The denial manifests itself in many ways, whether that be refusing to wear a mask or attending large gatherings. Eve Whitmore: Denial is a construct used in psychology to describe how people deal with reality constructs. Mark Whitmore: Denial is a way for people to defend themselves against anxiety. Denial sometimes gets confused with rationalization, which is when people try to explain away or diminish the threat of the source of anxiety. In the case of the pandemic, you could become ill because if you're in denial, you're rationalizing the severity of the situation.

Source: CNN August 16, 2020 07:52 UTC