me and my bf, lets call him Ryan, have been going out for a month and have known each other about two months. Ryan is a really nice guy and i like him a lot but since i spend so much time w/ him i've been noticing he has these really unusual habits and since i have OCD myself and i have studied it a lot i was wondering if maybe he has it....or sumthing else???
here are some of the things he does:
- pinches his upper arm and his nipple either thru his shirt or reaches under his shirt, it is like he does it unconsciously
-he has to touch a seat before he sits down on it
- if he is opening a door or likedoing sumthing w/ his hands he has to like touch the thing w/ the back of his wrist
- before getting in the car he'll pause for a few beats, almost get in, stand back up, then almost get in, then do it again
-he'll unbuckel and rebuckle his seatbelt like three times, or put his shoes on, then take them off and then put them back on
-when he walks he constantly hits the ground with the front of his foot, if he is standing then he does it like three times before he starts walking...the front of his shoes are horribly worn from it
-sumtimes when he is just satndnig there thinking he'll touch sumthing w/ the back of one wrist and then tap it again a couple times before he moves
i know that people have nervous habits but this seems like it might be sumthign more serious. i thought it was a habit and i was trying to break him of the pinching one, b/c he will be 19 soon and i dont think it really good for a 19 year old to walk down the street pinching his nipples and he also wants to be a policeman and it probably wont be possible if like hes in an emergency and he cant pull he gun out b/c he has to pull it out, put it back and then pull it out again three times before he can use it.
i've talked to him about it and he gets really quiet like i ask him if he even knows he is doing it and he says yes he is very aware he is diong it and when i asked him why he does it he cant give me an answer. i know his mother died about 4 years ago, i dont know if that has nething to do w/ this or not.
but yes, i really care about him and i want to know if there is nethign i can do to help him and wat is causing him to act this way. it doesnt bother me b/c i am used to it but in public people comment on it or look at him funny and i feel bad for him b/c it almost seems like he cant help it. he calls it "nervous tics" but im not sure if that is wat they are or if i really even know wat nervous tics are??? it kinda seems like OCD compulsions to me....im not sure...ahh someone help me!! enlighten me!!
It does sound as if it is OCD, the repetitiveness, but as an OCD sufferer yourself, the worst you can do is constantly point it out to him, in his mind he already knows he does it, he admitted he realizes he does it.
My doctor told me (OCD sufferer with bouts every few months), in the case of my son who always does repetitive things, not to make such a big deal out of it, as it only adds to the stress of doing it, and makes them feel like a freak if its constantly being pointed in their face.
As far as his career, many when distracted with other imperative things will not do the habit until the relaxation time (socializing, at home watching TV, etc)
My son's eased up after school let out, yet he didnt do his "tics" at school, it was after school let out for the day, while at home, not occupied on one thing in particular.
