What defense mechanism involves a refusal to accept reality?

Denial is a defense mechanism that involves a refusal to accept reality or facts, allowing individuals to maintain their psychological equilibrium in the face of uncomfortable truths. This defense mechanism is often observed in situations where a person faces anxiety-inducing information, such as the severity of a health condition, the reality of a relationship's end, or the impact of a substance abuse problem. By denying the existence of these realities, individuals can temporarily escape the emotional distress associated with acknowledging them.

In contrast, projection involves attributing one’s unwanted feelings or thoughts to someone else, while repression refers to the unconscious blocking of distressing thoughts from awareness. Displacement is a mechanism where emotional reactions are redirected from the original source to a safer target. Each of these mechanisms serves different psychological functions, but denial specifically focuses on rejecting reality, making it the most fitting choice for this question.