OCD - worse when unoccupied?

[InnocentOdion]

Hi guys,
I have a question.

I have an OCD, but it's quite mild. I wash my hands lots a day (30 minimum, 300 bad day. Usually about 100 times a day) , and half of the time when I'm on a computer, or I'm in a rush, I'm not too bad - you wouldn't be able to tell. Except when I'm not in a rush to do something-- e.g., when I have some time to spare, my OCD seems to get worse.

Like,

• waiting to go in the bath

I start doing things like, organising things and putting them in lines, by size, from smallest to largest, front to back.

• serving food to family

I start bringing out dozens of sauces, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, BBQ, I put the fork on the left of the knife, which has to be on the right. They have to be resting on a piece of kitchen towel, which is slightly folded to the left making a kind of ] shape.

Etc, etc.

Why do I do this?
Can OCD's be controlled by having something to do?

God bless,
IO

 

[mbrob]

Hi guys,
I have a question.

I have an OCD, but it's quite mild. I wash my hands lots a day (30 minimum, 300 bad day. Usually about 100 times a day) , and half of the time when I'm on a computer, or I'm in a rush, I'm not too bad - you wouldn't be able to tell. Except when I'm not in a rush to do something-- e.g., when I have some time to spare, my OCD seems to get worse.

Like,

• waiting to go in the bath

I start doing things like, organising things and putting them in lines, by size, from smallest to largest, front to back.

• serving food to family

I start bringing out dozens of sauces, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, BBQ, I put the fork on the left of the knife, which has to be on the right. They have to be resting on a piece of kitchen towel, which is slightly folded to the left making a kind of ] shape.

Etc, etc.

Why do I do this?
Can OCD's be controlled by having something to do?

God bless,
IO

I can only say that my ocd has been at its worst when I have plenty of time to myself. I recently went from a high paced career to a more relaxed lifestyle and it triggered a huge runaway of thoughts. However, I think my former busy scheduled masked what was inevitable and boiling under the surface.