MentalHealthMatters!
- Date posted
- 1y ago
Can someone answer this please?
I'm confused on this. We're told to sit with the anxiety, but wouldn't that be suppressing our feelings? I'm confused.
blazedblazed
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 1y ago
No, when you’re sitting with the anxiety you acknowledge what you’re feeling, staying present in the moment, and not doing anything to get rid of it. Suppressing would be pushing away the feelings, using unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with them (e.g., alcohol and drugs), and distracting yourself to avoid experiencing those emotions. Those are just a few examples.
MentalHealthMatters!MentalHealth...
- Date posted
- 1y ago
Got it! Thank you for the explanation thus makes sense now.
djfloriodjflorio
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 1y ago
Yes exactly what blazed said. "Sitting" with anxiety, or any emotion for that matter, is quite literally the opposite of suppressing your feelings. You're focusing your attention on them, and allowing them to be seen. This skill isn't only useful for treating OCD, it's something that is vital to us as humans. It's also something that not many people are capable of doing these days. Being unwilling to sit with difficult emotions is why people spend hours watching YouTube videos, playing video games, scrolling through social media, shopping for things they don't really need, drinking, etc. Perhaps you have the idea that by "sitting with anxiety," you aren't doing anything, and therefore you're being irresponsible. The opposite is true. Consider a parent that is dealing with their screaming child. They might try desperately to get the child to stop screaming by dangling toys in front of them, giving them a pacifier, or even getting frustrated and angry with them. While this might work some of the time, it only "kicks the can down the road," as they say, as ultimately the child doesn't really feel seen. That's sort of what we do with our emotions and compulsions. Instead, it's better for the parent to fully acknowledge that the child is in distress, and give them their full, undivided, non-judgemental attention until the child feels safe enough to calm down. It might take a little longer than the more forceful tactics, but it provides a much better relationship in the long run. That's what we're doing when we sit with our emotions.
MentalHealthMatters!MentalHealth...
- Date posted
- 1y ago
Thank you for this explanation, while sitting with anxiety I'll keep these advices in mind. Thanks again!
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issphra 🫶🏻
- Date posted
- 12w ago
Advice please??? I’m CONFUSED
OK, this might sound really dumb, but when you guys get intrusive thoughts, do they just come once and then go away? I’ve heard that repeatedly thinking about an intrusive thought is considered ‘checking,’ but it doesn’t feel like I have any control over how many times it comes up in my head. It’s not like I’m trying to check anything—it just keeps showing up, almost like it’s terrorizing me every time. I can’t seem to stop it from looping, stop remembering it, or prevent it from coming up. Every time it does, I feel horrified, and I already know it’s going to horrify me. I don’t think I’m actively trying to see if my feelings have changed, so is this still considered checking? How do other people get an intrusive thought and just move on? Doesn’t it pop up a million times for them too? I always thought that was normal, but now I’m hearing this could be a compulsion, and I feel really confused, scared, and lost. Is this why my OCD feels so extreme? Because I really don’t feel like I can control how many times the thought pops up.
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Bean.there
- Date posted
- 10w ago
What even IS thought neutralizing, though?
Or thought-stopping, or suppression. I'm new-ish to OCD treatment and recovery, and I understand and believe that I'm living with this condition, but I still don't *get* it sometimes. I don't immediately click with what other people are describing. For example, when my therapist suggests using mindfulness techniques like naming something in my environment for each sense (something I see in this room, something I hear in this moment, etc), I'm thinking, "is this thought-stopping?" because I'm using the technique to get out of an obsessive spiral and redirecting my attention outward. Isn't that a good thing? Is it thought-suppression *every* time I try to change the subject in my mind? How would you describe "thought neutralizing" mental compulsions to someone who doesn't get it? (ie me lol)
hannah_77
- Date posted
- 9w ago
Can anyone please help?
I read a lot of other people’s posts where they deal with intrusive feelings, and sometimes even emotions? Would anyone care to further explain so i can understand this better? it would be very much appreciated.
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