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.

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Illogical Obsession or Valid Concern?

wildflowers44
wildflowers44
I'm wondering if anyone else ever doubts the legitimacy of their obsessions. I sometimes wonder if what I am worried about is truly OCD, or if it really is a valid concern. I'm struggling with this especially right now with one of my current worries because it involves a fear of accidentally harming others, so I want to be extra certain that there is really nothing to worry about. I've consulted several people I trust and they all say it is OCD, that I have no need to worry, and yet I still worry.

Anyone else deal with this or have tips on how to know if something is a valid concern vs. the OCD? Thanks in advance!
75zzz
75zzz
I've had the same question for as long as I've had OCD. I think our worries do have legitimacy and are definitely possible. But, we tend to dwell on and analyze them more than the average person.

Most people seem to have a higher threshold for uncertainty. They just live with the risks and worry about things once they actually happen. It may have something to do with the fact that many OCD patients have higher than average intelligence. The meticulous thinking patterns we employ alert us to details and risks that most people don't come across or acknowledge. Well, once a person becomes alerted to a potential risk, he/she would naturally worry and try to prevent it from happening.

I guess some of us just have to live with having a meticulous mind and try to make the best out of it.
gJerry
gJerry
For me the borders between reality and ocd are sometimes vague. When my fears go into bad anxiety, and it keeps going for 3-4 weeks or longer then it's ocd for me. When it affects out behaviour for a certain time, I see it as ocd. I think our reality is different from non ocd'ers. Our minds are built differently and the main thing is that we think differently. Thoughts come automatically. We can't stop them but we can stop or control our reaction to them. It is our reaction that makes ocd escalates. We think and keep thinking differently. Ocd crosses the line into our reality.

Identify the thought/s, be aware how they make you feel, look how you react, and evaluate the truth behind the thought. At a cettain stage I put my ocd self on a chair in front of me... Then I realized who I was and what the ocd caused. We have to know ourself to know the ocd within.

Hope this can help. J
weslieannfischer
weslieannfischer
I was at first diagnosed as OCD, before I was diagnosed as a mysophobe. And personallly I feel like my fears are very legitimate, I don't feel like I will make others sick though- I worry about how dirty they are. My mysophobia developed due to being extremely sick when I was 15, and caused me to be extremely cautious, I feel like since I began cleaning everything top to bottom and avoiding contact with contaminated objects I have gotten sick much much less. But even though I feel like it is a valid concern, I also know that I take things to the extreme when I see how damaged my hands get from the constant washing. I recognize that my thought process is extreme, yet I can't live any other way. My mom on the other hand is just very clean, she is just concerned about her health in a healthy way.