How do you know when to seek help?

[imnutz]

Hey all. I'm mid twenties male, this all started probably around 15.

I have a few questions:

- At what point do you think someone needs help? Therapy or medication?
- How fast does OCD progress?
- Can OCD cause other problems?

Since my problems started, I've seen minimal progress as to the severity of OCD taking up lots of time in my day or affecting other people. Day to day, I would say it takes up an extra 20-30 minutes at the most, to me... they are small little quirks. The thing that worries me, is if OCD (if I even have it) can cause other problems?

Here are a few things that I am experiencing:

-Must go through routine rolling up car windows, checking that dome light turned off. When I exit the vehicle I must walk around and physically touch the tops of the windows to ensure they are shut (I can't just look to see they are shut.) After I touch all windows, sometimes I must do it again to ensure I didn't trick myself.

-Locking doors at nights consist of counting 3 times that they are locked. I do similar thing to make sure the stove and coffee pot is off. Sometimes I have to touch the burners to convince myself they are off.

-Putting my phone to silent, I must open and close it many times to make sure it still says silent even though I read it the first time.

-Setting the alarm clock is probably the most annoying thing, as it can take me up to 5 minutes checking to make sure it's set to buzz, Am/Pm settings, right time, etc. etc.

-Setting sleep timer on TV (I have to go to sleep with TV or I'll just lay there, same with a book). When I set the sleep timer (on the screen it says "Sleep: 15 min" and disappears after about 10 seconds.) I have to say out loud "Sleep colon space fifteen space em-eye-em sleep in fifteen minutes." I have to say this before it disappears off the screen or I believe someone will be harmed if I don't do this properly.

-Excessive hand washing, germs, touching public stuff.

These are just a few of the things I do on a daily basis. It doesn't take up a ton of my time, and after 8 years it hasn't really gotten any worse.

So I guess my big question is this: After 8 years, other things have started to show up, and I would like to know if anyone else have these problems and if they might be related to OCD.

- I am extremely impatient with family. I don't like being hugged, touched by family 'out of the blue' I have to see it coming. For example, I get really uncomfortable if I just get hugged, rather than getting hugged for a reason. I get frustrated that I do not understand what the hug is for.
- I am becoming very anti-social. I turn down a lot of plans with family or friends b/c I would rather entertain myself at home.
- Whenever I am in a public place I feel I am constantly being judged, if I look at someone and they look back I feel as if I caught them judging me and I can't get over trying to see if people are looking at me.
- Can OCD have any effect on other addictions, such as driking or eating?

I am sure I am forgetting some things, but I think this might be a good place to start. Thanks for any insight.[/list]

 

[YankeeBob]

request for comments

hi my name is Bob and I live in Australia. mention that because i doubt we will ever bump into each other on the street ...that might make you more comfortable to know.

1) your behaviours

it sounds to me like you patterns are about "control". that is being sure that certain things are "under control". would you agree with this hypothesis?

another thing is that you have had these patterns for about ten years. would that be right.

and you seem to be saying to us that these patterns are getting stronger.
by that i mean that the more you go through the "rituals" the stronger they have a hold over you. its like you might be doing something against your will. again...I am asking if this is true...not saying that it is.

habits are something that all of us have. whether they are heatlhy habits or harmful ones I guess is in the mind of the beholder.

for example, an alcoholic, someone who does not feel good about themselves unless they have a drink each day ( sadly they can't stop at one ) would be in denial that he had a problem. "I only drink a little " they would tell us.

another habit might be reading books. i spent all of today in bed reading and finishing a crime novel. several times i wanted to get up but i was hooked. i do this about three times a year these days, but in the past it was a behaviour that was much more dominant. if i had work that i had put off to just so i could read that book today...well then my behaviour would be "unhealthy". does that make sense?

2) self monitoring

again you asked for comments. ...suggestions.

i would suggest you keep a daily journal. record in WHEN you go through each of your rituals....how you feel immediately before each one and how you feel after wards.

it might be...that there is something that you are feeling anxious about...and you use this ritual to steady yourself.

there may be some patterns to when you go through the rituals.

do this for about two weeks.

then consider trying to reduce the frequency of one of these rituals by 50%....for a trial period. if your anxiety increases ....welll then you know that it "has a hold over you".

3) the other behaviors you mention

isolating seems to be one of your own conclusions. is there someone else from your family of origin who is shy / timid that you may have unconsciously copied?

on a scale of 1 to 100 ( 100 is max score ) how would you score your "self esteem" or your "ability to recognise your interest in others".

another thing you have brought up is anxiety or fear (not sure which word is appropriate ) about physical intimacy. hugs is one form of that.

this was true for myself in the past. as well as many of the other things you have observed about yourself.

you notice ....i say "IN THE PAST" about myself .

finally you talk about addictions. the answer to that question is ...."in my personal experience" and discussions with over a hundred people face to face ....YES.

but there is HOPE.

 

[Dr_OCD]

You need to seek help. It affect not only in your day to day functioning, but also affects others.

It is also making you more anti-social, much time is wasted in unnecessary compulsions. Please seek help. It is good that you are at least aware, and trying to make a change. If you need more infor, visit my website.

 

[YankeeBob]

Comment About Dr OCD

ok....so i went to the Dr's website.

it sells books. three books.

the author seems to be someone named "Joyce M Brooks".

so I did a google search on "Joyce M Brooks"....no hits as an author on OCD.

am i paranoid ? you decide.

am i suspicious of people referring you and myself to external web sites? YES. What is their motive I want to know.

so be warned. the net can be a strange place.

 

[imnutz]

Thanks all for the big help and questions to ask myself. I will be thinking about some of these things for a bit.