12-25-2008, 11:29 AM
The difference is very subtle and it doesn't really have to do with reality based or not (for the exact reason you are citing- every obsession has some, even if remote, basis in life).The main difference is the *level* of worry. With a typical"worry"a person is usually able to stop thinking about it after a while or is able to use techniques, such as distraction, to lessen the anxiety associated with the worry. An obsession is a ruminative, repetative, thought that evokes intense anxiety. With an obsession, the person is unable to stop thinking about the thought. Compulsions are thus developed as ways to rid the person of their anxiety-producing thoughts or at least control it better (e.g. you can't stop worrying about germs, so you wash your hands for hours).
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