I went to the store to buy "YooHoo" There was a guy holding a girl on top of his shoulders that I was standing behind. I thought to myself that it was dangerous. So I told myself I had to go back to the same grocery store and buy the same product behind a guy who wasn't holding somebody on his shoulders. I did this. But when I got home, I found that my mom had mopped the floor and I wasn't to go in there although I did anyway. The ritual was supposed to be completed by me going to the store behind a different person, but because my mom mopped the floor, the ritual has changed into something else. Now I tell myself I have to go back to the grocery store a 3rd time and buy the same product and come home without the floor being mopped. I know this doesn't make any sense but I feel compelled to do this ritual again. Can somebody please give me some advice so that I don't continue to do this stupid ritual?
OCD at the Grocery Store
- Thread starter Rick7348
- Start date
Noca
Banned
I don't know how to stop rituals or treat OCD yet but I'm going to intensive OCD treatment this spring/summer. I'll tell you anything I learn 
I do know that the more you give into rituals and compulsions, the worse they get. Just like the more avoidance you do, the worse SA gets.
Oh and here is an OCD support forum just like SPW, only its for OCD
http://www.stuckinadoorway.org/forums/
I do know that the more you give into rituals and compulsions, the worse they get. Just like the more avoidance you do, the worse SA gets.Oh and here is an OCD support forum just like SPW, only its for OCD
http://www.stuckinadoorway.org/forums/
dooby-duck
Well-known member
I tried that at the beginning of this year. I managed to get rid of one of my more minor rituals. Some of them I can't ever see an end to. I have some very powerful compulsions and some that have a bit less rigidity. Some are really anxiety provoking and others less so. The more magical thinking ones seem less powerful but the checking ones bring on extreme anxiety if I try to avoid them. They often don't make any sense but are powerful anyway.
2isthesquarerootof4
Member
I make up little mantras that I can say in my head to counter act the ritual. For instance if I was in your situation, after I got home and I felt the compulsion to go back to the store, I would say (in my head) "That's not how it works, that's not going to happen." I repeat it 4 times because 4 is my OCD number as I call it. Even though I may still feel a little anxious about not going back, this will generally ease my compulsion. I have been doing this for years, for safety reasons and so that I dont look so crazy in public, but overtime I have conditioned myself to feel ok about not completing the ritual, although sometimes I "imagine" myself completing the ritual too using visualization.