Checking things over and over is taking up way too much of my day lately. I’ll lock the door, walk away, then get hit with the thought that maybe I didn’t actually lock it. I know I just checked, but the doubt feels strong enough that I turn around anyway.
The same thing happens with appliances, messages I send, and sometimes small work tasks. Each check gives me relief for a minute, then the uncertainty comes back. Before I know it, I’ve lost a lot of time and I’m frustrated with myself. Trying to resist is uncomfortable, but checking only seems to keep the cycle going.
Has anyone found a practical way to delay checking without getting completely overwhelmed?
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The brief relief followed by the doubt returning is such a frustrating pattern. I’ve found it helps to set a very small delay, like two minutes, rather than telling myself I can never check again. During that time I’ll move to another room or do something that uses my hands.
Sometimes I write down “door checked” or “stove checked” once, then treat the note as my confirmation. The anxiety may still be there, but I’m practicing not letting it make the decision. If this is taking up a lot of your day, CBT with exposure and response prevention could be worth asking a therapist about.
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The two-minute delay sounds much more manageable than trying to promise myself I’ll never check again. I’ve used a timer for this with small tasks, and the urge usually loses a little intensity while I’m waiting.
Writing down the confirmation is useful too, though I’ve had to be careful not to turn it into another thing I reread repeatedly. One note, then moving on has worked better for me.
@Jeffery_Perez, the part about relief lasting only a minute really captures how exhausting this can become. I’ve had better luck setting a short timer and making a firm rule not to negotiate with the urge until it rings. Even five minutes feels more manageable than telling myself I can never check again.
During that wait, I try to leave the area and do something physical, like washing a cup or folding laundry. The anxiety still complains, but I remind myself that discomfort isn’t proof something is wrong. If the checking keeps eating up this much time, ERP with a therapist seems worth considering.