I’ve been wondering whether these five OCD symptoms sound familiar to anyone else: unwanted intrusive thoughts, checking things repeatedly, needing things arranged a certain way, avoiding triggers, and doing mental rituals to feel less anxious.
The checking is the part that gets me. I can know I locked the door, walk away, then suddenly doubt myself and go back to check it again. For a moment I feel better, but the doubt comes back later. It’s frustrating because I know the fear isn’t really based on evidence, but it still feels convincing.
Do these symptoms sound familiar to anyone here?
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The brief relief after checking is what makes it so hard to resist. I’ve had that same loop where I check something, feel settled for a minute, then wonder whether I actually checked carefully enough. Knowing the fear isn’t logical doesn’t make it feel any less urgent.
What helps me sometimes is noticing the urge without treating it like an instruction. I’ll pause and give myself a little time before deciding whether another check is really necessary. Have you found that the checking gets worse during particular situations, like stress or lack of sleep?
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@Brittany_Fox, the “not an instruction” idea has helped me too. I used to treat every urgent feeling like something needed an immediate response, which made the checking loop stronger.
Mine tends to flare when I’m tired, especially at night when I’m locking up the house. I’ve started doing one deliberate check and then moving on, even if the doubt hangs around. It feels uncomfortable at first, but the urge usually loses some strength if I don’t feed it.