Simple decisions can turn into a whole exhausting process with OCD. I can spend way too long deciding what to eat, which message to send, or whether I locked the door properly. It isn’t that I don’t know what I want. My brain keeps throwing out one more doubt, like I need complete certainty before I’m allowed to move on.
The frustrating part is that the decision usually isn’t even important. I’ll compare every option, imagine all the ways it could go wrong, then check the choice again after making it. Sometimes I end up avoiding it altogether because that feels easier than sitting with the uncertainty.
I’m trying to practice choosing something and letting the discomfort be there without going back to review it. It feels wrong at first, but I’m starting to see that waiting for perfect certainty is what keeps the whole thing going.
1 Like
That “one more doubt” is so familiar. I can make a tiny choice, then feel pulled back into checking whether I chose correctly, even when nothing bad would actually come from it.
What’s helped me a little is setting a simple limit before I decide, like one check or two minutes, then moving on while the discomfort is still there. It doesn’t feel settled, but I’m learning that unsettled doesn’t mean unsafe.
1 Like
@Craig_Pena, the part about “unsettled doesn’t mean unsafe” really hits. I get stuck treating that uneasy feeling like proof I missed something, even when the decision is totally harmless.
The time limit sounds useful. I’ve tried giving myself one chance to check, then putting my phone down or leaving the room before I can start reviewing it again. The discomfort usually hangs around, but it does fade some when I don’t feed it.