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Hope is Healthy You are about to go to the hospital for a routine surgical procedure. Which attitude is healthier? A. d better find out everything I can about this operationyou can never know too much. B. Dont tell me the details. Its going to be fine. Answer B is supposed to be the wrong one. Its an example of what psychologists call denial, a defence mechanism that minimizes uncomfortable information. Denial, they have argued, is stupid, self-defeating and ultimately dangerous. But research is showing that answer B is a faster route to recovery. Denialof a certain sort and at certain timescan be healthy. Of course, you do need to pay attention to some unpleasant facts. The trick is to know when its helpful to worry and when its counterproductive. Out-and-out denial may be the best approach to surgery, according to Richard S. Lazarus, professor of psychology at the University of California at Berkeley. With Frances Cohen, Lazarus studied 61 patients about to undergo operations . In general, patients followed one of two mental strategies; avoidance or vigilance. Typically, avoiders had not discussed their surgery in detail with anyone, didnt want to know about it and didnt dwell upon its risks. In contrast, vigilant types were alert to every detail. Many sought out articles about their disorders. They wanted to know the risks of surgery, the risks if surgery was not performed, the surgical procedures, the potential complications and the likelihood of recurrence. | 
