Final answer:
Avoiding problems can sometimes be an adaptive coping mechanism but often leads to unresolved issues and potential long-term consequences. Situations such as the bystander effect in emergencies, ethical dilemmas in medicine, and prisoner's dilemmas in conflict scenarios illustrate the complex outcomes of avoidance.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a patient doesn't want to face problems, the result can vary depending on individual psychology and the nature of the problem. Avoidance can sometimes be seen as an adaptive coping mechanism, allowing people to maintain a sense of normalcy and well-being for as long as possible. However, habitual avoidance can also lead to a lack of resolution and potentially exacerbate the issues at hand. For instance, someone might use denial as a way to downplay the impact of their actions, even if no immediate harm occurred, they fail to recognize the underlying problems and the potential long-term consequences. Furthermore, in group scenarios such as bystander interventions, people are less likely to help if they feel disengaged from the victim or expect others to step in, which can result in no help being offered at all. This can also be seen in prisoner's dilemma situations where lack of cooperation can lead to catastrophic outcomes. In cases where an individual faces a life-threatening illness, a doctor might choose to avoid telling the whole truth to prevent distress; this is an ethical dilemma that involves balancing potential happiness against the benefits of facing reality. Ultimately, not confronting problems can lead to a range of outcomes from temporary relief to long-term detrimental effects, especially if the problem requires urgent action or resolution.