[dkatww429]

I am new to this site and was really hoping someone could relate or help me with some problems I have been having. I have a really hard time dealing with other people due to my OCD. This is a terrible feeling I have and no matter how hard I try I cannot stop thinking about the way people do things. It is the smallest stuff I was stress over and if it's not done the right way I will go back over it and redo whatever it is. The fact that I redo many things is starting to cause stress between me and the people around me I really care for. I have many examples I am willing to share but the more I talk about it the more I just feel terrible about complaining over silly things.

-I have a very weird obsession with even numbers. If someone adjust the volume on the television it must be on an even number, if not I will always grab the remote or walk to the T.V. to put it on one. Whenever we go to concerts or games or anywhere we need a ticket for, if I do not get and even numbered seat I will trade with someone. No matter what it is about if something is not an even number I will cause a scene or act out until the even number has appeared, and I cannot stop my self from acting this way.

-I hate watching other people do my dishes. This is not a house chore many people like but I hate it when my roommates do the dishes because I feel like they are never fully clean. I always end up re washing the dish I eat off of, which irritates my roommates because the feel like they cannot do anything right. In all fairness, I do this when I go to peoples houses too. The same thing applies to folding and hanging laundry. Things have to be folded a certain way and if they are not done the right way I redo them.

-Anytime I go for walks I drive my self crazy obsessing over how many times my feet land on each cement pad. It must be both feet that touch one cement pad so that way I end up taking two steps within each block. I will adjust the way I walk (by expanding my stride or taking a very small stride) if it does not feel like both my feet will land within the one cement pad.

-My cuticles drive me crazy. If there is even one piece of skin laying over my finger nail I will practically rip the whole cuticle off trying to get that one little skin off. I will spend hours picking at one finger because I become so engraved and obsessed with it that I cannot leave it alone until it's gone. This has gotten to the point where I carry cuticle clippers around with me and will take time (even out of a work day) to fix what I see.

There are so many other examples of things that I could go on and on talking about but they all lead to the same concern. I do not know how to deal with the involvement of those around me that I care about. My friends and family are becoming very irritated with me because I can never just drop things. If things are not put back appropriately, I fix it but why are they becoming do defensive about it? If they understand I need even numbers why can't they just put the volume at an even number to begin with? If my cuticle is bothering me I don't understand why I can't just fix it even if we are somewhere others can see me doing it? I do not want to start arguments with anyone but for some reason things always lead to this.

Does anyone have any suggestions for me on what I can do or how I can handle things better?

[Travelinglady]

As you said several times here in your post, you are "driving yourself crazy." And I think you can understand why other people are getting annoyed with you.

Honestly, your best bet is to get together with a therapist who can help you to get at the root of your issues and/or use some behavioral techniques to "re-train your brain." It might also help to get some medication to help calm you down.

There might be some books available about OCD that could be helpful, but it sounds like to me that lots of things are going on, so getting them dealt with will take some professional guidance.

If money is an issue, then see about getting into a clinic that might take people's money situation into account.

[IchbinkeinTeufel]

I will do my best. My problems have always got in the way of social settings, and probably always will, so this much I totally relate with. The amount of times I've been offered to parties, gigs, in bands, people's houses, pub, and so many other things, but had to turn them down because I couldn't handle the people, whether it be my anxiety, OCD, or 'depression' had gone haywire. When it comes to a social setting, my intrusive thoughts and/or anxiety can be so bad that I just can't manage even looking at someone or being in the same room as someone, and I literally have to get the actual f**k out of there, ASAP.

If I'm out and about, I can miss what people say, or fail to absorb it, because I'm stressing too much about what's going on around me. I got into an argument with a bus driver once, because he was being a complete tool... thing is... he was pissy with me because I didn't remember something he told me.. WELL NO S**T.. I'd like to see him be as anxious as I get with ALL THOSE PEOPLE and NOISE, AND try to absorb ****ing information that just doesn't compute at that particular f**king time! Anyway.. sorry.. but yeh.. I relate, basically.

It's not just OCD, trust me, all sorts of MH conditions really do often get in the way of our social lives. I've more than often had relationships heavily interfered with because of my issues, too, and it's difficult with family, as well.. sometimes more than with friends. While my OCD is like yours as well, with order and all that, I have that part under control (most of the time) and IDK how.. I guess because I've had to learn how to deal with it since I was a child, and I'm 26 now. :| Nobody was there to tell me how to cope, so I had to just figure it out as best I could. I do get pretty stressed sometimes if someone does something wrong, like with numbers and placement of things, and I've quite a few times had a bit of a go at my dad for not washing the teaspoons 'properly' in the house. (to be fair, they were REALLY dirty! I don't care if tea stains aren't unhealthy, it shouldn't be there! :P) So yeh... IN A NUT SHELL... I do relate, mmkay? You ain't never alone in this house, yuh hear?!

Oh, and welcome to PC!

[Meonly76]

I find people hard work a lot of the time irl so I avoid them, but it was because of how it was effecting work and people I work with that ie been diagnosed. My office manager kinda felt it was ocd and asked me to see my doctor, the doctor said it sounded like ocd and was prob the root cause of my depression, and finally a therapist did like an 'ocd test...' and i thought he was gonna say no sorry love your just overly **** and a stress head, but no it is ocd, although i'm still not sure how convinced of that I am... But yes effectively its caused many problems at work, and I just simply find being around some people too damn exhausting, this is whats great about being online, you can run and hide or switch it off lol. Anyway, whatever it is you need to see your doctor and likely a therapist and get a diagnoses or the help you need. My therapy is due to start soon, so I can't say if it will help. Good luck on your journey.

[IchbinkeinTeufel]

this is whats great about being online, you can run and hide or switch it off

Amen! xD