Relief (emotion)

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Relief is a positive emotion experienced when something unpleasant, painful or distressing has not happened or has come to an end.^[1]

Relief is often accompanied with a sigh, which signals emotional transition.^[2] People from all over the world can recognise sighs with relief,^[3] and judge relief to be a fundamental emotion.^[4]

In a 2017 study published in Psychology, relief is suggested to be an emotion that can reinforce anxiety through avoidance,^[5][6] or be an adaptive coping mechanism when stressed or frustrated.^[7]