The Overthinker
- Date posted
- 2y
I feel confused
If I let the anxiety run its course, I'm supposed to feel relief right? But if I'm compulsing I also feel a form of release, do they feel different?
Mau NLMau NL
- Date posted
- 2y
I don't know if you are supposed to feel relief. You feel anxiety, you let it be and you go on with the normal day stuff, and the anxiety goes away, just as it came. I guess in the ideal situation, as you are not paying attention, you would not notice. And then, after a while you might realize that you are not anxious anymore. I guess at that point you should also leave it at that (maybe praise yourself), and also not further engage in it. Because then you open the floor for obsessing and compulsing again.
The OverthinkerThe Overthinker
- Date posted
- 2y
But if you hit the SOS button on this app it literally says "experience relief."
AnonymousAnonymous
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 2y
The easiest way to explain it would be the compulsions provide temporary relief whilst riding the anxiety out brings long-term relief. Hope this clarifies!
SasCasSasCas
- Date posted
- 2y
I was wondering this as well. I did an exposure yesterday and it was so hard to tell if I was reassuring myself or not. And I eventually felt relief but at the end I was confused as to if I compulsed or if I did the exposure right.
The OverthinkerThe Overthinker
- Date posted
- 2y
Right? And then you question that bit, and then you question the next bit, and so on...
SasCasSasCas
- Date posted
- 2y
@The Overthinker And that when rumination kicks in :,)
Mau NLMau NL
- Date posted
- 2y
Ah ok, i am not an expert. Maybe it means that in some time you notice that anxiety levels have dropped. If you did not perform any compulsions, it dropped by itself. You indeed also experience relief when you do a compulsion, and i guess the feeling will not be that different. The difference probably is that a compulsion only temporarily gives relief, but in the long run severes ocd, whereas the relief from letting it fade away by itself in some time causes persistent relief.
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