DYSFUNCTIONAL SERIES: ARTICLE 5: DENIAL

Denial of own feelings is one of the characteristics of victims and abusers/persecutors. Acting responsibly according to feelings is the first step to address individual needs.
When these needs are not met unpleasant feelings surface, but these unpleasant emotions can be changed through addictions which give a temporary high.
Here are some examples of addictions:
drugs/alcohol/smoking
work
dieting
food
exercise
love
sex
gambling
hobbies, etc
Here is one definition of addiction: compulsive behaviours or use of substances to alter feelings leading to chronic neurobiological changes, difficulty stopping and difficulty not seeking to increase the addictive substance use or behaviours.
It is easy to see that for example to remove the feelings of anxiety about something can lead to addictive behaviour or substance misuse.
Eventually, things get worse for the addict, needs are still not met, other people are victimized. Victim turns into a victim persecutor and guilt is used for control of others. Poor self esteem can arise from low achievement as the result of not acting responsibly on own feelings and as the result of persecution and abuse at the hands of others.
Here are some examples:
1. Feelings of anger arise when we encounter injustice. The option open to individual is to change expectations and give up, accept the world as it is and watch TV, do household tasks and what boss and everybody else tells him/her. Another option is to use energy of anger to attack injustice and make a world a better place. Big changes in our society do happen because people had used their anger constructively.
2. Sadness can arise as the result of loss or anticipated loss. Before being able to address sadness many have to address feelings of guilt which may not be justified at all. After sadness has been faced, there is need to acknowledge hurt, after that anger and after that fear needs to be addressed. Feelings change from one to another.
People progress through different stages with different degree of ability to cope. Taking responsibility for own feelings and needs, and subsequent actions is easier than taking responsibility for own beliefs.
Political and religious dogma is one example of the belief system onto which people can hang irrespective of what damage it causes them or other people. State institutions reflect those beliefs, hold onto them or fail to address them through individuals who work there and whose responsibility is to address them. Thus, what may start as individual problem in addressing the needs of the patients or doctors to provide for those needs, becomes a "system problem". In situations where laws already exist to prevent victimization, individual still depends on those institutions to protect the rule of the law and not the rule of the mob BY ABUSING THE POWER OF DECISION MAKER.
After many years of stress some people give up exhausted and unable to defend themselves any longer.
Some people leave early and let others fix the problem that gave rise to the initial feelings of e.g. dissatisfaction.
There are people who never give up. They have positive regard for themselves and believe that eventually other people will be able to help them make the world a better place.

Doctors have a very high risk of being victimized as by nature their job is to take responsibility for the feelings of their patients. In situations where they are obstructed or prevented from doing their job, stress arises and risk of addictions is high.

Expressing one's feelings as in whistleblowing in UK results in persecution and almost all whistleblowers are forced to leave their chosen career. This reflects social dysfunctionality beyond that of an individual.