crimsonrose

I don't know how to start out talking about my problem. I am an 18 year old female. For about six months, I've been worrying non-stop. I must check on the safety of things 3-4 times before I can rest and even then I feel the urge to check up again, but I force myself not to just so I can sleep. Often, I also think of the worst possible scenario and the most horrible thing that could happen. I'll give you guys an example.

My dog had puppies about 7 weeks ago, and I love these babies to death, but in reality they have caused me nothing but chronic worry and lost sleep. We have since found two of them good homes, but two still remain with me. The dogs have stayed in our heated garage for these past weeks and every night I had to get up and check on them repeatedly even when they were 4-6 weeks old and sleeping soundly without any problems. I get up, check the puppies to make sure they are all there, and then check the back garage door. It's weird, because I have to stand back there for about 10 seconds and just stare at the door being shut. Before leaving, I have to count the puppies out loud and even sort them by color. I don't know what's wrong with me. I know they are there.. but yet my mind wants me to do this every single time. If I don't, I have a huge problem and must come back eventually. When I am in my room trying to sleep.. I'll start to think of these horrible things that could happen. Such as, what if a dog somehow got in the fridge or freezer and freezes to death or what if the dog eats something and chokes... or what if the dog somehow magically gets in the house and the cats attack him.... the list can go on and on. This will more than likely make me get up once again and check. It's horrible.. it interferes with my sleep cycle at times.

This is not the only occurence.. it seems I'm like this with all of my animals. I have three cats and two other dogs. Whenever I go to my boyfriend's house, I have to call home at least two times to make sure everything is ok.

The problem of worrying and checking has went into other areas as well. Sometimes, I'll walk back into the bathroom to make sure I flushed the toilet or stopped the faucet even though I remember doing it. There is the same thing here too, I have to stare at the faucet for a little while before I can be at rest. It even happened in school, I would check a homework assignment like crazy, just to make sure I had my name on it. When I drive, sometimes I'll run back outside to make sure the car is in park or everything is off. It's happening in a lot of other things, but you guys get the idea.

I'm a little concerned, because this only started about six months ago and it seems to get progressively worse. I don't know if maybe I'm just a little too careful or what.... Maybe I'm just a loon.. lol. I told my boyfriend, "Be happy I'm so careful because one day it could save your life." He just laughs and calls me a crazy compulsive. I hope someone here can help me out and maybe have a little insight on how I can improve this.

thanks a lot!