and gave me happiness. Denial gave me control.


Is there something in your life that is left best as a secret or is there a fact that can stay hidden in order to protect others? Don't you wish that certain truth came with warning labels?

 Warning! The information you are about to hear may or may not be true. It all depends on what you about to believe. It is considered hurtful and it is not recommended that you share it with others (or at home). Those with medical conditions and those that are too young to hear certain facts should leave the room. Enjoy the discussion and you may not want to live with the truth at home. The following information should stay in denial.

What information would go great with this warning?


So there are people who can not handle the truth. I could not handle the reality of a chronic condition and the world doesn't know how to handle me either. So what is the best approach?  How is it best to handle someone who deals with physical issues daily? Do loved ones really need to know how bad it is?  How can people understand that things can change like by the hour? How do you let people know that you are learning how to deal with new challenges and so should they?


So I fell this weekend. I was walking in 100 degree temperature and trying to make it appear that I had a normal nervous system and I was a normal baseball mom. Denial! So I feel face first, no bend in the knees or anything and lo and behold knocked the wind out of myself.  People in the outside world, do not know about MS. Strangers wanted to call an ambulance, give me water, and most of all panic. I just wanted to crawl into a hole.


Family want the best for me and find it hard to hear the debilitating symptoms. I have trouble telling them because really, what can they do? Besides, denial is on my side and it is not that bad right? My son that to me this weekend too. I thought I was losing the ability to write and the ugly truth behind my denial was peeking its head out and I began to cry in front of my kids. Later, I found a note from my son saying "it could be worse!" I can't handle the truth but at times, I feel it is the worst compared to when I was in control or when I was in denial.


What are you in denial about? Is it doing you good? It helped me get a great career, have two terrific kids, and start a graduate degree. Denial isn't all bad I guess. I at times, can't handle the truth, don't want to tell the truth, or live in the truth. Can you relate? Please comment.