Hi Elizuk. I do a lot of those things too. I often run back up the stairs after leaving for work just to double-check that my curling iron is turned off and unplugged. I get out of bed to make sure the stove isn't on -- even though I hardly ever cook. I also have to double-check that the back window is locked and that there are no live ashes in the ashtray. I check all those things before I go to bed, but I start worrying when I get in bed... afraid I forgot to check... and I have to get up and do it again. Sometimes I'll get out of bed again and douse the ashtray in water just to be safe... and sometimes I check under the chair cushions because I'm worried there might be a spark from a cigarette. There have been some nights when I have actually sprayed water from my plant spritzer under the chair cushions because I'm afraid there might be a spark I can't see. If my cat isn't in bed with me, I have to get up and make sure he's in the house even though I always check before I go to bed. I need to make sure everything's okay before I can relax and fall asleep though.
I also count syllables of phrases and sentences on my fingers until they end on a multiple of 5. I do that when I'm anxious. I used to do mirror-image piano fingering to calm myself down... and I had to do it perfectly or else I would have to start again.
I have never been diagnosed with OCD, though... because these little worries and rituals don't interfere in my daily life... and they were much more prevalent when I was a child. I have outgrown a lot of the rituals I had as a child. I have been diagnosed with GAD and panic disorder and depression... and I am a recovered agoraphobe.
You should talk to a doc if you're concerned about this. If it starts escalating, it could become a problem, so it's best to talk to a professional about it. Good luck.
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“Almost everything you do will seem insignificant, but it is important that you do it." - Mahatma Gandhi
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