Wtf is this?

[janey]

It's been getting stronger and stronger. It's this thing where I get a very strong impulse to do something and it drives me nuts until I do it.
Like if I'm walking through a book store just walking past books and I "think" I see a certain word...I have to confirm that I did see that word.
Or if I read a title real quickly while I'm walking by...I have to go back and check if what I read was right. If I don't do it, it's like my brain itches.

Sometimes it turns into more time-consuming things. I work on a bridge, right? Well if I notice someone walking...I have to watch them walk all the way to the total end of the bridge (which is far away). It makes me so frustrated that I have to sit there and watch this person for like 10 minutes. The whole time I'm feeling so angry, but if I look away it really bothers me. After a while they turn into a little dot...I have to somehow verify it's that person and once the dot fades and goes out of view, I have to keep checking just to make sure the person is gone. Then I can breathe.

Also happens when I'm driving. If I glance at a street name without really realizing it...the whole 35 min drive home I have to read every single street name, even if it means I have to turn my head and look back while driving. Then I will set ONE street name (currently "Sears Ave.") that I can NOT look at. If I forget and notice it, it makes me just a tiny teeeeeeeeny bit upset. (I take the same route home every day).

It's so freaking annoying. -________-

[Enduronman]

Ocd/psychosis/agent orange you twerp...Speckled Type III OCD to be exact...:)

[artaud]

It's so freaking. -___OCD__-

Sorry, I couldn't help myself, I work forms and procedures often, it just looked like it was supposed to be filled in. If I did it with my computer, the effect would have been better (I used my tablet). I trend into OCD, years ago I would have been compelled to get the computer to do it right.

A close friend worked in an office with someone afflicted with OCD. The office was large, this was years ago, and computers were limited. Each person was given specific time for computer access, let's say in his case, Wednesdays 9:00 to 11:00 AM. Even if the computer was down for repairs, he'd sit at the desk during those times, his fingers perched to use a keyboard that was not going to work.

It also happened that, among other things, he had a Straightening Obsession. Everything on his desk had to be parallel and perpendicular, sorted for size, largest on the bottom, smaller going up.

So, Wednesday 9:00 AM rolls around, we find our OCD guy sitting at his computer, and another office employee came over to my friend, laughing, and pointed to the terrified and frustrated OCD guy. Turns out, while he was watching, she tossed everything around on his desk. Remember, he NEVER leaves the computer when its his time and he ALWAYS organizes everything on his desk. Short circuit.

I was told this same guy walked home one day per week for the exercise, say Wednesdays. My friend said the the weather could be calling for 75 degrees on Tuesday and -10 on Wednesday with a blizzard, and he still walks home on Wednesday.

Clearly this was harming the quality of his life. If you read these true stories, what is your response to them, not your reasoned response, but your initial response?

Others have and will make suggestions about your post, but you can gently start resisting by slowly declining to go through with some of the obsessions. Engage in them, but pull the plug on the extent. Watch everyone cross the bridge, then decline watching just a few. Do that for several days, then decline to watch a few more.

Some things done repetitively, like checking tire pressure, getting it to where you want, testing it, then obsessing you let a little too much out while testing, so you put more in, but then you go over, so you let some out, then it's too low, so you put some in, test it, but you figure that you let some out while testing, so you...........

I actually saw a guy doing the above, 25 years ago, and I'd be surprised if the guy isn't still there. He should just have accepted "close enough".

Lastly, here's an interesting article. After I posted this response initially, the term Habituation popped into my mind. Looking it up I found this.

http://beyondocd.org/expert-perspectives/articles/what-does-habituation-mean

[alankay]

Bit of a compulsion I think. Alankay

[janey]

@Enduronman Oh yeah?! Well, you're a cotton-headed ninny muggins!

Artaud,

I'd feel bad for that man who worked in the office; it was most definitely affecting his quality of life. Don't you wonder what his routine was at home?
I'd imagine after walking home his usual route, he would straighten any yard decoration or plant to be exactly like it should. He probably arrives at a certain time, and if he's off, he will stand outside, facing the door and wiping his shoes on a mat, until it's time to slide the key into the doorknob. He probably has to feel every pin in the lock mechanism. He walks in, right foot first. Makes sure the thermostat is exactly at 74 degrees. I bet he even chews each bite exactly 32 times.

I'm not so neat nor so precise. :) It's just these ideas I think up and have to do. However, I wash my hands after almost every time I touch something that other people touch, even if it's at home. If I want something as simple as a glass of lemonade, I have to first wash my hands, get a glass...then minute I touch the fridge door handle I feel like my hand is dirty (I can feel this fuzzy feeling in my hand until I wash it). I pour lemonade into my glass, put the container back in the fridge and wash my hands. Then I go upstairs and wash my hands again because I touched the stair railing and door handle. Once I'm in my room, I feel like my own 'filth' is okay. However if I touch something in my bathroom, I treat it like I'm downstairs. I am one of those people who always washes my hands after going to the bathroom, even at home. I notice a lot of people don't.

I wouldn't say these things really affect my quality of life. I have become habituated to them, though.

You always take the time to type out long and thorough replies. Thank you. :)

[artaud]

@Enduronman Oh yeah?! Well, you're a cotton-headed ninny muggins!

Artaud......I wouldn't say these things really affect my quality of life. I have become habituated to them, though.

You always take the time to type out long and thorough replies. Thank you. :)

Thank you as well for the kind words.

Hand cleaning. I work in heavy industry, the bathroom accommodations are the worst, it just is not a pleasant place. Nevertheless, I can't tell you how many times the conversation at the sink (it's a long metal trough with several faucets designed more for grease removal than attending to dainty needs) has been about fellow employees that don't wash after urinating and, believe it or not, after defecating (shudder). Most guys even in that atmosphere have proper respect for hand washing at the appropriate time.

Cotton headed ninny muffins, from Elf? At work, we get a lot of mileage out of the "Angry Elf" scene. There's a real short guy at work that is miseable all the time. We call him the "Angry Elf".

We saw the guy that played the midget in Elf starring in the movie "Station Agent". Curious movie, though for us not awe inspiring.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wnxcRRwMxcg

Be well.

[janey]

You assemble robots?! ROBOTS!!!! I bet you have a lot of robot friends. If I could assemble robots, I'd have a lot of them too! :D

Yeah, Cotton-headed ninny muggins from Elf. Say that insult to someone and I bet they'll shut their trap. :o
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cotton%20headed%20ninny%20muggins

The Station Agent kinda looks like it could be an okay movie. He's a cute little man.

You be swell and tell all of your robots I said hi!

[Enduronman]

Well, and you're one of those farting trolls!...:D

[janey]

You scullion! You rampallian! You fustilarian! I’ll tickle your catastrophe!

[Enduronman]

you empty headed animal food troft wiper, I cut a fart..in your general direction! Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time....eh ! :)

[janey]

You lilly-livered booger eater! May the crust on your teeth grow evermore, you fatty carbuncle!

[Enduronman]

YES!!!...But in all honesty, I think that Janey just needs to take a dart to the neck from the most powerful tranq gun on the market..Got it in Tijuana...LMAO!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFW-yxe13lo

hugs!! xxooxxo :)

[janey]

That happened at my birthday party once.

You're crazy. I like you. But you're crazy. LOL!!
PS. I WIN :D

[janey]

Geez, I see where the title of this thread is working.......

Why, what ever do you mean dear?

[Enduronman]

BAHAHAAA!! That IS my favorite movie scene of all time...the face plant is perfect and can never be reproduced again.. Watch his legs!!! LMAO!!!!! :)

[Enduronman]

That's me after my evening dose....BAHAA!!!

[janey]

I can act like that on demand. I can also act like spaghetti on demand.

I like when he pushes that kid out of the way. :D :D

[Enduronman]

and if the Rhino dart doesn't work for you, then we'll try this Tribal method instead...

Yes, I have a "thing" for darts to the neck!!!! YAY!!!

IIIII thhiinnkkkkk I lloossssss ttt em...LMAO!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vci2c8XJkbA :)