Is it OCD?

[Guest wyrd]

I'm not really sure where to start, so I think I'll just tell you the main "problems"...

 

Whenever I go out, I have to check that I have closed and locked the door six times. If I check any less times, even though I can clearly see the door is securely closed, I doubt that it is and have to check again for 6 times (I have no idea why six), and only then do I feel "ok" about it.

 

When I set my alarm clock before going to bed, I have to check that I have set the alarm to the right time three times (again, have no idea why three), other wise as soon as I lay down, I'll start to worry that I forgot to set it, even though I know I did (if that makes sense).

 

Sometimes I feel that I have to use certain cutlery, and if I don't something bad will happen to the person who bought it for me. I know that probably sounds a bit mad, maybe.

 

Something else that happens to me is I find myself thinking about really awful things happening to the people I care about. And even though I have no reason to think these things, and I certainly don't want to be thinking them, I can't seem to stop. I go through terrible things that could happen in my mind in so much detail, sometimes to the extent that it can actually make me cry. Sometimes I also get random images of pretty disturbing things appear in my mind for apparently no reason, a common one is dead bodies.

 

I think I might already know the answer, but I guess I can't help but doubt that too. Is this OCD?

 

Many thanks for taking the time to read this.

[Guest Guest]

That pretty much sounds like a text book case of OCD.

 

What is your age and when did these symptoms crop up for the first time??

[Chemar]

Hi

 

You are describing symptoms that my son has had too. It sure sounds like OCD to me!

 

Since he has started avoiding artificial foodstuffs and taking special natural supplements his OCD is almost non-existant. Before (even on medication) it used to literally rule his life!

[Claire]

Agree that it sounds like text book OCD. First I would read some of the books on it--just to help you know this is 'normal' for ocd. Then if you go to the tourette's board here, there are lots of discussions on supplements that might help you. The books also have input on how to manage the behavior aspects, but wouldn't it be nice to reduce the urges in the first place.

 

Good luck!

[Guest wyrd]

Thank you for all your replies, and for replying so quickly. I'll bare that in mind about the artificial food, and I'll no doubt try and find out some more info about it.

 

Guest, to answer your questions I'm in my twenties. I've been sitting here for a few minutes trying to think when I first had these symptoms, but I'm finding that hard to answer...

 

The checking the door is closed thing started about a year or two ago after moving house, same with the cutlery I think. The alarm clock thing I've done for years on and off, I can't remember when that started. Same with the thoughts of awful things happening to people - for years but on and off. But there has also been other things on and off. It's like sometimes I manage to stop doing one thing, after a lot of effort, but then it's replaced by something else. But I've been doing these kind of things for as long as I can remember. I guess I just didn't think about if it was normal or not when I was very young, as young children don't tend to think like that. And there has been breaks when I haven't experienced any of these things at all. If this is OCD, wouldn't I be experiencing these things all the time?

 

I guess to put it one way it's as if my mind seems to argue with itself. One part of it will put a thought there, or make me think I must do a certain thing, and the other part is thinking "don't be so silly". I'm not sure if that made any sense at all.

 

Thanks again.

[Chemar]

I guess to put it one way it's as if my mind seems to argue with itself. One part of it will put a thought there, or make me think I must do a certain thing, and the other part is thinking "don't be so silly". I'm not sure if that made any sense at all.

 

That is EXACTLY the way my son describes it so it sure makes a lot of sense to me!

 

You are IMHO definitely showing classic OCD so that in itself should be a great relief as there IS a reason for what you go thru and.......best of all.......it CAN be treated to make it less "bothersome".....

 

The conventional treatment is to use prescription meds to keep seratonin levels elevated....we found those not to help much and the side effects were nasty!!! However, using natural treatments like supplements(5HTP, Inositol, GABA) and also accupuncture and the healthy diet, has brought my son such relief that his OCD is barely noticeable now!

 

Here below are some useful websites explaining OCD (there are MANY more, but these give a good overview)

 

http://www.ocfoundation.org/

 

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/ocd.cfm#ocd1

 

http://www.plain-truth.org.uk/june-aug03/ocd.htm

 

HTH

[BiNa]

I am somewhat relieved to hear that someone else has these thoughts about the people close to them. I thought I was just sick and gross. I too have very, very disturbing pictures in my mind of the people closest to me. The closer they are to me, the more vulgar and graphic the pictures in my head are. I won't go into detail, but just know that they are extremely disturbing. I don't know why this is, because I certainly do not want to hurt any of these people. But, it's nice to know that I'm not the only one that does this. Also, I am 20 years old and this has been happening since I was about 12 or 13. Thanks for your post.

[Guest wyrd]

Thank you again for all your replies, they have been very helpful...

 

Just to let you know, if anyone is interested, I made a phonecall and am now on a waiting list to see someone about all of this. I'm probably in for a long wait, but it's a start!

 

Thankyou