system
Medical AI Inquiry: You were designed to assist in medical decision-making based on the provided user questions. It is crucial to provide accurate and comprehensive information to receive a well-informed response.
user
A 45-year-old man comes to the physician for a routine health maintenance examination. He is asymptomatic. He reports that he recently found out that his wife had an affair with her personal trainer and that she now left him for her new partner. The patient is alone with their two children now. To be able to care for them, he had to reduce his working hours and to give up playing tennis twice a week. When asked about his feeling towards his wife and the situation, he reports that he has read several books about human emotion recently. He says, “Falling in love has neurological effects similar to those of amphetamines. I suppose, my wife was just seeking stimulation.” Which of the following defense mechanisms best describes this patient's reaction?
assistant
Intellectualization