Self-denial

There are two meanings of the term self-denial.

The first is common, literal sense; the act of refusing to recognize unpleasant facts even when presented by one's self. This concept has been suggested to be involved in the development and maintenance of various psychopathological conditions, and is generally understood to be a mental process with negative implications..This is a particular form of [[denial

A separate, traditional meaning (also called self-abnegation and self-sacrifice) refers to altruistic abstinence - the willingness to forego personal pleasures or undergo personal trials in the pursuit of the increased good of another. Various religions and cultures take differing views of self-denial, some considering it a positive trait and others considering it a negative one. According to some Christians, self-denial is considered a superhuman virtue only obtainable through Jesus. Some critics of self-denial suggest that self-denial can lead to self-hatred and claim that the self-denial practiced in Judaism has created self-hating Jews.