HELP ME! read this

[sarahelizabeth]

i havent been oficially diagnosed with ocd or any other disorder, but i have done loads of research and it has just assured me that yes i do have a problem. maybe some of you have the same things or similar? tell me..

*well i get these mental images a lot of violent things happening to my mom. not ME doing these things, but watching them happen like someone climbs in a window and murders her or she gets in a car wreck and burns in a fire. these images are really graphic and sometimes have even prevented me from going out with my friends for fear that if im not with her, something will happen to my mom.

*i have stopped praying at night for two reasons. 1) sometimes when i would pray all of the sudden a voice would pop into my head and say really innappropriate things and its like another voice in my head has to overpower THAT voice until i stop hearing those things. the thing it says is F*** god. it really bothers me. 2) i feel like i cant pray right and i am not good enough or am not saying the right things even though i am told you can say anything and he hears you.

* im obsessed with the number 9. wheneever i have any type of itch on my body like i need to scratch my leg or something i do it 9 times. also if i have an itch and start scratching with out counting, i will subconscuiosly backtrack and count how many times i have scratched, then proceed till i get to 9 times. when im getting out of the shower, i have to shake off my right leg 9 times, scrape the bottoms on my feet on the edge of the tub to get the excess water off, and then do the same with my left foot. when im shaking my right leg, if my foot hits the tub or something, it have to hit my left foot to the tub when i shake it. when i brush my teeth, i have a whole ritual and it involves brushing the bottom then top 9 times. also when i rinse out my mouth with water and then mouthwash, i have to swish it around 9 times and then after i spit out the mouthwash i have to get water in my mouth 3 different times and swish it 9 times. 9 is always there!

*in the shower, the shampoos/soaps that ive used all have to be facing towards my direction. i also have to brush my teeth IN the shower and do that certain brushing ritual like up there^^. the towel has to be hanging over the left side of my shower doors and once when my friend was showering, she used that towel when i was still in the shower. so instead of just taking the one off the actual towel rack, i grabbed it and hung it over the left side of the shower for a few seconds and then proceeded to take it and dry off.

* when im getting ready for bed i have a certain ritual i spray pillow spray on my pillow (9 times) then on myself and then on this little stuffed sheep. then put on this face gel, then this stuff on my eyebrows, and then i rub like.. oragel in my mouth.. which makes it numb even though i dont have any type of sores or pains in my mouth. the eyebrow gel ran out a long time ago but i still go through the motions of "putting it on my finger then rubbing it on my eyebrows'' even though nothings there. if i (god forbid) forget one of these tasks, theres no way i will be able to sleep. and my heart starts beating alot. ive tried to test my self and NOT do these things but i always cave in and a great deal of stress is released.

*i keep noticing more and more license plates with my ex's initials for the first three charachters..idk what this means

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As well as these obsessive compulsive behaviors i also do these things that i think may have to do with some other kind of problem:

*i rock back and forth & side to side when ever i am sitting without noticing
*ill look at the ends of my hair all through my classes at school and pull out all of the hairs that look damaged on the end
* i pick at the skin around my nails and often make them bleed at least once a day
*il take nail clippers and clip skin around my toes and fingers and when i do this i feel like i am on speed or something its like doing this puts some kind of adrenaline into my body or something
*i avoid relationships/intimacy because i feel inferior or i wont be good enough and i feel that i cannot function properly in front of guys, when i never used to be like this.

[Mzor203]

It is quite possible, and seems rather likely from what I know, that you have OCD. The thing is, even if you are sure, you're going to have to see a doctor to get it treated, so what I would suggest is to go to a doctor both to get a better diagnosis and gett advice on what to do about it.

[Atonement]

Though it is possible that you have OCD. Technically to have OCD it must interfere with your life. Yes, its one thing to have tendencies, but if they don't interefere with your life, it undiagnosed. I believe.

Furthermore, do not diagnose yourself on research alone. Yes, its a good thing that you are concerned for your health and want to know whats going on, but the only people that can diagnose it at trained professionals which so happens, we have none of.

[INFERNO]

First, as said already, avoid self-diagnosing.

What you have described sounds rather characteristic of OCD. You mentioned the number 9, and the number itself isn't important for diagnosing just what type of number. For some reason, which has yet to be explained, people with OCD repeat the rituals in odd numbers (1,3,5,7,9,...).

The rocking could be numerous things, not necessarily OCD. Could be thinking, could be stressed, could be a list of other things. People unconsciously do a variety of odd activities, such as stick their tongues out while working hard or talk to themselves while working, etc... . I wouldn't consider the rocking to be something to worry over. I wouldn't necessarily say that this is caused by OCD.

For the hairs, many girls do that but it depends if that has an obsession and a compulsion. If it's just that they are frayed ends, then it's not likely to be part of OCD but rather to not have frayed ends.

The relationships, could be a variety of things. People's personalities while young do change, so do behaviors and attitudes. Then again, could be your age (which isn't visible, so could be hormonal).

The picking of skin releases various chemicals, notably endorphins. Endorphins make you feel good, so you keep it up. You may want to avoid doing it as it can damage but it's not something life-threatening. However, compulsive skin picking (or more appropriately called Dermatillomania) can be a related disorder that accompanies OCD. It can occur without OCD also.

The license plates I'm not sure on. Could be you miss your ex, I'm not sure. Could be you're going around thinking you have OCD and try to do "OCD-stuff", hence, why self-diagnosing is bad.

The issues you listed that you do 9 times, let's say you don't do it. You don't spray the pillow, what would happen?

The violent thoughts or images can be part of OCD, as they can be intrusive thoughts, which you probably would find distressing and unusual. However, these thoughts are very rarely acted upon but their presence does cause distress.

The images can also be characteristic of OCD or related to another disorder.

Overall however, I won't say you have OCD as that would be a rather ignorant statement on my part. I will, however, say there's a decent chance you fit for OCD but i will be bold enough to say that if you want an actual diagnosis, see a psychologist or psychiatrist.

[Beautiful Obsession]

well it sounds like u hav it. as u havnt been told it. i would definatly go and see a doctor about it. My friend from an old school had ocd and u sound as though u'v got it.
dont worry though nothing to be afraid of:) x

[Atonement]

Hollie.X, please start to concern yourself with when the thread was started and last bumped in order to avoid bumping old threads.

The OP has not logged since post here, so I will lock.

OP: if you want this unlocked, PM me, Email me, or report the thread. :daisy:

:locked: