Ive only been exposed to OCD since October 2024 and there are still a lot of questions i have. Can anything be a compulsion? Or is it only certain things? Does anyone have any examples they dont mind sharing?
Yes, anything can potentially be a compulsion if it is performed in response to obsessive thoughts and is aimed at reducing anxiety or preventing a feared event from occurring. Compulsions can take many forms, and while they often involve specific behaviors or rituals, they can also include mental acts or cognitive patterns. Here are some common examples of compulsions: Washing: Excessive handwashing or cleaning to alleviate fears of contamination. Checking: Repeatedly checking doors, appliances, or belongings to ensure they are secure or turned off. Counting: Counting objects or performing actions a certain number of times to prevent perceived danger. Reassurance seeking: Asking others for reassurance about specific fears or concerns. Mental rituals:Engaging in specific thoughts or prayers to avoid bad outcomes.
@Amara Thank you for responding! One thing i do which im not sure is a compulsion or not but tbh it feels like it, if i have something important in my pocket such as a bank card i have to check my pocket a lot (almost constantly) and feel its there, or just have my hand in my pocket and keep hold of the item and keep feeling it, i get an urge/pull to do this and if i don’t feel it i get a rush of anxiety.
@MHJ24 You're welcome. What you're describing does sound like a compulsion, Compulsions are behaviors or mental acts that a person feels driven to perform in response to an obsessive thought or to reduce anxiety. In your case, the checking and feeling of the bank card in your pocket may be a way to alleviate the anxiety associated with the fear of losing it or not having it when you need it. The urge to repeatedly check and physically hold the item is a common response to obsessive fears. The anxiety you experience when you don't feel the item reinforces the behavior, making it more likely that you'll continue to engage in this compulsion.
@Amara It was happening yesterday and i thought ‘is this a compulsion’ and i felt the big pull/urge to do it and keep doing it, but again im new to this so its normal for me i guess, i struggle to know whats me/normal and whats OCD
@MHJ24 It's completely understandable to feel uncertain about what constitutes a compulsion or an aspect of your behavior that may be related to OCD, especially if you are newly recognizing these patterns. OCD often creates confusion between what feels like a normal behavior and what is driven by obsessive thoughts and compulsions. Tracking your thoughts and feelings in a journal can help you gain clarity on what feels like a compulsion versus what might be a normal habit for you. Speaking with a therapist who specializes in OCD can help you. You can also educate yourself by reading books or watching YouTube videos, then start your journey with therapy or other programs. But you have to believe in yourself and your recovery.
@Amara I have an appointment with the hospital Mental Health team soon so im hoping they will be able to help me, i started seeing a therapist but i felt she wasn’t helping and was trying to clutch at straws. Im listening to podcasts which have helped educate me so far, i want to learn as much as possible
@MHJ24 Sounds good. Also don't hesitate to ask the mental health team questions about your diagnosis, treatment options, and any new strategies you can implement. This can empower you and help you feel more in control of your situation.
Does your therapist specialize in OCD? It's important that they are a specialist; otherwise, you might waste your time and money.
@Amara She just said she had helped people in the past with OCD, to be honest i was desperate so that was good enough for me. I ended sessions after the third one as it was just going in the opposite direction to what i needed and i felt a little judged by her
This list by ai gives a good summary of my symptoms. Does it resemble OCD or is it something else? 1. Compulsions (OCD-specific behaviors): • Feeling the need to flex or contract muscles an even number of times, equally on both sides of your body. • Needing to reverse actions (for example, if you roll your eyes or trace a line with your finger, you feel compelled to do it again in the exact opposite way). 2. Intrusive Thoughts (OCD-specific ruminations): • Daydreaming about people you care about getting hurt (e.g., school shooting, injury, or kidnapping). • Sometimes feeling like you might want something bad to happen to someone you find attractive—possibly because of a desire to help or save them, though it’s confusing. • These thoughts can sometimes provide a twisted sense of relief while remaining distressing and confusing. 3. Sexual Orientation OCD: • Experiencing confusion or doubt about your sexual orientation. 4. Contamination Thoughts: • Feeling like things are contaminated, especially after touching something gross. 5. Sensory Compulsions: • Feeling the need to smell your hand after touching areas like your ear or hair. 6. ADHD-like Symptoms / Additional Observations: • Fidgeting or moving your legs when standing or sitting.
I'm thinking of trying some ERP on my own while I wait for treatment, but I'm having some trouble knowing what is a compulsion and what would be good exposure. For example, I have huge fears of being a narcissist and/or a generally bad person. So whenever I watch a movie or read something that has an evil character in it I automatically compare myself to that character and stress over if I'm like that person. A couple of things I do when this happens is Google other people's experiences, seek reassurance, rumination, etc. Sometimes I'll also google different symptoms of narcissism, freak out over things that I relate to, then get relief over things I don't. So my confusion is, would researching people who have narcissism be an exposure, or a compulsion since it's something I sometimes do during a spiral? Or, would the exposure be watching movies/living life hearing these stories, and refraining from the spiral of rumination and no Googling at all?
I think I have mild OCD. Maybe that's why I can't relate to many of the difficulties experienced by other posters. My OCD is more on the compulsion side performing certain rituals at key transitions or points during the day. I honestly cannot figure out what the underlying obsession is other than some kind of weird mental hoarding to acknowledge and cherish a moment but also to protect my family and even my pets. I get little or no anxiety (I used to when I was younger). Even mild OCD absolutely sucks and is debilitating to an extent.
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