Constant Making-sure of things

I've found myself constantly checking to make sure lights are off, doors are locked, alarm clocks are set, lids are shut tight, etc, excessively. and i have to say it outloud at least 3 times or up until it feels right to be sure i'm not just imagining it. anyone else have this problem?

((((((((((((( hannah )))))))))))))))))

I do a lot of checking too, but mostly for me it is worse when I have high anxiety so I try to do some things to help me calm down.

I do exactly the same things, and I agree that mine is much more obvious in time of stress. I have even driven home from work when I worried I may have left something on... like leaving my curling iron plugged in or the stove on. And even though I know that these things arent still on or plugged in I feel better once I check and know for sure.

Have you guys ever done anything like that?

Yes I have driven home to check on something before or called hubby in an absolute panic wondering if I left something on, he works very near our home so it's easier for him to check. After hubby got grumpy about it and the price of gas went up I learned to just ride it out and let the panic attack happen and hope it isn't that bad. I carry my anti anxiety meds with me but it is still so hard not to drive home and I am usually out of sorts until I get home and check whatever it is.

Hi Hannahrachel,
I volunteered at an animal shelter for 5 years. During that time I had sole responsability to put the buns to bed, see that everyone had water, food etc. See that the fan was left on in the summer (nobody would come in to check the animals at night) Whether to put the fan on during the winter because there was no ventilation. Sometimes i would have to leave a sick animal overnight unsupervised till somebody took care of it in the morning. On occasion I would return to make sure no bun was left out by mistake and would have nightmares of the shelter burning down because of an electric short. I would also imagine that I hadn't closed the cages properly and would return to check. The staff often had left already. Fortunately I have a husband who supported me when I would come in , frazzled with anxiety. He would make a joke and that would make me see how ridiculous I was being. I also come home occasionally to check on appliances. I have learned to say out aloud"closed" or "off" so that it registers in my mind. i am glad i dont work at the shelter anymore!dawnhopeful

yeah, that's the sort of thing i have to do! and it usually doesn't register in my mind right away. so annoying!

I have to check that a door is closed and locked before I can leave anywhere. Problem is, depending on my stress level, I could check it 3 times or 15 times, thus making me late for a train, bus, work etc. I have to do it even when I am around other people who think I'm NUTS!!!! I have to pull on the doorknob which in turn makes the knobs slightly loose which in turn makes me feel unsafe which in turn makes me pull on the knobs even more.... I have actually pulled knobs off of doors or worse, pulled whole doors out of frames.... I also do this with windows, I barely survive Spring & Summer with all my glass breaking and lock checking. I have a whole ritual of things I say, hand motions and ways I tug/pull/jerk on the doors. And if I get interrupted/distracted, I have to start all over again.

WHY DO I DO THIS? When I was 13 my grandfather would sneak into my bedroom and molest me. I would lock my door and he'd enter through the window... I have NEVER gotten over my security issues. My childhood taught me that evil is determined and that you're never truly safe.

God, I hate myself sometimes....

Of course, I have other OCD that I have absolutely no clue what their origins are. Guess, I'm just a sick puppy.

Dear aaaaAAAHHHHH,

Obviously the event that happened years ago with your grandfather made you extremely worried about protecting yourself (and with good reason). This fear/anxiety grew into a obsession for you because it had a traumatic effect on your life. Now the obsession is making sure you are safe and that unwanted people cannot get in.

Your 'checking' the doorknob is classic OCD but the fact that you were abused as a child adds another element to the picture. I would strongly recommend you seek out a counselor or therapist to share your fears, concerns and past with, especially the piece about your grandfather. Even if people feel they have gotten over a traumatic event like that, they still carry the weight of what they endured. Just dealing with what you went through will be so beneficial for you. I would expect your anxiety to decrease and hopefully some of your compulsions too! Good luck!

I do the same thing -- I constantly check that I turned off my straightener or that I locked the door, I find myself doing these things more and more and over and over again. Drives me nuts