OCD is an anxiety disorder where the sufferer can have unwanted urges or thoughts and which are distressing and worrying and to relieve these thoughts and anxiety they carry out certain routines (known as rituals) repeatedly. Theses thoughts can be harming a loved one, acting violently or something terrible happening to them such as catching a disease or their home and property being destroyed. These rituals can range from counting, repeated washing, checking things such as locks, doors, appliances etc repeatedly or touching items in a certain order. Whilst this behaviour gives relieve to the thoughts or urges the downside is that it's temporary, These thoughts will return and the sufferer will have to repeat their rituals again and it becomes a vicious cycle. Whilst this gives temporary relief to he sufferer their rituals can cause difficulties in their day to day life. Repeatedly checking, cleaning or carrying out the rituals can take time meaning they can be late or to get to work on time they have to get up incredibly early to carry out their rituals such as checking every plug in the house before leaving and they may often be compelled to return and check again.
In my case I was a checker specifically of locks and doors, it once took me 45 minutes to leave work because I was compelled to go back and check I'd shut and locked my locker even though logically I knew I had the dozen or so times I'd checked before. I have got to the end of the road then gone back to check the front door was shut and locked repeatedly or I would have to go and physically check the car was locked. I would worry that if something was taken from my locker or went missing I would be blamed and lose my job and wind up homeless on the street begging. Sounds ridiculous but in my mind it was real, the thoughts would take over all rational thought and my stress would compel me to check again until I was sure it was locked and I had averted that potential future. "Why don't you just stop doing it?" People would ask. That's the compulsion part, I have to check to make sure then recheck just to make sure I haven't forgotten to check. If I don't I will spend my evening worrying and stressed and I don't want that so I go back and check again so at least I don't worry all night. I have managed to reduce my OCD over the last few years and a friend gave me some advice that helped me. He told me to record myself on my phone shutting and locking the door/locker and if I worried I had done it I just had to watch the recording. Alternatively I would consciously focus on locking things to give myself the memory of doing it, though eventually this became a ritual of it's own. In terms of my locker at work I would check it was shut and then tell myself that once I got in the lift I would NOT in any circumstances go back to check it. It was extremely uncomfortable and stressful to do this but eventually I stopped checking my locker repeatedly. However I would not recommend doing this. OCD can be reduced with medication or therapy or a combination of both and I would always tell you to seek professional medical help if you are struggling with OCD.
Be safe and remember you are not alone.
In my case I was a checker specifically of locks and doors, it once took me 45 minutes to leave work because I was compelled to go back and check I'd shut and locked my locker even though logically I knew I had the dozen or so times I'd checked before. I have got to the end of the road then gone back to check the front door was shut and locked repeatedly or I would have to go and physically check the car was locked. I would worry that if something was taken from my locker or went missing I would be blamed and lose my job and wind up homeless on the street begging. Sounds ridiculous but in my mind it was real, the thoughts would take over all rational thought and my stress would compel me to check again until I was sure it was locked and I had averted that potential future. "Why don't you just stop doing it?" People would ask. That's the compulsion part, I have to check to make sure then recheck just to make sure I haven't forgotten to check. If I don't I will spend my evening worrying and stressed and I don't want that so I go back and check again so at least I don't worry all night. I have managed to reduce my OCD over the last few years and a friend gave me some advice that helped me. He told me to record myself on my phone shutting and locking the door/locker and if I worried I had done it I just had to watch the recording. Alternatively I would consciously focus on locking things to give myself the memory of doing it, though eventually this became a ritual of it's own. In terms of my locker at work I would check it was shut and then tell myself that once I got in the lift I would NOT in any circumstances go back to check it. It was extremely uncomfortable and stressful to do this but eventually I stopped checking my locker repeatedly. However I would not recommend doing this. OCD can be reduced with medication or therapy or a combination of both and I would always tell you to seek professional medical help if you are struggling with OCD.
Be safe and remember you are not alone.
