OCD about driving. I am a 25 year old and am currently having really bad OCD about driving. I often fear that I am going to hit someone with my car or already have and did not realize it. Anything can set me off, such as a bump in the road that I did not explicitly see and point out, driving in an area with a lot of pedestrians, driving at night, driving in residential areas, or driving while a bit tired. This happens all of the time. I often check my rearview mirror for signs of an accident or reactions from drivers. I used to turn around and check a lot, but after reading various articles have stopped doing so and for the purposes or ERP. I have been doing my best with the ERP, but sometimes it is hard to resist the urge to go back and check, especially with those specific instances that I listed above. I just wanted to know if anyone else on here has this kind of OCD and how you deal with it/the best methods for continuing to work with it.

Hi one important point. The content of thoughts is irrelevant, it is the same process amongst all people with ocd. KEY is not to check the mirrors and carry on driving. Become careless....and that's ok! When you get home have the most vivid images blood, crash, carnage, hospital, you being arrested, emarassment, losing job, family disowning. And tell yourself fine great!.....if that happens so what....will die ok .....then what?..you will then touch the key fear and your mind will see the fear for what it is 'just a pointless worry'. Next time you have these thoughts....act carelessly. Also actually try and deliberately want to run people over as ERP.

Hello there! I’m 24 years old and I also have extreme OCD about driving. There are times I’ve been late for work because I would hit a pothole and would have to turn around because I was scared it was a person (even though I knew it was only a pothole) The fact that you’ve been able to stop turning around and checking is amazing. I went out for groceries today, and as I’m typing this I’m currently fighting the urge to get in my car and drive back to the store parking lot to make sure I didn’t hurt anybody. Even though I know I would never hurt anyone. This subtype of OCD has been extremely difficult for me because it involves other people. It feels selfish to not turn around and check. Even though I know that they’re only potholes and little bumps in the road, I just have to check. How did you get the courage to stop checking? Because right now my 10 minute drive to work takes me 45 minutes. All the checking that I do eats up my time and energy. I know that resisting the urge is the only way to make myself better. I just don’t know how. I haven’t gone out with my friends in a while because I’m afraid to drive. I’m feeling a lot more lonely because of it.

ggiglio the only way I'm able to deal with it is just to tell myself that I'm confident in the eyes, ears, and sense of touch that God gave me and to go from there. It's not easy, I may not turn around and check but I still check mirrors and other drivers, as well as constantly worry afterwards. The key is just to be confident and to be "careless" like Parwaiz says. One thing too that can help is taking baby steps. Maybe just do a short drive that you're used to at first. Ride with other people in the car, just make sure that you do eventually get back to driving yourself too. We can do it, fam!

Parwaiz thank you for the encouragement and yes, this is probably a great way to approach things. It's definitely difficult though, the thoughts that enter my mind once I get out of my car are sometimes extremely difficult. I still have trouble sitting with the anxiety after not responding to the compulsion, I think a lot about all of those things you said and it creates a lot of negative feelings. My mind sometimes also says like "well, what if by avoiding checking you actually did do something but now you're not going to notice because you're so focused on avoiding responses." Then of course the bad feelings from when I do check but then think "what if I missed something while I was looking away." I've just gotta learn to do like you said and let the negative thoughts come and just sit with them for a bit. Thank you!

You're welcome. This is the nature of ocd....the bully is never satisfied. Stand firm on the ground. 1) drive normally 2)bump is a bump 3)when get urge to look focus on road ahead. When you get home imagine worst case scenario and multiply 100 times for maximum effectiveness thinking of being in prison..and ruining someone's family by running them over. The thoughts cant make things happen! Try moving the wall in front of you using your mind...tell me when you are successful. What you are saying about avoiding and checking....this is just bully rising up to you. Refuse to be bullied....soon bully will find its place which is in the trash!

Common form of OCD ive read a lot about

I have it as well. I just take it day by day. Some days are better than others.

I have developed this theme in the past two weeks. I have been driving since I was 16. I am now 40 I drive for a living. I’ve been at this company for almost 10 years never ever had to worry about hitting anybody or anything never even came close Until now, intrusive thought came in what if you hit that guy on the corner and it was all over. I don’t even like talking about it because I know I have to work and do this again. Some days are better than others and I know I need to stop checking it just makes it worse because when I check and I don’t find anything my OCD is still not happy most of the time once I get home and settle down, I realize it was all bs. I don’t want it to get any worse so I’m starting my own ERP with it to try to force my way out