Hello! I have been very anxious for some time. Anxiety that I may have forgotten something or that I may have done something in the wrong way, which could cost me any material damage. I mean things like forgetting to lock the car, the front door, forgetting the headlights on, forgetting the appliance on, etc., which would be a prerequisite for theft, fire or other problem with the equipment. This causes me great mental discomfort. It makes me check things over and over, over and over again to make sure everything is okay. I expend an awful lot of energy, I analyze things, I assess all the risks that could arise theoretically if I forgot something or something escaped me by accident. The more I check, the more my worries increase. This makes me double check, for the second, third time and so on until I am convinced that everything is fine. Finally, I realize that these "checks" were unnecessary, that I may not be well, that I am sick, and this causes additional worries, even paranoia. Basically, I dare say that I have a very good analytical mind, I am technically literate, I am even a perfectionist, and I think that these traits, which many people think are positive, are the reason for my impaired mental comfort. Too analytical and technical thinking suggests possible problems that may occur. I see that there are people here who have experienced a lot, also people who are really competent in problems of this kind, and I believe that I will get help. I will try to illustrate what I wrote above with a few examples of things that ruin my daily life. Example: I'm coming home from work, I lock the car and go up to my apartment. After a while I remember "if I locked my car, I don't remember the exact moment". I think for 10 minutes whether to go down to check, I'm worried during that time. Finally I go down. I check and find that I have locked it. So far so good, but I immediately remember "lest I forget a ceiling on and my battery falls off." I'm coming down a second time. I'm checking. I get on and remember, "Did I lock the car on the second descent ?!". You remember from here what's next :) This is almost every time! The example is similar in the morning when I go out to work. I leave and on the way I remember "did I lock the door", "did I turn off the appliances". Of course, in most cases I don't have time to go back to check, but this causes anxiety throughout my day. At one point I grabbed his jack and when I do these things (I lock the car, the door, turn off the stove) I repeat in my mind "I confirm that I turned off the stove today." Yes, but I began to feel mentally ill. At times I wonder "did I not suggest that I had locked it?" I'm under steam again and that makes me check again ... and in the meantime I'm starting to analyze what the probability is that I missed something and what the probability of damage would be. At the same time, a kind of paranoia appeared, lest someone watch me repeat the same actions and take me crazy. As you can guess from the example, the anxieties (obsessions) are related to the material part of life - property, technique. I have always been a perfectionist in how I will use and maintain the equipment, the car. What conclusion did I come to: It's like a living organism - a parasite that lives in me. He feeds on these compulsive actions (constant checking and analysis), for which he generates worries - to feed him. The more I check things out, the more strict I am, the more I feed him. And the more I feed him, the more greedy he becomes. The more I analyze and check things, the more anxious thoughts become. The fact that I have realized that this is how I nourish this "something" does not help me, on the contrary! I begin to doubt my own abilities and senses. Some time ago I read about the so-called "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)" Would you advise me what to do? I guess many people have encountered a similar problem at some point in their lives. How do I handle this thing?
Answers 6
Anyone who thinks about whether he has locked up will not be sure if he has locked up, etc. For this, the only thing I can advise you is to be focused when doing the thing and the other thing - to go to a psychiatrist. Probably some medication would suppress this anxiety. Sites will not cure you.
If you think things are getting worse, ask your jeep to send you to a psychiatrist. And I'm somewhat like that, I'm tired of checking 50 times to see if I've locked when I go out, but I know that I've locked and again, when I lock, for example, I do something that is sealed in my mind that the door is closed - more to close it tightly for example. For electrical appliances - either I move it to another place / iron /, or I leave the wire itself as far away from the socket as possible - this is how it is imprinted in my mind. my - whatever it is, I will not think it, and I try not to pay attention. And you're basically right, you have to resist these thoughts, because they really feed - maybe 5 hours to check if it's locked and after 50 meters to wonder again,
Think logically. You're afraid you forgot the door unlocked. Even so. No one will go to a closed door and try to open it in the hope that you are 1. Outside 2. You forgot it unlocked. If he tries, then he intends to break it. So unlocked or not, the chance of a thief entering is equal and there is nothing you can do. For the car. Have you ever seen or heard anyone walk around parked cars and accidentally check to see if any are unlocked? And theoretically to find such an individual what? Will he get in the car and what will he do, steal your mints? He doesn't have a key, how will he start the car to steal it? . The stove. Imagine being on for 8 hours while you're gone. And what? If there is a pot inside, it will burn and you will have to throw it away. And if it is empty even better. Only where you will send BGN 5 more for electricity. The iron? Emmy if it's not on fabric, but in place the same job. It would be a fire if it was so easy ... Think that your fears are unfounded. Next time you decide to check, try to refrain from thinking about what I wrote to you.
You say you have chronic depression. An almost obligatory symptom of depression is causeless fatigue (especially mental), distraction and memory loss. So, do you often forget, in fact, that this fear comes from there? Because I have the same problem - but I just know that the probability of forgetting something is really high, ie it is not unfounded. On the other hand, you take antidepressants - that is, they should eliminate the symptoms. If they worked for you - believe me - you would have no fears. It is no coincidence that serotonin is called the hormone of happiness. If his levels are high - one feels like a superman. I know this because I also took an antidepressant for a short time some time ago, but it was just to pass an exam. I have decided not to become addicted for life. Why for life - because if they stop, the neurons,
Yes, you have OCD and there are two ways to deal with it: 1) You start psychotherapy with a therapist with experience with OCD and in a few months you will have a huge improvement 2) You dedicate your whole conscious life to fighting OCD and eventually you can do it yourself. Antidepressants and tranquilizers are only a temporary crutch. Success!
Yes, it is an OCD, I have experienced it and I fully understand you, after almost a year of treatment I am 99% cured. It is best to visit a specialist, with pills will not work. The earlier you start treatment, the better. Success! :)