ocd

[stylinsam]

have i got ocd, everynight before i go to bed i have to check if the oven is of the iron and my straightners are all turned of, even if i havnt used them that day, but if i dont check them before i go to bed i cant sleep thinking about it, so i have to go downstairs and check anyway,
is this a sign of OCD?

[loobie]

http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/ocd/sa ndra/signs_symptoms.htm

It does mention what you say on here (2nd paragraph from bottom) but it says repeatedly so i would say you probably have it very slightly. But it's not like your washing your hands every 30 seconds!! Or are you???!!!
It's better to be safe than sorry though hun so you may as well just keep checking!!!

[Waaii]

I would be very surprised if we don't all have it to some degree or other. We all have little rituals, mostly based on keeping ourselves and others safe, like 1 extra look after the usual as we cross the road. In my case I often have to unlock again just to check the Aga damper is not still out (which gets the fire roaring) when I leave the cottage.I also find myself counting as I do things and names go round and round in my head esp. if they are unusual. .Personally I wouldn't worry unless it becomes a lot more severe!

[rom]

i do the same sam and i think its like waii says, we all have a little bit of it in us, i watched a programme about it once and they said that. i double check my straightners every morning, at least 3 times and my wee fire in the living room and my oven aswell... even if i haven't used the oven, i will check it before i leave for work. its nothing to worry about honestly x

[redcrx]

as others have said we all have a hint of it somewhere.
When getting a glass of water i always have to fill the glass twice and empty it into sink before then drinking the thrid glass.
Strange thing is my mum does exact same thing and we only realised a month ago that we both do it.

[cascarelli]

Ah, so its your fault redcrx that we've got a hosepipe ban!! Though I do the same, mostly because the water comes out warm before it runs cold.

There's many times when ive gone to bed that I have to get up again and check I've locked all the doors, even though I'm sure I've already done it. Its not obsessive but I know I wont get to sleep until I go and check

[mandimoo]

redcrx - i do that too!
uh, but the worse one i have is with wine. as soon as i finish one glass, i just have to have another, and another, and another!! best i dont start really.

[claireyfairy]

just sound like you are being sensible hun, unlike me! I came out to work this morning and half way here (with no option to turn round!) I had the sickening feeling that I left my gas fire on! so I may have no home to go to this evening!!!!

[Eve]

I'm like that too hon, straighteners, iron, lights, radiators, anything like that, it's just being careful :)

I have a funny about it now since i narrowly and by complete fluke avoided being in a building which burnt to the ground when I was supposed to be asleep in it. It was my exe's place and he lost everything. I was tired so even though we were meant to be at his we went back to mine which was closer. It was a big stoey on the news and oneof the main pictures it showed was his window with flames coming out of it. Fire crews from miles away had to come and help put it out, a homeless guy had started a fire in an adjoining building and it spread right through.

Another time I had woken up early for a 6am shift and put my light on and must have dozed back off. I came to to smell burning and my light had falled on my bed and set fire to my pillows and duvet and burnt halfway through my mattress right by my head. The firemen had to come and put it out and just remember them coming out with my charred bedding and mattress.

So very careful about anything fire related nowadays even though they weren't actually my fault.

[fayelc123]

I wouldn't worry Sam, i do that too.
R
edcrx, i do the same thing, but i have to empty it 3 times before i can drink from it!

[Eve]

Found some pics of what was "left" after the first fire, makes me shudder even now...

http://i15.tinypic.com/4fv3too.jpg

http://i15.tinypic.com/2lastis.jpg

[chicklin]

Checking things once is fine, but if you find yourself wanting to check something a second time, make yourself stop and remind yourself that you know it was ok when you checked it before. Refuse to go back and do it again. If you give in to these repetitive behaviours, they will gradually take over your life until they prohibit you from living a normal life. Hopefully you will soon see that nothing awful happened because you didn't go back that 2nd time and gradually you can come to trust yourself and not worry so much that something awful will happen. It won't.....

[summersoon]

I have mild OCD (self diagnosis). I'm 16 and have had it since approximately my second to last year in primary school.

I tend to have it where i think really bad things in my mind that i don't want to think (its hard to explain) and i have to carry out rituals to prove that i didn't 'mean' it. But i feel guilty for it passing through my mind, even though that isn't my fault. This was worse when i was younger because i didn't realise that it's actually very common.

However i do still have it to some degree. I also have to check every morning that i've turned my straighteners off, also before i go to bed i have to make sure theres nothing in the way of the floor so that if there was to be a danger i could get out easily, and if someone tried to save me i wouldnt endanger them aswel. Sounds stupid but if i dont do it, it just wont settle in my mind!