OCD: Do I have it?

Question

Does counting while your doing things, like, when the toilet's running, you jiggle the handle and count the times (16 times), or count how many paper towels you use (I use 4). Or if you don't like touching anyone, or if you don't like anyone touching you, or if you pick at your clothes several times and tap several times, or shower 2 times a day, OCD?

One day in my ceramics class, we had to clean the wheels, and I found myself washing the entire thing, and my teacher said that I didn't have to wash the whole thing, but I ended up doing it anyway. Plus, when I clean my house, I have to vaccum the floor 4 times or until I'm satisfied that it's clean. Also, when I found a dead mouse in a micecube and it had been in there for a long time, I had stuck it in a garbage bag. But, when I went back to cleaning, I started having a panic attack and had to throw the bag out because it also started making me claustrophobic. And most of the time, when I go to touch things, I use rubber gloves, but when I take them off, I wash my hands. Plus, everytime when I use soap, I squirt it in my hands twice, then do it again.

Another thing that I do is that I ALWAYS look in the ceiling corners of my bedroom before I go to bed. I always count them too. I also touch my touch lamp four times until I'm satisfied.

Answer 1

I was diagnosed w/O.C.D. 15 yrs ago-& from the sounds of things (U sound just like I used 2) I think its safe 2 say that you do in fact have O.C.D.I was put on anti-deppresants & and anti-anxiety meds . They helped ...some but i was still MISERABLE. However when they uped my dosage of valium it got alot better.N-E Wayz the best thing that helped me then & has 4 years is that ,while I'm sure U know,that while doing these repititions U feel EXTREME anxiety/ impending doom if U dont "complete" them.It's as if if U dont continue the "rituals" something horrific will happen 2 U/someone U love very much-which when U think about it gives U more power than U will EVER have .It's kinda like saying that U R more powereful than GOD or that GOD somehow needs U 2 help him which IS crazy U'RE human hes GOD! okay i'm rambling -look just tell yourself that in all reality no matter how intensely strong the urges r to obsess NOTHING u do n u're rituals is going to change the outcome of someone dying getting hurt w/the exception of maybe driving u'reself crazy w/ guilt worry& anxiety.LET GO-be the human that u r and know that u DONT have to fix everything & U CANT!!!!! And of course get help things DO get better!

Answer 2

Sounds like you might have OCD.

The way to tell for sure is to have a professional administer the (childrens) Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale - CYBOCS or YBOCS.

An important question: if you DO NOT perform the ritual does it cause distress? If, yes, then it is very likely that you have OCD.

Have hope though - there is an effective non-meds treatment for OCD: cognitive behavior therapy / exposure response prevention.

Find a professional that is experienced treating OCD with CBT / ERP. You can master this illness!

Answer 3

Hi -
First of all, I'm not a doctor. However, I was diagnosed with OCD over 5 years ago. If I were you, I would go to a psychologist or psychiatrist and get it officially checked out since it does seem that you have some of the symptoms of the disorder, albeit mild symptoms. It's a lifelong disease, but if you work at it, you'll be able to get it under control. My psychologist had me read "Brain Lock: Free Yourself from Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior" by Jeffrey M. Schwartz. The book details some ways that you might be able to get OCD under control. But again, I want to stress that I am not a doctor and that you need to be diagnosed by a certified mental health doctor first. If you need it, your primary health doctor can probably give you a referral to a doc in your area. Good luck!

Answer 4

no, none of that is very ocd. i do a lot of that and i know a lot of people who do that. i hav a lot of stuff like that. i play piano and if i bump one of my fingers on a key by mistake i have to bump the same finger on the other hand and keep going back and forth until it completely messes up the song, then i have to stop and count to 50 before i start again. also i compulsively count pretty much no matter wat im doing, and i count when i get nervous. like if something touches my skin i have to make sure it touches the same place on the other side. also if im in a place with a lot of people i have to have my back to the wall, i have no idea why. i also get claustrophobic if im in a car with more than 3 people, no matter how big it is. so yeah all that is pretty normal

Answer 5

Yes, I think you may be having OCD:

To be diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, one must have either obsessions or compulsions alone, or obsessions and compulsions, according to the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria. The Quick Reference to the diagnostic criteria from DSM-IV-TR (2000) describes these obsessions and compulsions:

Obsessions are defined by:

1. Recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and inappropriate and that cause marked anxiety or distress.
2. The thoughts, impulses, or images are not simply excessive worries about real-life problems.
3. The person attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, impulses, or images, or to neutralize them with some other thought or action.
4. The person recognizes that the obsessional thoughts, impulses, or images are a product of his or her own mind, and are not based in reality.
5. The tendency to haggle over small details that the viewer is unable to fix or change in any way. This begins a mental pre-occupation with that which is inevitable.

Compulsions are defined by:

1. Repetitive behaviors or mental acts that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession, or according to rules that must be applied rigidly.
2. The behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing distress or preventing some dreaded event or situation; however, these behaviors or mental acts either are not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent or are clearly excessive.

In addition to these criteria, at some point during the course of the disorder, the sufferer must realize that his/her obsessions or compulsions are unreasonable or excessive. Moreover, the obsessions or compulsions must be time-consuming (taking up more than one hour per day), cause distress, or cause impairment in social, occupational, or school functioning (Quick Reference from DSM-IV-TR, 2000). OCD often causes feelings similar to those of depression.

Answer 6

please see a psychologist, OCD can get out of hand if left untreated, it can to the point where it'll take you hours to finish your rituals, and you won't have any time left to work, study, etc whatever else that you do.

it is important that you see a psychiatrist too, they can perscribe you some antidepressants and maybe something for anxiety to give a lilttle lift, so that therapy can work.

in the mean time, try to lessen the counting, if jiggle the handle 16 times, try doing 10... or whatever, just to show yourself that you don't need to do that in order to relieve your anxiety...

anyway, please go see someone, treatment works!

Answer 7

My husband was diagnosed with it and I'm pretty sure my dad has it, even though he won't be seen. It sounds like you might have it. It doesn't have to take over your life. Go see a doctor and tell him about this. You will feel a lot better once they help you with this. If you are willing, they have pills to help you curb the behavior. Pills alone won't do it but they sure do help.

Answer 8

OCD comes in all different forms and can be triggered of by something very simple, Mine always started after giving birth to my children i couldnt go out of the house unless i had my ironing done however it always led to me becoming depressed as it would get to the stage when i couldnt go out of the house at all so i would advise you to go and see your doctor cause it can become extreme.

Answer 9

yes it sounds like you have OCD. Alot of people who have OCD count all the time. All the signs you mentioned seem to say OCD

Answer 10

Yes it sounds like OCD