Dealing with Obsession/Compulsion

[DelphiSantano]

For a long time, I've dealt with various forms of obsession/compulsion in my life. Some are fine, others are less than healthy. Although I don't seem to find it as bad with certain things as others do, some seem to be a bit over the top.
For example, smoking I've never really had a problem with. Sure, I've smoked things (I went to university, it was probably kind of unavoidable) but I've never found that I particularly need to have a smoke. At the moment, I smoke rarely (1 or 2 every couple of months, if that) but if I want one and have some with me, I'll have one.
On the other hand, I've found myself become compelled to do certain things on a regular basis and become obsessive if I don't (eg. everything on the shelf next to my bed has to line up correctly before I go to sleep, among other (generally worse) things, some of which can and have been quite damaging to my life at times).

I'm curious as to how all you other Escapists handle obsession/compulsion allow it to be integrated into daily life without it damaging yourself, others or relationships too much?

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

The best thing about OCD is that if you tilt your head 90 degrees anti-clockwise it is a stick man washing his hands...

See?

OCD

Anyway... Everyone has little OCD's, and I think, for the minor ones it is best just to keep them to yourself hidden...

One of mine is to do with my car windows... if a window is open in the car, the one on the otherside has to be at the same level, or I get very uncomfortable! I have managed to mitigate the response to this recently, and have made it much easier to hide from cruel friends who will invariably use it to wind me up, as I now have a car that I can lock the windows in place, so only I have control!!! Yay for small victories!

One of mine that I can't hide as much, however, is when I am at a dinner table I get uncomfortable if the table's layout isn't 'ballanced'. In quotes because there is no apparent rule to this, it's just how I feel at the time... unfortunately because it is so open I could literally sit adjusting things all night!
The only way I can counter it is by distracting myself with conversation, or downright forcing myself to ignore the table... which is hard!
Recently this one has become a much higher problem now that I am dating again (after a long relationship.) Dinner oft becomes part of these dates, and sometimes, if there isn't quite that spark, I end up with a horiffic urge to reballance the table... or sometimes I even subconciously do... which sucks!

 

[IndomitableSam]

My worst OCD tendancy (I would't say it negatively affects my life... too much...) if that I have those bumps on my skin that lots of people have. Keratosis pilaris [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keratosis_pilaris]. Anyway... I have to scratch these. On my arms, on my legs, stomach... I scratch them. And if I scratch and the whole bump comes off and/or a hair follicle... I am happy. Like, actually happy. This leads to a ittle bleeding and scarring, however. ... See, I just stopped to scratch at a scab on my arm. My arms looks normal, just each has maybe a dozen or so smaller-than-a-pencil-eraser scabs or marks on them from my scratching.

How do I deal with it? I scratch. And wear long sleeves. If my sleeves are long and I can't see my arms, I don't scratch as much. But I often push my sleeves up when working and then there my arms are.

It has to do with perfection, I guess. The bumps on my arms are marring my should-be-smooth skin so they have to go, even if it means making it worse. If you see my arms in the sun (not in regular light), you can see hundreds of tiny little silver spots of scars all along my arms.

I used to have this problem with pimpled when I was younger, I could not leave them alone. Now that I have none, it's my arms.

 

[Angie7F]

I have a junkie friend that has been using for twelve years.
He cant quit using so he uses moderately.

I dont think it is healthy but I guess there is a point where one can balance their vices.

 

[Rose and Thorn]

The best thing about OCD is that if you tilt your head 90 degrees anti-clockwise it is a stick man washing his hands...

See?

OCD

After looking at it for about a minute and starting to feel like an idiot I can safely say I don't see it. My neck feels a little sore now though.

Wait is the 'D' supposed to be the sink? Hmmmm.


I have Trichotillomania, and I generally deal with that by ripping all my hair out....uhg. I guess it depends on what your OCD is, for example mine has to do with my hands, as I think most do. So I get little things to place with and just try to keep my hands busy, because if they aren't busy they will be in my hair pretty fast and I won't notice it.

Like if someone considered smoking their OCD, maybe I would say...toothpicks? That might do it for me. Like you OP I also have never been addicted to smoking. Maybe 'cause I stuck to weed?

 

[Relish in Chaos]

Yeah, I?ve been diagnosed with OCD. I believe I?ve had since I was about 11, and it?s just gotten progressively once since then (especially since, as I became a teenager, I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety and depression). I have certain rituals like making sure my hands, wrists and clothes (even if no water got on them) are completely dry on a towel before getting back to my work, repeatedly checking if I?ve put a book in my bag, my strange fixation on the number ?22?, etc.

How am I handling it? Well, barely. I still have to do the stupid little things at times, and even when I don?t do it, there?s a little niggling at the back of my head that stresses me out, and even when I?m talking to a friend, I think, ?Am I saying this properly? Did he get the wrong idea? Should I say that word again?? and the bloody cycle goes on, and I?m not even sure if I?m making any sense anymore. But I?m currently undergoing CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) with my primary mental health worker/therapist, and I?m also on Fluoxetine, so I?m getting better bit-by-bit.

 

[knight steel]

Not anymore but in the past I had OCD behaviour-Well Not so much OCD but anxiety/panic attacks that led to OCD behaviour,such as my fear of germs leading to me constantly washing my hands non-stop were In order to feel clean I had to count to a hundred before I could turn off the tap and if I stopped sooner I would get panicky,before sleep having to go through a ritual of asking question to my parent's that had to be answered perfectly or I would panic and start the process all over again ect ect.