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Releasing Obsessive Thoughts: Rumination, OCD, and Dealing with Fear

Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

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The Role of Rumination in Freedom

We talk a lot on the show about psychological function. What's the function that this rumination or obsession process is serving? It's a really great question. Part of the reason is that the rumination process is a defense against certain experiences. When people go up into their heads, as it were, and start obsessing about something, very often that's the way to avoid experiencing something. Even though they don't like obsessing, in part, obsessing functions to pull us into cognitions and away from emotions which are scary and painful.

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