OCD: General Discussion Thread

Elektra said:I'll skip over those tiles or stand right on the lines between them just for the hell of it. I don't really do it on purpose, though. 😬

As for me, I can't even walk into a Sony Music building without skipping every other tile at least twenty times or landing squarely in the middle of one... 😲

restlessseal16 said:Whenever I’m second-guessing myself—like if I actually locked the front door—I just snap out of it. I tell myself, "It was muscle memory, that's why you don't remember, but you definitely did it."

🤣 👍 Well, at least I'm not alone... but personally, I still double-check everything. Just to be safe. Did I turn off all the lights? Is the water shut off? Is the stove completely off? I'd rather do my routine once and be certain than go through the motions mindlessly and have to redo the whole damn thing because I can't trust my own brain.🤣

how long is this actually going to take you to pull off?

Look, here’s the deal... when I’m heading to school in the morning... say I roll out of bed at 7:00, get ready, grab my gear, and then—before I have to catch the bus at 7:30—I’ve got maybe 5 to 7 minutes to double-check everything. Honestly, I could wrap it up in 2 minutes if I wasn't such a disaster, but because I'm perpetually running late, that "quick check" usually turns into a 10-minute chaotic mess. But, on the rare occasion I'm not rushing like a maniac... 5 or 7 minutes usually does the trick.

Elizabeth Price2 said:Why on earth is everyone so obsessed with doors?😕 I don't even bother locking mine.👍.
People, please, just focus on the lines😵😬 Honestly, I've even started jumping over shadows now.🤣

God, it hit me just yesterday... I used to do this constantly when I was a kid.

Picture it: a car rolls by, and there I am, frantically hopping over its shadow on the sidewalk.

Nowadays, I lack the energy for all that leaping about, so I've transitioned to simply trying to sync my stride with the shifting shadows.

Too much time on my hands, clearly... 😁

Prince of Liberty said:Dalibor made a solid point. If you can manage it, try to sort things out on your own. Whatever you do, do NOT seek professional help—like a psychologist or psychiatrist. You could easily complicate your life or ruin it entirely. Just talk it over with a friend, preferably a close one. Or maybe a girlfriend or boyfriend. Or someone who’s dealing with similar issues. I’m telling you: under no circumstances should you go to a "professional," no matter how expert, kind, or well-meaning they seem. And stay away from those flashy self-help books.

http://psychologyblog.com/

Well, I actually have to jump in here because that is completely wrong! I apologize to the original poster because this is likely based on their personal experience, which is why they wrote it that way. But Prince, you've got it all wrong. NOBODY has ever successfully overcome OCD just by chatting with laypeople.

Why are you running away from professionals so fast? What did they ever do to you?!? Sure, there are bad ones out there—superficial, indifferent, or people without actual training in any form of psychotherapy—but there are also amazing ones!

There are truly wonderful, highly trained, legitimate psychotherapists out there who successfully help people every day. Be persistent; sometimes you have to cycle through four different therapists before you find the right match. Without psychotherapy, there is no real solution. A therapist helps you uncover the root causes, which are buried deep in your subconscious, and no friend—no matter how well-intentioned—can help you there. Where on earth did you even get an idea like that??!!?

Elizabeth Price2 said:Basically, here is the situation: when I am walking down the street, I find myself avoiding stepping on the lines.😵
You know how it is—sidewalks can be, well, whether it's due to age or just poor construction or whatever else, full of grooves and cracks—essentially lines. So, I end up hopping around or maneuvering... (making a complete fool of myself, I suppose), all just to avoid stepping on a single line.
I have been doing this for as long as I can remember. At first, it was just a game, but now it has definitely become a habit.
I even started avoiding lines on playgrounds, even if it meant playing poorly.🤣
For a long time, I was convinced that maybe I was the only one dealing with this, but then I watched that movie with Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt "As Good as It Gets" and saw that the main character deals with similar "quirks" too. Of course, he seems like a rather "difficult" patient—he doesn't really walk on sidewalks where avoiding lines is impossible—but given my trajectory, I feel like I could eventually reach that same level.🤣.

So, I guess I am wondering, is there an actual clinical term for this "disorder," or does it even fall under such a category?

pizdolizac said:I do that sometimes too—especially if the sidewalk is made of tiles.
In those cases, I try to stay within the squares. 🙄

I used to know (and I still know how to do it) that when I cross a crosswalk, I must step precisely on the white stripes. I also used to be very careful about not stepping on people's shadows, which I still do occasionally (though perhaps not as frequently as before). 😁

Regarding the floor tiles, I knew how to walk while making sure my feet stayed inside the squares, but it wasn't quite that simple... 😬
Take a look at the attachment... it is essentially a floor plan (the lines on the ground 😁) showing those squares. I move from the bottom of the image toward the top. "R" represents right foot steps, and "L" represents left foot steps.

Of course, I don't walk on sidewalk squares like that anymore... my only remaining, let's call them "obsessions"—even though they aren't truly obsessions—are being careful not to step on shadows and watching my step on crosswalks, but even that happens RARELY.

Zachary Rodriguez32 said:I used to know—and I can still pull it off if I really try—that when I’m crossing a crosswalk, I have to stick strictly to those white stripes. It was the same deal with shadows; I knew I had to make sure I wasn't stepping on anyone else's shadow, and honestly, I still try to do that (just maybe not as obsessively as I used to). 😁

As far as those floor tiles go, I used to be so hyper-focused on making sure my feet landed perfectly inside the squares, but it wasn't just some simple thing... 😬
Check out the attachment... you're looking at a literal floor plan (basically a map of the ground 😁) showing where all those squares are. I’m moving from the bottom of the image toward the top. "R" stands for right foot steps, and "L" is for left foot steps.

Obviously, I don't walk on sidewalk tiles like that anymore... the only things—let's call them what they are, obsessions—that I still struggle with are avoiding people's shadows and being careful on crosswalks, but even then, it happens SUPER RARELY now.

Man, we really are something else, aren't we?😵😬

I actually try to "catch" a specific rhythm with my stride so that every single step lands perfectly within the square—you know, keeping the steps totally even. Usually, that ends up with me basically taking giant, goofy strides through the city🤣
But get this—I've been walking around all week without even "thinking" about where I'm stepping. So yeah, basically👋

Elizabeth Price2 said:We really are a strange bunch, aren't we?😵😬

I usually try to find a certain rhythm to my stride so I stay perfectly within the lines—making sure every step is exactly the same length. Usually, that ends up looking like I’m taking giant, exaggerated strides.🤣
But honestly, all this week I've just been wandering around without paying any attention to where my feet land. So, yeah...👋

I get that feeling from time to time myself... 😁
For instance, today I was walking over to Times Square...
But as long as I stay within reason, I actually find it quite relaxing.

Elizabeth Price2 said:What kind of patients are we, really?😵😬

I generally try to "catch" a specific rhythm—sort of a cadence—so that I always stay within the lines, making sure every single step is exactly the same length. Usually, that results in me walking in these massive, giant strides🤣
But this past week, I’ve just been wandering around without even thinking about where my feet land. So, basically👋

I used to do the exact same thing, purely just so I could stick to those squares! I’d almost start jogging just so I could manage those huge steps! 😬
The key point here is—I *used* to do it, but I don't anymore. 😁
I suppose we are living proof that people like us are perfectly normal... right? ARE WE REAAALLLY??!! 😁

Freud once said, "Bring me a normal person and I'll cure them."
"Normal" is a myth. It doesn't exist. There’s just us and our own egos. Stop trying to blend in with the crowd. Just be who you are, compulsions and all. When those habits start getting in your way, cut them out. It isn't easy. You'll have to swallow a lot of bitter pills to get there, but it can be done.

Hi everyone! 😘

So, here is how things are going for me.
I have been seeing a psychiatrist and therapist for about a year and a half now, and I am currently on antidepressants. I won't even get into how rough the beginning was—dealing with depression, anxiety, and everything else that comes along with those.
Slowly, all of that seems to be fading away, and I feel like I am finally getting back to my normal life...
But...👎
There is just this one thing that refuses to budge.🙂
Basically, I have this intense fear of death. My doctor tells me that these thoughts feel intrusive, almost like they are being forced into my head (like OCD). And I would Netflix love for these thoughts to just disappear once and for all!!!😠
For example, I will be chatting with my friends and I’ll say something, anything at all—just some advice or an opinion—and then suddenly I get hit with this terrifying fear that I am going to die right then, and that they will remember the last thing I said to them! 😢 😱 😢

I guess you probably understand what I am trying to say.

Oh gosh, please don't go thinking that I am crazy, because I really am not!!! 🙂 😬

This might sound a bit heavy, but if anyone else out there deals with these same kinds of thoughts, or maybe knows someone who does, I would really appreciate it if you could share something.

Best wishes to you all!
👋

I’m honestly not even sure if there’s an actual name for what I’m going through, but I’m here hoping someone can tell me!🙂 Beyond being borderline obsessed with keeping everything spotless and tidy, I literally cannot fall asleep unless everything in my room is perfectly aligned and sorted. Everything in my space has to be parallel to the shadows cast by my lamps, and I feel physically ill if my blinds aren't pulled down perfectly straight throughout the whole apartment. My remote controls have to be dead center on the coffee table (I’ve actually measured the table and marked it just to make sure they're centered), my keys have to be lined up horizontally, and my shoes need to be in a perfect row, otherwise, I just can't sleep!
Also, sometimes a random thought just pops into my head, and I feel this overwhelming urge to say it out loud. I’ll try to tell myself, "No, don't do it, you're not crazy," but then I get hit with this feeling that there must be a reason I felt the need to speak, so I just have to say it—I simply have to!! This happens to me constantly throughout the day. On top of that, I am completely fixated on the number three; it’s just a number that fascinates me. When that urge to speak hits me, I feel compelled to repeat whatever I said three times. If I mess up and say it more than three times, I end up repeating it until I hit nine (since three goes into nine three times), and I just can't seem to control it! Does anyone have any advice or even just a comment? Because I really can't help myself!

You clearly have OCD; just check the thread with that title. There are plenty of people there who get it, along with a lot of comforting comments. I'll circle back and connect this later. Good luck. 😉

The real cure? Mess everything up around the room ON PURPOSE, then try to sleep 😉 And whatever you do, don't clean anything up... just sleep in the mess 😉 Prof. Psychology Arthur Barnes 😉

Man, I get stomach cramps just thinking about what a total mess that picture looks like!🙂

Just hang in there. If you can stick it out, that tiny little thing will turn into a total windfall... 😉 👋

Man, I wish I could catch even just a tiny bit of that glitch... just for a couple of days 😢
I was actually somewhat put together until recently, but now? Suddenly, I just don't give a damn about anything anymore. The world could literally be falling apart around me and I'd just be sitting here, taking my sweet time, doing whatever I feel like 😢..

Rachel Sanders said:Gosh, just thinking about that chaotic picture gives me actual stomach cramps!🙂

Maybe you have a Virgin Islands rising or your Moon is in... 😕

Anyway, as long as it doesn't spiral into a full-blown psychosis, you’ll grow out of it once you get married... honestly, when there are men in the house, having an obsession like that is actually pretty normal and even useful!