Is this a compulsion?

Everytime I have a thought, I start panicking. To relax myself I watch How I met your mother. But is this a compulsion?

blablablaeee

Date posted: 3y

I’m not a professional or anything but I don’t think so. Because a compulsion is something you do that your OCD says will make the thoughts not be true, right? (Anyone correct me if I’m wrong). So I don’t think watching something like that goes under that category, especially if your watching it to distract yourself.

Anonymous

Date posted: 3y

Nah, that’s actually a good distraction (and an amazing show). Let the thoughts be there, but allow yourself to enjoy the show.

Sonoma16

Date posted: 3y

I’ve done the same with Harry Potter or Friends, because it relaxes me more, especially since I’m Friends no one is perfect and they all make mistakes which kind of comforts me. But I have thought the same thing about if it is a compulsion because it is a go to way to try to relieve the anxiety I feel.

EmilyCruce

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 3y

Do you watch the show because you feel like “you have to” to stop the thoughts? If you do then it’s a compulsion. If you want to just watch the show because it’s fun and can turn it off whenever you want then it’s just a distraction. Hope that helps! Remember, analyzing things can often lead to feeding rumination. “Maybe, maybe not” can be a good way to respond to intrusive thoughts.

Dothewalkofl...

Date posted: 3y

@EmilyCruce That’s interesting. I’m not sure if mine is a compulsion but from a young age I’ve felt that ‘I had to hear something in the background to sleep’. Whether it was my mum reading me a story… or watching a tv program. I just feel like I get comfort from it. The pet few years it’s been more of a ‘putting a video on made by (my favourite YouTuber) makes my thoughts subside a little. So I have to have him on every single night’ no matter where I am I feel I have to have it on. I used to have a different favourite YouTuber but because she’s female it triggered my (what I hope is) hocd. So I can’t watch her anymore (very rarely). I don’t think I’ve ever gone a night sleeping without listening to something

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