Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

There have been a few posts about Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in OOT over the past year or so, and I figured it was time for a roll call/update.

I'll start with my OCD hangups, and whether they are past or current, and how much they bother today.

Vocal flips- sometimes, I say something, and feel the need to repeat it over and over, usually things like "am and are and am and are and.." This rarely occurs any more.

Repeating(mouthing) lines when watching TV- So far as I know, I no longer do this, but I know it used to drive a few girlfriends nuts. About the loudest I ever got was a VERY quiet whisper.

Correcting things- Still bothers me to this day. Usually, it is when I make a typo or something similar. If I notice it, I HAVE to correct it, or it will drive me bonkers. It happens with people sometimes too, ( when they mispronounce words, usually) and I try to quell it then because it is obviously pretty annoying, ( Doing pretty good about this). Yet another offshoot of this is having a hard time using abbreviations. In the sentence above, I typed in obv, but then HAD to go back and change it to obviously. I can only use terms like obv when in a specific internet slang usage.

Smelling pencil leads- When I was about 8-11, I would habitually sniff my pencils lead, to the point where I would get a headache. It wasn't about getting high off the lead or whatever, as much as it was about, "OK, you're not going to sniff the lead today. Ok, just once, but that's IT. Ok, what difference does it make, one more time......" been forever since I have done this.

Having to touch odd-textured things with both hands- I still do this, and my wife always looks at me and says, " you're such a psycho,"when I do it, but I'm not as bad as I used to be.

Spitting- Ugh, this one is probably my worst and I wish I could get rid of it more than all the others combined. Starting when I live din California ~1977, when I was 7, this kid I knew would always take a bite out of the abundant ice plant leaves, because he like the fuzzy taste in his mouth,( he wouldn't eat it, just bite it and spit it out.) I tried it once, got the fuzzy taste, and spit like 867473232 imes trying to get the taste out of my mouth. I never tried another one, but every time I'd go outside, I'd see an ice plant and start to spit. It bothers me to this day, and the trigger is going outside. The second I open a door or pull out of my garage, I have to spit, ( unless otherwise engaged in conversationor something; sometimes that overrides the OCD). Until I get my mind off of it, ( usually takes a few minutes or so) I have to spit probably every 15-30 seconds. It sucks really bad. I feel like a repulsive turd when I am doing it, and I can't help it. As an offshoot to this, around my sophomore year of High School, I started salivating still since I couldn't open the windows on the school bus to spit, ( skinny fingers, tiny guy, etc) so I made a coping tic (GREAT IDEA!) of doing the kind of spit you do when you have a hair on your tongue. No actual saliva comes out, but it is VERY annoying to me and anyone around. I am doing it now that I am thinking about it.

Coughing/clearing my throat- Any time I know I am supposed to be quiet, ( or just think about it) I clear my throat and/or cough. This drives my wife bonkers, as every time I come to bed at whatever ungodly hour I come to bed at, I have to clear my throat and cough 3 or 4 times. If for some reason I don't think about doing it, I don't do it, but that is rare. Sometimes this manifests as me having to make a small peep also. This also has caused me problems when I have been in musicals or am about to sing. I will clear my throat constantly, which is TERRIBLE for for vocal cords. The more pressure on the singing, ( trying out for RENT, HU for ROLLZ), the worse I am about it.

Turning my head away from TV/movie screen- This one isn't one I've heard of from others. When a integral scene is about to happen in a TV show/movie, sometimes I feel the urge to glance away from the screen. I have no idea why this happens, but it's not all that common anyways.

Smelling my fingers- This one is a bit odd, if only for the fact that, so far as I know, I ONLY ever do it in one specific situation, and I do it completely subconsciously. My wife has very nice breasts, and being the breast man that I am, at times, if she is wearing a top that will permit it, I will reach over and put my hand down her shirt, inside her bra, and cop a fell, ( invariably while driving. EVERY SINGLE TIME I do this, I smell my fingers. I have NO idea why; they always seem so smell vaguely of flowers. My wife always asks me how they smell when I do this, and the answer is always the same. I have no idea the trigger of this. I am familiar with the fact that this paragraph is useless without pics.

I am alot better about many of these tics than I have been in the past, and they seem to get worse when I am stressed out, which I believe is pretty standard. I have taken Strattera before for a short period of time, but didn't care for the lightheaded feeling it gave me. My wife mentions every once in awhile I should start taking it again, but I hate taking drugs of any kind beyond Advil, really, unless I have a specific malady such as strep throat or something. Considering the fact that my wife works for a drug company, the irony is not lost on me. Funny thing is, as bad as I think I am about it, most people don't ever notice I have OCD, unless they spend a TON of consistent time around me. Makes me feel like that much less of a freak, I guess. I'm really not sure what the normal things that bring OCD on are, or what started it in me. I don't think the OCD really affects my chosen vocation, and my work may actually help it, for while I am playing, I can't help but not be distracted by my tics as I have about 10,000 decisions per hour to make. The mild ADD I have might actually help in being able to play 8 tables, too.

Anyone else?

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

I am not OCD, but the correcting things and abbreviations are the same for me.

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

Some that I have are...
1.)Opening my eyes wide until I feel like they are stretched out. My friend of many years whenenver I go a while without seeing him will say while we are hanging out "Man, you still doin that with your eyes huh?"
2.)My hands after leaving my balls or ass crack without question have to go to my nose. My wife is always quick to notice this one because I'm usually on the couch in my pajamas when I do it and its always the same she asks without even looking "how's that smell?". I'll smile and say pretty good.
3.) I'm constantly checking my breath by letting out a puff of breath and quickly inhaling it with my nose. I probably do this over 100 times a day. My wife again is the only one who notices this.


Please put a warning for those with OCD to read at their own risk. I now have about 4 more habits that I absolutely cannot quit.

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

I've never noticed any of these. Oh, except you feeling up cleinen's breasts and then smelling your fingers afterwards...but I figured that was standard.

Yugoslav

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

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Spitting- Ugh, this one is probably my worst and I wish I could get rid

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Chewing gum. Keep some gum on you, pop it in as you're getting ready to go out the door. If you have to, get bubble gum and blow bubbles...

Hopefully once this breaks the cycle (knock wood) you can cut out the gum...

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

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2.)My hands after leaving my balls or ass crack without question have to go to my nose. My wife is always quick to notice this one because I'm usually on the couch in my pajamas when I do it and its always the same she asks without even looking "how's that smell?". I'll smile and say pretty good.

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I don't know a single guy who can scratch his balls without smelling his hands after.

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

I have the same with correcting things, especially hand written things if I do a letter and the points don't meet, it's very hard to ignore. More so if I notice it in someone else's writing like on a board at my language school, I can't concentrate on learning because something written on the board doesn't meet.

I also have cleaning fits, where I just have to clean something, even if everything is clean I can find something as nothing is ever that clean right?

I frequently rub my fingers together or play with an object, when I'm at work it is ok as my hands are busy, but during a film or something I have to play with something, quite annoying for my g/f so try to do it in pocket or out of sight, then I look like I'm playing with my nuts, not a problem at home, but maybe in the cinema.

I do this when playing poker too, if live I play with the card protector and at home I play with 2 balls, you know the ones you can move around your hand that are supposed to be relaxing? Well I do that as long as I can (usually a few minutes) before being told the noise is annoying, then I will just play with my fingers or something quiet.

Things have to be straight, like a table mat at a table, if it isn't parallel with the edge of the table it must be moved.

We have 2 microwaves at work, and every time I go there they are not aligned (one is on top of the other) So I move it, and also frequently move all the chairs in the kitchen at work so they are straight to the table (up to 40 chairs)

Stapling things, the corners have to be the same or I have to do it again. It drives me crazy when I see other people's stapling that isn't straight.

I count my steps whenever I walk alone and can only walk 10 steps on the same surface so find myself making a large step to try and step on a stick or some gum so I can start from 1 again. Or sometimes I will just guess how many steps I will walk until my destination and then start counting.

Subconcious nailbiting, have seem to overcome this with addition of some nail clippers on my keys.

I have to move my big toe over my next toe, frequently, and if I am trying on new shoes this is my main criteria for not buying if I can't move the toe.

I guess thats all I can think of, my sister has it too,her main thing is washing her hands all the time, and frequently til she bleeds, at least I don't hurt myself, I just annoy other people.

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

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and cop a fell

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Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

I sometimes start to spell out my thoughts..or sometimes, I don't spell them out, but I put the punctuation in..curiously enough, I am not very good at spelling or grammar as far as punctuation goes.

whenever I am walking along and the ground has some kind of pattern, I startavoiding the cracks..no superstition or anything, maybe it just keeps me busy.

when I am not doing anything, I start doing this simple pattern with my eyes...an X with the top and bottom connected or with the left and right connected..I also do this with the buttons on the tv remote.

I have a basic need to have things symmetrical or at least organized in some way...I think this one is pretty common though.

I also check my alarm clock frequently to make sure that it is set and set to the right time...when I used to listen to my diskman when going to sleep, after I would turn it off, I would put it under my bed..then I would check it frequently to make sure it was off.

oh and I also wind up checking my pockets at least 3 or 4 times when I get out of my car to make sure my keys are in there

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

I do this
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Correcting things- Still bothers me to this day. Usually, it is when I make a typo or something similar. If I notice it, I HAVE to correct it, or it will drive me bonkers.

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and this
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I also have cleaning fits, where I just have to clean something, even if everything is clean I can find something as nothing is ever that clean right?

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and this
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Things have to be straight, like a table mat at a table, if it isn't parallel with the edge of the table it must be moved.

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and this
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I also check my alarm clock frequently to make sure that it is set and set to the right time

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Now for something new.
Every morning I wake up, turn off my house alarm and go outside and get the paper. I've been in this house for 3 years and it's always the exact same routine. No matter how hard I try, when I get to the door to go out, I HAVE to look back and verify that the alarm is off, even though I know I JUST DID IT. I can't open that door without doing the double-check. I hate this!

I also have to load the dishwasher in a specific way every time. If I see that my wife beat me to it, I have to rearrange things my way. Drives both of us nuts...

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

I'm pretty sure I have undiagnosed OCD. My sister was treated for the whole hand washing thing, and I:

- There are a couple of areas on my temples that I'll grow slightly thicker/rougher hairs, like beard hair. They're individual hairs, not patches. Once I am aware of one of these little bastards, I HAVE to pull it out. Of course I always also get a clump of regular hairs, and I'll usually need to try four or five times, so I'll sometimes have little (very little) bare patches on my temples.

- When I glance at a stack of magazines like in my bathroom or something, usually I'll subconsciously pick up a word from one of the covers and it'll stick in my mind. I then HAVE to find it. Like, I'll walk in, and the word "vacation" will pop into my mind, and I'll flip through the magazines and find which one had the word "vacation" on the cover. If the New Yorker or something is open on the top of the stack of magazines this can take a while, the word doesn't have to be in the title of something or anything, it can just be in some paragraph somewhere.

- If I get water in my mouth in the shower or something, I spit for like 5 minutes. I remember being made fun of as a kid for doing this when I swam. I don't swim anymore.

- I have lots of examples of things I must always do in the same order and if I mess up I have to go back and start over. Pre-shower, shower, and post-shower procedure is the first one that comes to mind.

I could go on and on but now I'm starting to freak myself out. As long as this stuff doesn't bother me too much there's no other particular reason to seek treatment, right?

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

I do the thing with words too on a magazine. Also, if I hear a song or remember a clip of a movie I need to know who sang it/was in it (pretty standard though I guess)

I also repeatedly check the toilet lock at work when I know I have locked it, sometimes I check it 10 times in 2 minutes (I can't see as the light is off)

Also, I try to find numbers/letters in order whileI am travelling on cars/billboards etc. lots of things to keep my mind busy I guess,

Don't think there is any need for treatment unless it is affecting relationships I would say (relationship with yourself included)

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

[ QUOTE ]
- When I glance at a stack of magazines like in my bathroom or something, usually I'll subconsciously pick up a word from one of the covers and it'll stick in my mind. I then HAVE to find it. Like, I'll walk in, and the word "vacation" will pop into my mind, and I'll flip through the magazines and find which one had the word "vacation" on the cover. If the New Yorker or something is open on the top of the stack of magazines this can take a while, the word doesn't have to be in the title of something or anything, it can just be in some paragraph somewhere.


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That is bizarre, and I love you for it.

Alarm clock - I only check the time once, but I flip the switch on/off 3-5 times before I get in bed. The switch goes off->radio->buzzer. I use radio, so I have to make sure I move it just right so I don't feel like it went too far towards buzzer or not far enough. Even though there's a very audible and tactile click when it moves into place.

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

[ QUOTE ]

- When I glance at a stack of magazines like in my bathroom or something, usually I'll subconsciously pick up a word from one of the covers and it'll stick in my mind. I then HAVE to find it. Like, I'll walk in, and the word "vacation" will pop into my mind, and I'll flip through the magazines and find which one had the word "vacation" on the cover. If the New Yorker or something is open on the top of the stack of magazines this can take a while, the word doesn't have to be in the title of something or anything, it can just be in some paragraph somewhere.



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I get the same thing when I'm reading the newspaper. A word will pop in my head and I'll have to find the word. Often the word is no where near where I'm reading.

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

Wow, hearing that other people do the word thing is really cool. I don't think I've ever told anyone about that.

I tend to think that everyone does some of these things, and it's a question of degree as to whether it's a problem or not.

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

I have an annoyance when i recognise someone in a tv-show, and i have to know where vi recognise them from.

Its probably not OCD but bugs me when i cant put a name to a face.

Scott.

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

I'm not OCD (that i know of) but I do some of the things mentioned.

I do the smelling my hands thing as well as constantly checking my breath by breathing into my hand. I also like to find patterns in things and usually do things in fours. For example if I do something once, like tap my fingers on a table or something, ill do it three more times so its a four, then ill repeat the whole process three more times so its a bigger four.. etc (if that makes sense). I dont think these are compulsive though because I don't always do them or find myself NEEDING to do them. But i do shake my leg constantly and this i cant stop (to the annoyance of those around me). It's not a nervous thing, its unconcious and I do it all the time, one leg or another. Its great for relieveing stress too.

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

Excellent thread. What I do is touch things in strange orders and patterns until my brain is finally satisfied. For example when setting my alarm I have to click the button to check the alarm exactly 5 times and check the radio setting 3 times. I have to check/touch things in these strange numbers, either 9 and 7, 7 and 5, 5 and 3, 3 and 2, until for some reason I am satisfied. I do this when putting the cd case back in my glove box, milk back in the fridge, just touching things in general. I do it much more when I am nervous, but not all the time. When I don't have time to really pay attention I don't do it at all.

Page numbers on books are like torture sometimes, only one I wish I could change cause it just wastes time. I flip to say page 155, I have to check the previous page numbers, 154, 153, 152, 151, to make sure that they are still there. I usually stop at 4 pages but sometimes I do this every time I turn a page, sometimes not at all.

Sometimes I have the urge to spin the opposite way, in order to "balance" everything out in my brain. Like when getting into my car I sometimes spin the opposite way, for example to the left, away from the drivers side, in order to get in. I'm sure this looks ridiculous to anyone paying attention.

I also order the bills in my wallet from large denomination in the back to small in the front. No big deal right? Well I also put them in order of crispness within each denomination. So if I have 10 1's the crispest 1 will be in the back and the flimsiest 1 will be up front so I spend it first.

The more I think about all these the more I add and the more depressing it is.

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

I'm not OCD, but when I was little I used to make sure to chew as much on the left side of my mouth as I did with the right side.

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
- When I glance at a stack of magazines like in my bathroom or something, usually I'll subconsciously pick up a word from one of the covers and it'll stick in my mind. I then HAVE to find it. Like, I'll walk in, and the word "vacation" will pop into my mind, and I'll flip through the magazines and find which one had the word "vacation" on the cover. If the New Yorker or something is open on the top of the stack of magazines this can take a while, the word doesn't have to be in the title of something or anything, it can just be in some paragraph somewhere.


[/ QUOTE ]

That is bizarre, and I love you for it.

Alarm clock - I only check the time once, but I flip the switch on/off 3-5 times before I get in bed. The switch goes off->radio->buzzer. I use radio, so I have to make sure I move it just right so I don't feel like it went too far towards buzzer or not far enough. Even though there's a very audible and tactile click when it moves into place.

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anyone know why this retarded alarm clock design is still around??? This might be one of the most annoying things in the world..who the hell wants to gently put the slider between two options that make loud noises at you when you just wake up...of course I've been using the same alarm clock for about 5 years now...

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

I do a couple of things that have already been mentioned, one that hasn't:

I always put deodorant on left pit first, then right. I count in my head each "swipe" ("stroke"? I can't come up with a good verb for the act of putting on deodorant), and whatever total that is for my left arm (oddly enough, it's not uniform) I do exactly one more swipe/stroke under my right arm.

-McGee

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

your number quirks also reminded me of some odd things i do with numbers as well. I always add things up to 10's. Whenever i see the number 7 i think of the number 3 in order to "complete" the number or something. pretty weird. I notice it most with 7's but 6 and 4 is pretty common too. I feel the need to complete to the nearest 10.

I also like to walk on the left side of people. For whatever strange reason i feel more comfortable there and tend to conciously or subconciously move to the left side.

maybe I am OCD afterall..

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

Dali,

Definitely worth doing an update thread, always fascinating to hear new random weird crap like this.

Here are a couple of prior threads for more examples of weirdness:

Weird OCD stuff

Walking OCD stuff

Re: Fun with OCD - Time for updates(long)
 

Interesting stuff. I don't have OCD but I sometimes do crazy [censored] like the stuff in this thread. For example:

Whenever I hear some broadcaster use the noun "None" coupled with the verb "have" I have to correct them. None has. Split infinitives bother me too, e.g. "To boldly go where no one has gone before..." To go boldly. Actually, lots of grammar stuff bugs the pants off of me.

When I'm concentrating I'll pull out the odd beard hair - the ones that are all bent and wriggly. I'll realize I'm doing it, make sure no one saw me, then forget and do it again a little later.

I hate having junk in my ears, so I use 4-5 qtips every day.

I get nervous when my wife leaves the cabinet doors open, like when putting dishes away. This is a real fear, though, as I've whacked my melon about 45,000 times because of her leaving the damn cabinet doors open.

I get migraines. One odd sympotm I experience is I visualize the text of others' speech. I could be watching Star Trek or something and it's like I'm reading the script in my head. This happens before the migraine pops, and now I recognize it as a warning sign. The worst is when this happens and I'm in a meeting, seeing the words my dumb-ass colleagues are using to try to look impressive.