Not trusting your instinct

[TheScientist]

There is a lot of talk these days from pop psychologists and self help gurus about how important it is to follow your instinct. For me, when my OCD and anxiety are bad, my instinct is always telling me that everything is going to harm me. Being able to function requires specifically that I make decisions based on things besides instinct (logic for instance... it's a lost art).

Just musing on it. Any thoughts?

[uk23]

I agree with you there but then with anxiety and panic we are told that our instincts are wrong, however as a doctor once told me; *some people might be triggered by this* 'anxiety should a diagnosis of exclusion, so after everything else has been ruled out'. Thats what I agree with.

[Nigel]

Hmm... :unsure:

Suppose it’s true for a lot of things, but when anxiety and panic become a problem it’s evloved into an ‘instinctive’ response, and you’re right – it’s probably not gonna help to follow that one :doh:

But taken less literally, it could still apply. Imagine for this moment that the anxiety wasn’t there. What would the response be then?

Nigel

[European]

But how can anxiety or OCD have anything to do with 'instinct', when they are generally distorted views - whereas instinct is not?

In other words: If I'm frightened of a poisonous snake, my instincts are correct, as there is some real danger - whereas if I'm frightened by a mouse, my instincts are distorted, as the anxiety is inappropriate because there is nothing to fear from a mouse.

Instinct - at least for me - is something healthy and appropriate, that gets overshadowed occasionally by the distorted view of my anxiety.

[TheScientist]

right, but in the midst of anxiety, it can be pretty hard to tell the difference between healthy instinct and distorted instinct. for instance, I might be shopping, and my ocd could tell me "no, don't get that pudding, it's poisoned". from my point of view, it seems like instinct, or like a gut feeling trying to warn me, but if I always followed it, it would be really hard to ever eat!

[paula lynne]

Its so hard to tell the difference sometimes by whats inbuilt in us, and the illness itself. I dont think its black and white certainly. x:shrug:

[European]

right, but in the midst of anxiety, it can be pretty hard to tell the difference between healthy instinct and distorted instinct

Yes, I think the difficulty is learning to distinguish between healthy instinct and unhealthy distortion, which is easier said than done, particularly once an emotional reaction has been triggered.

Having said that, in my experience it's not impossible, but, like so many other things in life, predominantly a question of practice.