Am I the only one here with Obsessive Cumpolsive Disorder? :) (1 Viewer)

[BrettB]

So you don't listen to FM stations?

Eve's post reminded me of myself. When I leave the house or turn in for the night I'm checking locks at least 2 or 3 times. Hit the remote for the garage door, see the garage door go down, get 1/2 mile from the house and turn around and go back to make sure. I hate it when I'm the last to leave my office at night because I end up checking things 5 or 6 times.

 

[MarkHastings]

Zane,

yeah, I realize that most OCD 'quirks' aren't major and don't affect your life...it's just that if these 'quirks' eventually turn into 'major' quirks, it's usually harder to get rid of them because you've been so used to living with the 'non-major' version for so long.

I realize it may seem harmless to keep my heater on even numbers because (right now) it's not really affecting my life, but I also realize that allowing myself to do this will eventually turn to habit...and since habits are hard to break, this can be dangerous if it leads to something more serious.

Example, Let's say I do this habit for years and years, then (one day) I'm in the back seat of someone elses car and I notice they turned thier heat to an odd number and it bothers me so much (the fact that I want to change it) that I get an anxiety attack.

Now I'm not saying this is always the result of passing off these 'quirks' as nothing serious (because they aren't affecting your life), but when that point comes when the line is crossed and it's now caused you anxiety, it'll will be MUCH harder to break that cycle because you've been so accustomed to it for years.

And yes, there is quite a fine line between addictive behavior and OCD behavior, that's why I recommend people trust a Dr.'s assesment over mine.

 

[MarkHastings]

So you don't listen to FM stations?

I get your joke, but EEEWWW! The radio? I'll stick to my CD's and MP3 player...I don't even have any radio stations programmed in because I don't even think about playing the radio.

 

[Iver]

Andrew: there is a vast difference between mental illness and unusual behaviour that is still within the bounds of 'normal'

Yes, of course. Perhaps I should have phrased that more precisely.

As long as the HT hobby is not having some kind of serious, adverse impact on the hobbyist's life, then it certainly would not be in the same category as a serious mental illness.

AFAIK, nobody has ever been hurt spending the day toeing in their speakers.

My OCD comment was intentional hyperbole.

 

[JonZ]

Im obsessive to a degree.

Every bedroom Ive had since I was 17 is setup the same exact way since. I cant tolerate it being different at all.
I have things in certain areas and it makes me crazy if theyre moved.A ex g/f used to move things around to make me crazy.

Im a "creature of habit" and its hard for me to break my habits.

Heres one for u. When I was a kid I had a toilet that was notorious for running. So, Id flush when I was halfway done pissing so that after I washed my hands Id jiggle the handle so it wouldnt run. To this day, over 20 years later, I still flush any toilet 1/2 way through.

If I see toilet paper going towards the back instead of the front I always switch it - no matter where I am. Friends houses, anywhere :frowning:

I wont go through all of them, but Im definitely obsessive -locking doors, fixing towels,clothes,the order I put things in etc

 

[Eve T]

Eve, your neighbors saved Petey but didn't attempt to wake or even save you?

No, nobody saved Petey, and my neighbors did call the fire department and got me out of the house.I was the one who tried to rush upstairs with a blanket over my face to try and save my beloved bird. The smoke was so thick and strong and the fire so hot but dammit, I was going to try and get that bird. I got up a few stairs when I was pulled away and rushed outside. I was pregnant at the time. Incidentally, two weeks after this fire I lost my child. :frowning: (not related to the fire in any way)

I'm sure the reason I check for anything burning is a direct result of what happened that day. I lost everything, but believe it or not I cried rivers over that bird of mine. He was a white parakeet (sp?)and that little bird would eat out of my hand. To think he had to be touched by flames tore my heart apart. They tell me that he most likely died from the smoke before the flames reached him but I dunno. :frowning: I have three pets now all of them Chihuahua's and I could not stand to know I ever caused a fire that would bring their happy go lucky lives to an end. So, I find myself checking and re-checking to make sure things are okay. I know this sounds silly as the fire I was involved in was an electrical one, but I can't help myself.
Maybe I should try therapy, but I've never been upset with myself for constantly checking to make sure everything is put out in the house, It's not something that rules my life so strongly that I can't get from point A to point B. I'm just delayed for a few extra moments each morning or night.
Some people with this disorder have it so strongly that they cannot leave the house and their obsession takes over their lives. My symptoms stay the same and haven't gotten any worse over time. I'm not sure that therapy would change my life too very much.

 

[JonZ]

Eve,
Fire(and theft)is also my greatest fear concerning my home.

I have guitars,DVDs,rare CDs,pictures,porcelin figures,comic books, video tapes, a few samurai swords - so much crap Ive collected over the years. I could NEVER replace it all even with insurance money.

Sorry to hear about what happened. Ive had lots of dogs in my time and it would kill me to think of them trapped in a house with a fire:frowning:

 

[DeathStar1]

>When I leave the house or turn in for the night I'm checking locks at least 2 or 3 times.>

I do this as well, at least when I'm home alone. But mostly during the night because I have another nasty little habbit. Sleep walking. And if last year wasn't just a reallly vivid dream, I actually left the house and walked a block away.

Strange thing is, when I woke up, nothing seemed untouched or changed, so I'm hoping it WAS just a reallly vivid dream, and I don't wind up like that guy in the cell phone commercial, heh.

 

[DeathStar1]

>Some people with this disorder have it so strongly that they cannot leave the house and their obsession takes over their lives.>

I havn't reached this point yet. While it's true that this town is so boring there's nothing to really DO outside, I try to get out whenever possible just for a change of scenery. I just hope that I have a smooth enough drive that it dosn't make me have cause for worry.

Heh, oddly enough, you'd think driving in the rain would get me a bit more nervous since this is a rather hilly area, but actually it's some of my smoothest drives. I know there arn't too many nuts who go jogging or walking in a downpour, let alone biking, so I don't worry as much about having accidentally hit someone or something along the way.....

 

[DeathStar1]

Well, Day one of trying to break the habit didn't go all that well...

went out to the middle of town fine. It's on the way back I seem to start double checking everything. For some reason, if a turn isn't remembered 100%, I go back and double check it to make sure I didn't cut a car off, or miss a walking pedestrian. Did this about three times untill the fourth time when everything was STILL looking OK did I finally head out..

Well, it's also not really a comforting thought to know that other people on the road need to go back to Drivers Ed.

I walked over to get my new Star Wars book. As I head back, I pass two parking lots that exit on a two lane road. The first one I look, car is no where near me, and cross. I reach the Second one I look back to make sure no one is turning into the lot. See someone is waiting to turn into it, and someone is heading toward the stop sign to head out. I decide that car is far enough back and the lady saw me, so I started a quick jog to run across. Next thing I know, I'm jogging around the lady that was coming my way, because instead of stopping and letting me go like she was supposed to, she rolls through the stop sign and turns, and gives me a belated honk as she goes.

So much for pedestrians have the right of way, and the time old tradition of stopping at stop signs....

ahh well, not exactly the most....spirit lifting day.... Hopefully next try will go better.

 

[Iver]

Jon: If I see toilet paper going towards the back instead of the front I always switch it

At my house that would plunge you into the center of controversy.

My wife likes to have it hang off the back. I like it hanging off the front.

I'm more persistent -- after I turn it around to the PROPER orientation, it usually stays that way.

 

[MarkHastings]

At my house that would plunge you into the center of controversy.

My wife likes to have it hang off the back. I like it hanging off the front.

I'm more persistent -- after I turn it around to the PROPER orientation, it usually stays that way.

That has nothing to do with OCD, that has more to do with "Common Sense"! LOL

On a side note: I've heard/read a lot of debates about which is the proper way and I've yet to hear a substantial point as to why the "hung in back" way is better.