Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Support Group

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder, more specifically, an anxiety disorder. OCD is manifested in a variety of forms, but is most commonly characterized by a subject's obsessive (repetitive, distressing, intrusive) thoughts and related compulsions (tasks or rituals) which attempt to neutralize the obsessions.

3,027 Members
7,394 Posts
1 Online
Anxiety Disorders
/ Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Support Group

hello.....

valgal18
valgal18
hello everyone...i'm new to this support group, but not to this site.....i've come here because i feel like i'm the only one who experiences this......the things that i feel is that if something goes wrong, i did something to cause it....i didn't put my pillows down properly on my bed or put my left shoe on first or brush my hair the right way or rinse my hair as many times as i do in the shower or do my nighttime/morning routine as i should have.....it drives me crazy.....i'm in college and i and i have spring break this week...when i saw my therapist last week she told me that i should try and break apart from my routine.....i told her that i couldn't risk it....tuesday, wednesday and friday i'm going to 2 different schools for practicum hours and i can't risk screwing up the routine because i feel like it'll ruin everything.....am i alone in this???
jeffstueber
jeffstueber
no, you are not alone. I did routines in high school and they became such a part of me that I had to go to a mental hospital to get rid of them. I did. But you can break free of them but it will require work.
I guess the first thing is to gradually reduce the routines you do and see that everything is still ok.
KMiyagi
KMiyagi
ValGal...you aren't alone. Many people with OCD have routines like you. I think it has a lot to do with feeling responsible for things that happen in your life, although you aren't responsible for the things that happen on a daily basis, whether to you or other people.

Like Jeff stated, try changing your routines very subtly; do baby steps. For instance, put your right shoe on first for a few days or so...then hopefully you'll see that everything will be OK. When you feel braver, change your routine a bit more.
deleted_user
deleted_user
You're not alone! I have to put my right shoe on first. The pillows on my bed have to be facing the bathroom, when I do the dishes I have to wash the coffeepot first, when I go through a doorway I have to step with my right foot first, I have to drink my orange juice before I drink my coffee, and so on. Or else horrible things will happen. Like KM said, I feel responsible for everything that might go wrong. I think OCD is all about control. We really have no control over what happens to us, so we try to create the illusion that we do have it.