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.
Does any one else have a routine of checking things before leaving to go somewhere. I have to make sure kives are out away, stove is off, which i check 3x's, dryer has to be off, who is home when i leave, beds have to be made and when i look at the house before i leave i have to make sure i know the front door is closed. And backing out of the drive way ,yuck scares me.ocd for sure! I hope i am not alone with this.
i came up with an idea, that could be a very good coping technique. if you have a digital camera, or a cell phone, i was talking with my GF about this, and how, if we are worried about leaving something on, or if we locked doors, what we can do, is maybe take a picture of the door, that is locked, or if we worry about if we left the stove or oven on, taking a picture of the dial, and then bringing out camera with us, so that when we do go out, if we have any anxiety, we can look at the camera, picture, to see, that what we're worried about, we don't have to worry. it can help, and can bring us peace, and reassurance, and can help prevent the urge, to double check things.
it's a digital world these days, and digital cameras, cell phone cameras, can literally act as a tool, to help ease our thoughts, and worries :)
sending my best wishes :)
also, for dear of germs, i always found, that putting plastic cups, over the water faucet handles, helped me, because i could just easily turn on the faucets, then could throw the plastic cup away, and then was another plastic cup underneathe it, for next time use, when turning the faucets on.
there are lots of ways, to trick our ocd, and can help ease our worries.