Foreclosure (psychoanalysis)

Foreclosure in psychoanalysis is when a person stops thinking about something, or starts avoiding something, because it brings up difficult emotions or thoughts that are too hard to deal with. It can be a way of protecting ourselves when we feel overwhelmed. For example, say someone experienced a lot of sadness when their parents got divorced. Maybe they try to not think about it and push it away, so that they don't have to feel so much pain. This is called foreclosure.