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Find the defense mechanism that is most likely at work in the following vignette:
Greg learns that he has cancer from his doctor. He is stunned. He calls his best friend and tells him the news. He also calls his boss to let her know that he is taking a few days off for health reasons. He begins to to learn everything he can about the illness, reading books, journal articles, and the latest experimental research.
Greg has been back at work two weeks, when he reports suffering from severe anxiety "border-lining on panic" in the middle of his university lecture.
During the intake session he reports: "I have diagnosed with cancer. I was shocked at first, but then I realized it was not such a ominous thing as it used to be. I have been reading up on a lot of research and, with proper treatment, the chances of full recovery are quite high." Greg reports he has felt "calm" about his diagnosis "in the face" of this event. He is not sure why the panic attack occurred.
Greg's response to his diagnosis is best explained by which defence mechanism?
What is intellectualization?