OCD causes me to Create and rehearse conflict scenarios.

[mufan]

My OCD causes me to create scenarios that cause me anxiety such as conflict scenarios. I will create scenarios of conflict (oral and physica) and then replay what I would do in the situation over and over in my mind until the anxiety subsides. But it only subsides for the moment and then the obsession comes back again. Right now I am struggling with a fight I backed down from 15 years ago. I replay what I would have done over and over in my mind if I had it to do again. I actually envision myself at the same spot 15 years ago and replay what I should have done or said. It's absolutely crazy and it makes no sense but I can't help it. I suppose that's the nature of the disease though. Anybody else share anything similar?

[jazzyrandom]

My OCD causes me to create scenarios that cause me anxiety such as conflict scenarios. I will create scenarios of conflict (oral and physica) and then replay what I would do in the situation over and over in my mind until the anxiety subsides. But it only subsides for the moment and then the obsession comes back again. Right now I am struggling with a fight I backed down from 15 years ago. I replay what I would have done over and over in my mind if I had it to do again. I actually envision myself at the same spot 15 years ago and replay what I should have done or said. It's absolutely crazy and it makes no sense but I can't help it. I suppose that's the nature of the disease though. Anybody else share anything similar?

 

I do this all the time. Whenever I'm not preoccupied with something else, I plan out scenarios about anything. I over-analyse everything I say and do for hours afterwards, and create every possible way I could have said/done whatever it was, differently. I agree, it is pretty mental. I can't stand it because those thoughts often enter my mind at unexpected moments and I completely zone out.

[orthomolecular]

I do that too sometimes. I go over some past incident in my head like it was just yesterday. I think, and this is just a guess, that my low serotonin levels play a role in this. I find that if I am upset with something that say happened to me yesterday, I am less liking to hold on to thinking or obssesing about it if my serotonin levels are good.

 

I can even feel that my anger almost energizes me sometimes when I am really upset. It is like I get so worked up by my anger that I can't sit still or can't relax or calm down. I know I have read that serotonin levels are associated with irritiability and agression. I think that is true. But I think it may also mean that I can hold onto my anger more so when my serotonin levels are low. And that holding on to my anger means going over it in my head like you do. I really think if my serotonin levels are good I can just let go of my anger even if that anger is from today or from 20 years ago.

 

I do not suggest that you try to treat yourself with either tyrptophan or 5htp to increase your sertonin levels because you really need to work with a qualified doctor. But I think this is a problem that may have a solution. And it is not so uncommon I think.

[Katelyn]

I do the same thing. It drives me crazy. I basically tell me self out loud over and over Katelyn shut up. It helps somewhat. I try to force the thoughts back. I sometimes feel like I have one person yelling at me inside of me and another person yelling at me for yelling at me. I have found lately this semester that the more positive fun people I surround myself with the less I am having the replay thing happen. Laughter can really make you feel better.