Mr.Castillo has been admitted to the hospital with severe chest pain and has been diagnosed with myocardial infarction.The patient tells the nurse,"I don't think this is my heart.That spaghetti I ate for lunch tasted a little strange.I think I have food poisoning." What defense mechanism is this patient exhibiting?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient is exhibiting denial, which is a defense mechanism in which an individual avoids accepting the reality of a situation. In this case, the patient is denying that the chest pain is related to a heart attack and instead attributing it to food poisoning, possibly as a way to avoid facing the seriousness of the situation.

MrCastillo Has Been Admitted to the Hospital with Severe Chest