I always have and some days it's ridiculous. The two biggest offenders are the garage door and my flat iron. I have little tricks to prevent leaving them open/on but still sometimes have to drive back home to double check. Most days are fine, but I wish I didn't have this. I have weird stuff with time too.
Going to get an auto-shut off straightener. I don't know why I don't already have this!
Just wondering if others have this. My DH does too so he totally gets it.
My STBXH had a ton. He checked his car at least 5 times before he was able to walk away from a car park. Even if I confirmed that I saw him locking his car, he still went back to check.
I have some too: I always need to have a knife and fork from the same set - here in the office, we have a multitude of different sets of cutlery.
It started many years ago at my old house. I used to be a "punch the remote and drive off" person until one day I got a call at work from my neighbor saying my garage door was open. It had developed some issue and it would start to close, and then randomly (and not all the time) start going back up. So now I also have to sometimes drive back by the house to make sure it's closed.
I have also managed to instill this quirk into my husband--now we both have a thing about the garage door!
Post by cinnamoncox0 on May 13, 2016 5:58:54 GMT -5
I don't have a touch of it, I have it and it sucks. I take med for it and it has helped since switching to this new med. old one didn't do a thing for it. I'm predominantly O but do have C components to it. It's difficult to live with especially as a parent don't want to pass it to any of them (3 kids) but I don't know if I can avoid it. I got it somewhere too, ya know?
There are things that I'm particular about, but it's not really possible to have a "little" OCD. It's a real disorder that real people have, and claiming to have a touch of it kind of brushes off their real struggles.
But I am particular about leaving the kitchen sink on "stream" instead of "spray" and I get anxiety over being on time for things.
A touch. Nothing terrible, but I notice a few things here and there. Mostly with the garage door, and toilets/faucets (I have a weird fear of running water so I have to make sure they're totally shut off).
Since OCD runs in my family - my mom is a lot worse than me and my uncle is REALLY bad - my slight tendencies don't surprise me.
No I don't have a touch of OCD because that's not possible.
It does bother me when there are dishes in the sink, they need to go to the dishwasher. There's no reason for dishes to be in the sink unless it's because someone in my house expects me to clean up their mess.
I don't like clutter. I throw a lot of things away. I can't really be productive if it's messy.
Yes. There was a period in my life where I couldn't go to sleep at night because I spent so much time emptying my bladder and checking my alarm. Like 1+ hour of doing that. I have no idea if it's the ADs or if I just outgrew it, but I haven't done that since having kids. Now sometimes I freak out about the door and go back to check but I don't allow myself to go back more than once. I take a picture of my unplugged flat iron when I leave too. Things that help me on the daily are voicing my concern out loud. Like instead of panicking about my alarm, I tell DH "do you think my alarm will work?" And "is your alarm on?" And then "will you wake me up?". Every. Single. Night. But it works and I can go straight to bed.?
In response to others, I do think OCD is a spectrum. If you feel like it is incapacitating your life in any way, then you can be on that spectrum. Some people lose an hour or two a day checking things, some people can't function at all.
In response to others, I do think OCD is a spectrum. If you feel like it is incapacitating your life in any way, then you can be on that spectrum. Some people lose an hour or two a day checking things, some people can't function at all.
I completely agree with you. My issue is with people who might lose 15 minutes a day to tidying up who then say things like "My OCD can't take clutter!"
Edit: It's not unlike ADHD. I have that, and I get really annoyed when people refer to themselves as "ADHD" because they got bored during a three hour-long lecture at a PD session one day at work. My ADHD has literally almost burnt the house to the ground because I couldn't focus long enough to turn off the stove.
In response to others, I do think OCD is a spectrum. If you feel like it is incapacitating your life in any way, then you can be on that spectrum. Some people lose an hour or two a day checking things, some people can't function at all.
I completely agree with you. My issue is with people who might lose 15 minutes a day to tidying up who then say things like "My OCD can't take clutter!"
Edit: It's not unlike ADHD. I have that, and I get really annoyed when people refer to themselves as "ADHD" because they got bored during a three hour-long lecture at a PD session one day at work. My ADHD has literally almost burnt the house to the ground because I couldn't focus long enough to turn off the stove.
Yes, you're right. But being bothered by something, even bothered a lot (like I am about being late) isn't the same thing as having a real diagnosed condition. That was all I was trying to convey :-)
I seem to go through spurts. I used to be super obsessive about my hair straightener and the stove. I would go back and check multiple times and take pics on my phone to calm my nerves later. This seems to have mostly gone away when I moved in with my H. He leaves for work after me so it makes me feel better that if I did leave it on he would be home. I hate being the last to leave the house!
As for the garage door we installed a wifi thing that sends an alert to my phone if the door is open for more than one hour. That helps me remain calm.
I seem to show more obsessive tendencies during periods of high stress. I do think it's a spectrum and people aren't trying to be offensive when they say "oh---my OCD is out of control" or whatever. I try to be cognizant to cut these phrases out, but I do think I go through periods of obsessive behavior. I am lucky that even at its worst I haven't needed medical attention.
Yes, I used to be a stove and door checker among other things including obsessive thoughts. I'll never forget when my therapist pointed out that it was ocd because clearly it's so obvious. I also had a hard time after I had my first kid, I was counting bottle tops and blankets before bed.
Post by dancingnancy on May 13, 2016 8:22:49 GMT -5
I used to have it bad and for some reason as I have gotten older it has mostly gone away. Anxiety rules my world now. I used to count a lot - steps, letters in words, you name it. And, this is kinda hard to explain, but I had to touch things evenly - like if I touched something with my right hand I had to touch it with my left hand. This came in to play with counting steps, too - I always had to end on an even step. And the locked door and turning off appliances used to rule my world. I remember being 45 minutes away from my apt in college and obsessing over the door being locked until I finally turned around to go back and check. It was locked, of course. Appliances with self turn off didn't help me.
Yes. There was a period in my life where I couldn't go to sleep at night because I spent so much time emptying my bladder and checking my alarm. Like 1+ hour of doing that. I have no idea if it's the ADs or if I just outgrew it, but I haven't done that since having kids. Now sometimes I freak out about the door and go back to check but I don't allow myself to go back more than once. I take a picture of my unplugged flat iron when I leave too. Things that help me on the daily are voicing my concern out loud. Like instead of panicking about my alarm, I tell DH "do you think my alarm will work?" And "is your alarm on?" And then "will you wake me up?". Every. Single. Night. But it works and I can go straight to bed.?
This sounds so much like what I go through every night. I have a lot of anxiety about checking things, especially my alarm. We have three alarms set every night in our bedroom. I set my phone and an actual alarm clock; DH sets his phone. I have a whole routine I have to go through to check and quadruple check my own alarms. Then when we get in bed, I ask DH numerous times, "Are you sure your alarm is set? For 530 AM? And you're sure the volume is on?" He is a good sport and checks it 4-5 times for me when I ask.
There are nights it takes at least a half hour for me to fall asleep because I keep rolling over to check my alarm again. If I wake up in the night, I also always check it.
I have also just started taking pictures of things. One time, I made us come home from dinner because I wasn't positive I turned my straightener off, even though I did check it before leaving. Now I Just snap pics of things like that and the oven so I can assure myself later that they are indeed off.
I used to have it bad and for some reason as I have gotten older it has mostly gone away. Anxiety rules my world now. I used to count a lot - steps, letters in words, you name it. And, this is kinda hard to explain, but I had to touch things evenly - like if I touched something with my right hand I had to touch it with my left hand. This came in to play with counting steps, too - I always had to end on an even step. And the locked door and turning off appliances used to rule my world. I remember being 45 minutes away from my apt in college and obsessing over the door being locked until I finally turned around to go back and check. It was locked, of course. Appliances with self turn off didn't help me.
Yes, I used to be a stove and door checker among other things including obsessive thoughts. I'll never forget when my therapist pointed out that it was ocd because clearly it's so obvious. I also had a hard time after I had my first kid, I was counting bottle tops and blankets before bed.
The cymbalta knocks this out for me.
Is counting a sign of OCD? Because I count stuff all the time- like my desk- I count the outside edges (my desk is a u-shape, so there's 8) then the drawers, handles, etc. I also do windows/panes, doors (door, frame, hinges,knob), chairs etc etc. I try to get an even number.
And I never remember what the final number is, it's like that's not important, just the counting part is and it bugs me when it's not an even number. So I count it again.
I do not have OCD, but I do had GAD, and one of the ways my anxiety manifests is apparently obsessive thoughts. I didn't even realize it was an issue I had (I used to have panic attacks a lot, so THAT'S why I initially sought treatment) until I had been on medication for a while and had a moment of "I didn't check to see if the back door was locked this morning, even though nobody has opened it since the last time I made sure it was locked" and realized I was able to shrug it off with "well, it's probably still locked then" and go about my day.
Before medication, that scenario would have played out with me spending my entire day being unable to think about anything other than somebody was definitely going to break into my house and murder my cats (and only murder my cats, the hypothetical intruders weren't going to rob us or anything, they just wanted to murder the cats). And then after I got home and confirmed the door was still locked, I would have spent the rest of my week being unable to think about anything other than "BUT WHAT IF IT *HAD* BEEN UNLOCKED?!?! MY CATS WOULD HAVE BEEN MURDERED AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALL MY FAULT!!!!!"
"Regular" anxiety fucking sucks. I cant even fathom the living hell that actual OCD is.
I have diagnosed OCD. It truly sucks. I take meds and go to CBT for it. I'm also really sensitive to people (really my best friend) who says she has OCD because she was on a cleaning spree.
When I pull out into the driveway and close the garage, I have to say "The Garage Is Closed" three different ways, sometimes more than three, like the house bunny learning a new name. It's the only thing I've found that helps my anxiety over the garage door.
I'm majorly OCD about my classroom, kitchen, and bathroom, but the rest I don't care about.
LOL. Not laughing at your anxiety, just laughing remembering her voice when she did that.
I'm sorry for those really struggling, I am not trying to offend anyone. I am in therapy for anxiety/depression and I never got myself checked for OCD because it's been so much better since being medicated (which I have been mostly for the last ten years). I was just trying to convey that some people might have it in some form, yet be undiagnosed and function in the daily but still struggle with OCD symptoms.
I agree that saying "my OCD is out of control" when talking about stuff when you don't have a diagnosed condition is insensitive. I don't think that"s what the OP was saying though.
When I pull out into the driveway and close the garage, I have to say "The Garage Is Closed" three different ways, sometimes more than three, like the house bunny learning a new name. It's the only thing I've found that helps my anxiety over the garage door.
lol yes, that,s what I meant about voicing my concerns. It really helps.
I do have OCD. My son has it too. There are certain rituals that I must do daily. No exceptions. These do not interfere with life though. I have a friend whose OCD is so severe some days she can't even leave home. Its really heartbreaking. Hers are with cleaning mostly
My son has a bedtime ritual and I can't deviate from it.
David and my H have it mildly. David has seemed to outgrow it. H had it more seriously when we started dating and it's gotten better over the years. He's still extremely particular about things and if things aren't just so, it will drive him nuts. He also hasn't and will not pull up to an even numbered gas station pump in the 15 years we've been together. David's ocd was also specifically about certain numbers as well.
I think I must and I have no idea where it came from. I find myself counting to twelve a lot and doing certain things twelve times. I cannot remember when it started or why 12 and I don't do it with everything. 12 isn't even my favorite number.
I need to eat m&ms or skittles with a mix of colors and in 3s. I occasionally get fears or embarrassing moments running in my head repeatedly for a time (say a few hrs on a random day, no obvious trigger). I'm very particular with pens (nothing scratchy). And I need my work space (home --baking, puzzles, coloring--or office) organized 'my' way, and must stop to rearrange when it isn't like that. I do pick at my scalp, which can be a mild form of OCD. But it really isn't to the point of impairment like a true OCD. I'm just a Type A with anxiety.
I don't. I go through waves (like everyone I think) of needing to organise everything right now and I do have more and more strong opinions on how I want things to be but no OCD per say.
I do worry about H a little as he does have to check doors, windows and the cooker multiple times before he's satisfied it's ok and I can sometimes hear him counting under his breath.