Denial
Denial is one of the three main psychological defence mechanisms used by human beings to protect their identity. The other two mechanisms are projection and identification.
Denial basically works by the mind refusing to accept something that is quite plain to see.
An example might be someone refusing to accept that a friend of theirs is a back-stabbing bitch, because to do so would mean they have to accept that their own ability to judge another person (possibly a pillar of their identity) is flawed.
Where an important aspect of someone's identity is built on a belief about themselves, such as being better at something than they actually are, then denial may trigger to prevent that structural belief being fundamentally harmed.
Children have been known to experience visual hallucinations (e.g., not seeing something in front of them) to preserve the image of a parent as well-meaning or kind.
Denial tends to be an automatic mental mechanism. It occurs without needing to think about it. This is different to avoidance.
See also
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