Defense mechanisms

Freud delineated several defense mechanisms humans invoke to deal with bad stuff. The most popular is denial or perhaps repression. My defense mechanism of choice is rationalization. I sometimes rationalize things, whether they be good or bad.

Example: Someone gives me props for a job well done.
Me: "Oh no, I hardly did anything. If it weren't for Jane and pure luck, I wouldn't have been able to get this done."

Another example: I get a bad grade on an exam because I suck at the subject.
Me: "I was feeling sick that day, the professor hates me and I didn't even study that much."

Now in the dating context, rationalization is very versatile. Combined with an active imagination, it can do wonders to keep the ego in check or assuage the ego when traumatized.

Example: A guy likes me.
Me: "He is on crack." / "He is drunk." / "He is on crack and is drunk."

Another example: A guy hasn't called me for fifteen days and counting.
Me: "His [insert family member] probably died." / "He is really really busy with work." / "His cell phone is broken or stolen." / "A car hit him on his way to work and he is bleeding on the side of the road with no one to help him." / "He is dead."

Indeed, defense mechanisms are useful things. Unfortunately they can only last for so long. Then we're forced to confront the very thing the mechanism was protecting us from. All of a sudden the amusing one-liners and improbable explanations dissipate; and in their wake they leave behind nothing but pain, pure and raw and unbearable.