Published on 12, July, 2020
Hey hey,
does anyone else find that they cannot relax/got to bed without checking everything a certain number of times? If im the last to leave I have to check I’ve locked the door by pressing the handle 3 times. And I have to check the 3, 3 times (so essentially 9times and 1 for luck because I hate odd numbers they don’t feel right) but I also have the take a photo. It’s like my brain won’t tell me the door is locked until I’ve done it so many times. I’m staying elsewhere dog sitting for family and It takes me half an hour to go to bed because I have to do all of my things before I can go. I make sure someone else checks when I’m at home but I can’t go to bed until I see them check! I feel so annoying but then I wish I could just check once and be comfortable I’ve done it. I don’t get people who can!
It's reassuring to see that others have similar anxieties.
Before I leave the the house I also have to check several times that I have my...... wallet, keys, phone ...wallet, keys, phone ...and anything else essential for that day, all at least twice, sometimes many more times; I miss quite a few buses and trains because of this.
Ben
She literally, locked her doors and p issed off then!
That is an extreme example of "something"... I'm thankful I don't struggle with that type of extreme behaviour.
The worst case of checking that I heard of was from my mother, she told me about the first house she lived in before I was born, it was in a really awful area. There was a woman on the opposite side of the Street who had several locks on her door, when that woman was going out she spent around half an hour checking her locks, opening them, closing them, checking them etc etc etc. When she was finally satisfied, the woman squatted on her door and urinated on it, with the pee flowing on the door down the stone steps. And of she went.
andi said:I try to make it so that I’m comfortable enough to go to bed and leave it but it takes aaaagggeeessss
How about having a checklist for each item that you need to do repeatedly. Do it slowly, once, and write on the checklist - completed!
If you need to do it a second time then do it but stop then.
Once complete, scan the list and know that everything has been done correctly. The checklist is unique to that night so anytime your mind things "did I do that" then look at the list and reassure yourself that it is done.
Quality over quantity.
Just a thought.
I try to make it so that I’m comfortable enough to go to bed and leave it but it takes aaaagggeeessss
I try to prepare to leave half an hour early but then I’m still late and think omg I’ve got to cancel but I can’t cancel but I can’t be late then my brain goes a million miles an hour
Taltunes said:They are not cheap however.
...but could be a wise investment.
Ooo your definitely not alone in this
I spend so much time checking locks on doors and windows and then getting up again to check again and make sure I've not heard someone outside
I absolutely dread going to sleep it's one of the times I'm most anxious!
I do the opposite - I often forget to turn off the cooker hob and get home or wake up to find it’s been on for hours. Fortunately I’ve only lost a couple of pans so far. Am looking into getting a stove guard - basically a device which monitors the temperature on top of the stove and turns off the cooker if the temperature gets above a certain point. They are not cheap however.
I've got to check things are turned off downstairs. Sometimes I forget to check.
Night light is on as it's 1p to use each day. Slightest noise wakes me up.
I double check the electrics before going out, always anxious about coming home and finding the house has burnt down.
It hasn't got that bad for me yet. I wake up throughout the night to peep through the curtains to make sure it's still ok outside, otherwise I get in a terrible anxious state.
Very sensible routine, twice is nothing, the problem is when someone does it, say 47 times or spends half an hour checking things over and over again.
Yes I get this, it's part of my bed time routine. I check the windows and doors are locked, twice. I make sure the smoke alarm is working. I use my phone to make sure the house alarm is functioning and I always have a quick peep through the curtains to make sure there's no strange people and vehicles lingering outside.
If I don't do the above I can't sleep. Everything has to be done in that exact order and if it isn't I'm unsettled and anxious, meaning no sleep for Katy.
andi you are not alone,
I am diagnosed with both ASD (High Functioning) and OCD.
I check many times that doors are locked, windows closed and everything electrical is turned off before leaving the house or going to bed, I also check all the water taps are turned tightly off.
Ok . I am glad the video was useful for you.
Hi thank you for the video I did watch it! It doesn’t take up an hour it takes max of half an hour that’s why I thought it was just my anxiety
Hi andi
I understand what you mean, I experience OCD but I don’t have the same compulsions as you.
You may relate to this video below as the woman in it experiences the same compulsions as you:
OCD video:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0frgvj8
andi said: I personally feel OCD is an extreme in my case.
I know you feel like this, but it’s the cycle of obsessions and compulsions and the distress that it causes that warrants a diagnosis of OCD, it doesn’t necessarily need to consume your entire day . As other members have said OCD is a spectrum like many other things.
These articles may help you:
https://www.ocduk.org/ocd/diagnosing-ocd/https://autisticltd.co.uk/autistic-dream-realms-project/
https://www.autisticrealms.com/post/ocd-autismI hope this helps!
You are exactly right about varying levels of OCD. I experience OCD and in order to actually get a formal diagnosis your compulsions need to consume at least one hour of your day.