GeeN,

I am another person that was surprised with the dx OCD (family and friends, not so surprised). I did not have the stereotypical obsession with germs and cleaning. I simply like things to be done the “right” way. That happens to be my way and I have a logical explanation for every single one.

The only thing that did convince me that I had this disorder was when the doctor asked about different thoughts. Gratefully I do not suffer from the sexual obsessions, but I was very shocked to discover that I was not the only one that thought by forgetting one small thing, a bizarre chain of events would happen and my husband would die in a car accident on the way home from work.

Logically I knew that forgetting to give him a message wouldn’t mean that he’d answered his cell phone as a deer was crossing the road and he was turning a corner and the sun was shining in his eyes and he wouldn’t see the semi in the oncoming lane. That was one of the more reasonable and possible scenarios. But the fear is still very real.

It did make me feel better though to know that this is a component of the illness. The thoughts still come, and they still scare me, but there is still a little part of my brain that says “it’s all part of your illness, it won’t happen.” So even though I’m scared to death, there is a little hope in the back of my mind that makes me feel a bit better.