OCD: General Discussion Thread

Nice handle! 😁

Therapy: go find yourself a wild woman 😉

I catch glimpses of OCD tendencies in myself from time to time... nothing major, just being overly obsessed with hygiene and being a total perfectionist.

As much as this sounds like a joke, I actually stand by the recommended therapy here. 😛

Emotional investment acts as a motivator that will almost always overpower any psychological roadblocks or the endless mental digging required to fortify one's own identity.

The person who makes you actually want to be a better human being is the most natural form of therapy there is.

Or, at the very least, a woman who can distract you enough to make you lose count. 😁

Homework: rewatch 'As Good as It Gets.' 👋

Yeah, thanks for the advice, but I honestly think if he actually found someone to help him work through this, it would just be a matter of how long it takes before they realize the scale of the mess I’m in. That's usually when things fall apart—it could just lead to another massive disappointment.
I'm no genius, and I don't see the point in just jumping straight to a psychiatrist; that's exactly why I came here to talk to people who have actually lived through this.

thanks for reaching out.

man on chem 😉

By the way, you've got it all wrong. Why on earth would your little situation—this tiny hiccup—necessarily have to be the absolute breaking point 😕

God, the kinds of personalities floating around this universe... from the colorful characters to the total weirdos. I'm positive there’s someone out there specifically waiting for 😉

Besides, being a little eccentric in today's 'Dawn of the Living Dead' world is actually pretty hip! 😁
It was never an issue for me, at least not when dealing with people I actually cared about.

Just put an ad out somewhere: "Seeking a wife who loves soap and counting" 😁

And honestly, screw it if some opportunist doesn't step up 😛

then you two can just live happily, uncounted, for the rest of your lives 👍

Luck ! 👋

Must be nice being able to joke about it so easily—for me, it’s a massive issue. I honestly can't stand the thought of anyone having to deal with something like this.

I guess I’ve been dealing with this since I was just a kid—things like needing to walk along the lines on the sidewalk or jumping over manhole covers... but lately, over the last two or three years, it seems to have started happening much more frequently. It has sort of evolved into full-blown rituals now, such as washing my hands constantly, counting random, pointless things, touching certain objects, or arranging little items in specific spots. Because of that, I would be really grateful if anyone could offer some advice. If there is anyone out there struggling with similar issues, please reach out, maybe even via private message. Or, if someone has actually managed to overcome this, I would truly appreciate any guidance you can provide. Thanks in advance.

Self-control. Honestly, I think what you’re describing as your own personal struggle is actually just a matter of how easily your mind can be swayed. You really have to learn how to master your own thoughts.
I have my own methods for dealing with this, but I suspect if I were to lay them all out right now, most people would just look at me like I'm speaking a foreign language. It comes down to mental discipline. This isn't some deep-seated case of depression or a chemical imbalance in the brain. Take something like compulsive hand-washing or constant checking—that’s a choice made by your mind. If there weren't an actual biological glitch in your neurochemistry, a doctor wouldn't be handing out prescriptions; they’d just sit you down in a chair for a long conversation and talk it out.

I hope that provides some perspective.

Carl Hernandez2 said:You have to learn how to control your mind.

Obsessive-compulsive disorders are actually the direct result of trying to control one's thoughts and emotions.

Look, I know you mean well, but you can't just become a self-proclaimed expert on every mental health issue based solely on your own personal struggles. Do us all a favor and read a book first. 😢

Madeline said:Obsessive-compulsive disorders are essentially just an attempt to gain control over one's own mind and emotions.

Look, David, I realize you mean well, truly, but you can't just take your own personal struggles and suddenly declare yourself a world-class expert on every single psychological disorder under the sun. Please, for the love of God, go read a book or two before you start lecturing others. 😢

I’m not following your logic here... Since you seem to be taking aim at me, could you please actually clarify what you mean?

I dealt with something similar. It started with these weird spasms, then evolved into tics—or whatever you want to call it. I was performing these bizarre little "rituals" 😁 involving door handles and stuff like that. And honestly, 😁 it got weirder. Walking down the street, dodging specific objects, following these mental patterns that dictated how I moved... just strange behavior. As for the actual tics, there was a phase where I couldn't stop blinking, then it turned into head jerks, then my hands... total garbage. I think I'm over it now, though. I don't know about you, but for me, it was all fueled by frustration, stress, fear of failing, and trying too hard to stay in control. I've been through some pretty rough patches in life, so who knows? Maybe this was just some leftover baggage from all that. 👋

Self-discipline is arguably the simplest method to get things under control, yet somehow it remains one of the most difficult paths to walk. I suppose I have already begun performing certain behaviors subconsciously without even realizing it. I haven't reached out to a medical professional just yet, though I have read online that there is a certain percentage of risk regarding depressive episodes and similar issues; personally, I don't experience any physical tics.😁I consider myself a perfectly normal individual who functions quite well within society, and I certainly don't encounter any friction when interacting with others. This is strictly an internal struggle that exhausts me, and I would very much like to find a way to resolve it.

Cannabis can be incredibly effective at easing OCD symptoms, and it's even available in pill form here in the United States and various other places.

Don't take this as a provocation... feel free to hit up the internet if you want to look up the actual facts.

Gerald Morgan4 said:performing "magic tricks" 😁 on a standard door handle

God 😱 door handles have been driving me absolutely insane lately...

And don't even get me started on the numbers... 😁

Charles Young said:Marijuana is actually really effective at killing off OCD symptoms

hmm... 😬

Does my hesitation count too... when I just can't bring myself to step on those metal grates on the sidewalk?

David made a solid point there. If you can, just try to work through it on your own... figure things out yourself. Whatever you do, just DO NOT go looking for "professional" help, like some psychologist or psychiatrist. You could seriously overcomplicate everything or just totally wreck your life... instead, just vent to a buddy about it. Ideally someone super close. Or maybe talk to a girlfriend or a guy you're seeing... or even someone who’s dealing with similar stuff. I’m serious: stay away from the "experts," no matter how smart, nice, or well-meaning they seem to be. And definitely skip those flashy, colorful self-help books you see everywhere.

http://psychologytoday.com/blog/

I’m also dealing with OCD myself

Maybe my life wouldn't feel like such a grind if I wasn't stuck working at a jigsaw puzzle factory

Advice? Sure, I can give you some, but at the end of the day, you're the one who has to actually make it happen. Besides, I get the feeling you already have a pretty good idea of what needs to be done.

Basically, I think you should try to set some clear priorities in your life—like your career, your family, and things like that—and maybe explore different interests too. If you’re truly aiming to excel at something, those little distractions can really just pull you away from your goals and kill your productivity, which I don't think you want.

You don't necessarily need some intense, strict mental discipline. It's more about just being fully present when you're working on something. And please, make sure you take breaks—and I mean real breaks, where you step away from everything, including your own struggles. Just tell yourself, "Okay, for this next hour, I'm resting, and I don't have to accomplish a single thing..." Just take it one little step at a time...

David - since 1983 said:Self-control. I honestly think those things you’re listing as "problems" are really just matters of mental impulsivity. You have to learn how to master your own mind.

Oh, please... what are we even talking about here? Like his colleague was saying, OCD is actually the direct result of trying to over-control—or hyper-control—everything. Has anyone here ever actually heard of neurosis?
🙄

I see we have some actual psychologists weighing in here 👋

Since I don't even start my undergrad until the fall, please excuse any mindless rambling on my part 😳

To all you control freaks 🙂, why not try observing—and actually logging—the specific moments your compulsions trigger? You might find something interesting 😉

Everyone here seems to be trying to fight fire with fire by using compulsions to manage compulsions.

Would anyone benefit from some basic breathing or relaxation exercises?

The madwoman said:I see we have some actual psychologists chiming in here too...👋>

I don't even start my undergrad degree until the fall, so—forgive me in advance for any absolute nonsense I might drop...😳

Good luck with school! 👋 👍 👋

From my own experience, all I can really say is that OCD is super tied to stress. And I don't mean some massive, life-altering crisis, either; it could just be something subtle that you don't even realize is happening in the moment... so maybe just give yourself a little bit of a reality check first? It probably wouldn't hurt...