💗🙏💫🕊️ Cognitive Dissonance is real... I get it, its so so hard because we have all been lied to and brainwashed on every level our whole entire life... I am just so grateful I am a free thinker and I dont suffer from this... all we can do is hold gentleness and compassion for those who do.... they are going to need us more than ever very very soon.💗🙏💫🕊️

Cognitive dissonance is technically when you already hold two strong opposite beliefs. For example, often teens hold the belief that they should wait to be intimate until marriage, based on Biblical teaching AND they believe they should be intimate to show “love.” I believe what you are describing is hardcore denial based on ego demanding they maintain their core beliefs, come what may. Cognitive dissonance happens once they embrace the truth but still believe the opposite strongly. As a therapist, I see this often, although, unfortunately, I cannot ethically insert my views. ❤️