Obsessive behaviour?

LegacyUser

Mods: In no way am I looking for medical advice, just opinion.

I’ll am constantly checking and worrying over things.
For example, my scooter was locked outside the house yesterday evening and I went outside 3 times to check it was locked securely.
I checked I locked the front door about 3 times before I left for work this morning. I’d check it was locked and walk a few metres away and then feel the need to check it again so I’d walk back.
Lying in bed, I’d be wondering did I plug out the TV or switch off the immersion or something small like that. Maybe did I leave a tap running.And I’d be thinking about it for a few minutes and absolutely have to get out of bed and check these.

I go to the gym before work some days and one day I forgot my shoes so I wore my runners around the office for the day. No big deal but now I could be driving the scooter to work and I’d start worrying about my shoes so I’d pull off the road and open my gym bag just to be sure. Even if I had checked it before I left the house.

It’s a lot of needless and pointless checking of things.
Is this normal or maybe worth getting advice over? I'm not stressed and am pretty much normal apart from this

I’ll finish off by saying that you may have seen something similar on the TV show Friends (yes, it’s fiction). Monica lying in bed and wondering about something stupid like shoes left on the floor and she’d replay this in her head about 10 times and then absolutely have to go check it.

Marksie

I do that all the time. have i locked the door, turned the cooker off etc.
Double checking.

I would say its normal enough, particulalry if you are rushing or busy

turf

Marksie wrote: »

I would say its normal enough, particulalry if you are rushing or busy

i wouldnt be sure that this example would be completely "normal".. but it could be worse. it does sound like you have developed ocd.

when did you start noticing this behaviour?

Wibbs

IMHO something becomes a problem if it impacts your life negatively and consistently. Only you know the degree to which it does.

fasty

This happens to almost everyone, some more than others but as Wibbs says, it's only when it impacts your life that you should worry about it.

On the Internet, everyone seems to suffer from OCD, ADHD, Asbergers or whatever. If you're really worried about it, talk to someone professional about it.

When I was younger, I used to suffer quite badly from OCD where doing repetitive checking was a way of offsetting anxiety and crazy thoughts. It's not quite as bad any more but trust me... when it hits, it's much more distressing than having to stop to make sure you packed runners or locked the door.

Basically... don't worry mate!

mosfo

once you'vew done something then just write it down as 'done'. much easier to pick a piece of paper out of your pocket than having to return to wherever to check on something.
you're not a bad case but you do seem to be adding things (like a piece of paper ;-).

MJOR

I do it all the time particularly with hair straightners/ dryers and even to the point I once missed s flight because I was unsure and drove back to check.

I think I am normal.

valleyoftheunos

Worrying is natrual but if its upsetting you and making it difficult for you to get things done in your day to day life it can be a problem. go see your doctor or a therapist for advice and coping stratagies to help you overcome irrational worries.

Oryx

Lots of people do it. I used to, I think with me it was a sign of uncertainty and stress. To counteract it I started doing two things. With regular things I always was checking like the front door, the cooker, etc, I learned to pause as I did it the first time, really thinking 'Im doing this'. Allow your brain to register the act when you do it. Secondly, I learned not to go back and check, ever. If the tap was running or the door wide open, so be it. Its nerve wracking and liberating when you learn to do this. I sometimes came back home in the evening and yes, the iron was on all day, but somehow, me and my house survived.

I think a lot of the time we do repetetive stuff every day, our minds get all confuddled with the repetition and coupled with rushing and thinking of half a dozen other things, you just doubt yourself. Its hard to break the habit, but if you treat it like any habit, and work on it, it gets easier.

Other than that, look at your stress levels and see if you can find a way to make life more relaxed in general. I bet that would help.

MuPpItJoCkEy

Don't want to seem out of line here but are you prescribed to anything or do you smoke the lets say "wacky tabacy" or do drugs of any sort whether it be at weekends or on a regular basis as some of these things can affect your short term memory.

I knew some people where after a good while of smoking the wacky, they eventually got some issues of this sort.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this is what is up with yourself as I don't know you or what you get up ta with your time.

JuliusCaesar

Check out ocdireland to see if it's clinical ocd or just stress

littlebug

turf wrote: »

i wouldnt be sure that this example would be completely "normal".. but it could be worse. it does sound like you have developed ocd.
when did you start noticing this behaviour?

psychiatric diagnosis?

A certain amount of what you describe OP is normal and as already said particularly so if you are busy ie your head is thinking of other things so you don't quite take in whether or not you've done the mundane, ordinary things ie switching off plugs, locking doors etc.

There is someone with OCD in my family. You need only fret when you can't leave the house for an hour because you have to wash your hands everytime you touch something (like a door handle) or when you have to check 10 times that the curtains/ cushions etc are at the exact angle that they have to be at before you can move into the next room and panic attacks ensue if they aren't.

What you are describing is minor and in my unprofessional opinion not something you need to seek help for.

xenya

Yup, I do exactly the same thing - not cos I'm obsessive compulsive but more because I know what I'm like and that it'd be just like me to leave my hair straighteners on and set the house on fire or walk out of the house and leave the door wide open........just have a mental checklist before you leave the house - give yourself a few mins to do it in the beginning until you get used to it. Check everything is unplugged, turned off, you have keys, wallet etc and then when you are satisfied, walk out, lock the door and leave everything. Soon it just becomes habit to check everything and it takes 30seconds!

TheDriver

Same here, always checking things especially locking the door, desperate at not believing myself. Such is life! DOn't worry about it.

LegacyUser

What you describe is exactly like what I do!
Relieved I am not the only one who has this. I have always been a little bit of a worrier and like to make sure everything is in order before I leave the house. My checking of things was exacerbated by a rather stressful period in my life. I would not say I am quite OCD though.
Before I leave the house I have to make sure I have unplugged all the plugs in my room, the windows are shut and the bedroom door locked and alarm clock deactivated. IF I have used the cooker/kettle/toaster, I have to plug them out too and even sometimes I know I have not used them but I still have to check. Sometimes I carry my straighteners in my bag all day so I know that they are not on. Otherwise I use the prongs of the plug to leave a little mark on my palm as a reminder if you will. I check the taps are not dripping then one final look at the plugs. Leave the house I have to lock the door and then check in sequences of 3 times that it is locked. Whole thing maybe takes me 10mins once I am ready to leave house. I try to rationalise and say you know everything is fine just leave it and go. I take photos on my camera phone as reminders as well!
I am not too concerned by my behaviour, friends have grown used to it, my family are totally opposite to me in this regard(rather relaxed about door locking etc) and they can't understand.
During the day though I never worry that anything is switched on. I'd like to get more relaxed about it though just don't know how.. For now it's not such a big deal.

I would say to the OP that if they feel their behaviour is impacting on their life that maybe a chat with someone even a GP would help. From talking to others, I have learned that a lot of people have certain routines that they carry out, it just depends on the level and the toll it is taking on you.. Not sure if I am at all helpful.
Don't worry too much though!

LegacyUser

OP here , thanks for input and it seems it's far more common then I thought.

I don't spend all day in work worrying about stuff and apart from spending an extra few minutes before going to work, it doesn't impact me negativly at all.

The only times it would be an issue is if I'd be strolling down the shops and I'd be 99.99999999% sure I locked the front door but I'd feel compelled to walk a few hundred metres back to check on the off chance that I didn't lock it and all this costs me maybe 5 minutes on a wasted trip.

MuPpItJoCkEy, lol, not been touching the "wacky tabacy"