Do your obsessions cycle? - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Message Board

Loubiegirl24 · 05-01-2008, 10:36 AM

I havent been officially diagnosed with OCD, but my pdoc talks about it like I have. I have a couple of compulsions that have pretty much stuck with me, and then I have obsessions that I cycle through. I jump from one thing to the next.

Like, I have had a compulsion since I was young that whenever my dog or cat came near me, I would grab them and start picking their fleas. Not just for a minute, but sometimes for HOURS. And every single time to this day one of my animals gets near me, I literally cant stop myself from picking at them.

I also have a baby blanket that I have had since I was born, that I compulsively rub on my cheek. It sounds really weird, but I have slept with it every night for the past 24 years! A few months ago I came home to find my dog had chewed up my favorite "end" to my blanket and I started crying hysterically. I literally had to take valium to calm down. One of my biggest fears in my life is that I will die without my blanket. It literally brings me to tears to even TYPE it.

My obsessions are usually material goods. I become comepletely and totally obsessed with a particular brand or item. For instance, for a while this year I was obsessed with Gucci. I searched online every day for the perfect bag, for weeks, until my fiance finally just gave up and bought me my bag from the Gucci store. After that I was over Gucci. (I love my bag though!)

After that, I bought a pair of Christian Louboutin heels. That sparked my current and most crazed, insane obsession yet. I have since bought 9 pairs of his shoes (at $800 a pair thats a LOT of money, and I dont necessarily have it to spend!!). I spend every waking minute on forums, discussing his shoes, locating shoes, looking at pics of other people's shoes, just basically talking ALL DAY EVERY DAY about SHOES. I just literally cannot stop. I bought a pair last week, and there was alot of drama attached to it, from my Sales Associates as well as my fiance, and it made me feel really foolish. Usually when I feel foolish about something, it totally kills the obsession for me. But this time it just put a temporary damper on it. I dont know what to do to stop! I have no self control, I cannot stop myself from buying them.
I am afraid of what my next obsession will be. I am just hoping to move on from this one soon!

Does this sound like OCD? And can anyone help me? My pdoc doesnt seem to be doing much good in the lifestyle area of my BPD/OCD, shes more concerned about getting the medicine right. What can I do to make me stop being so obsessive about things?

nineika · 05-01-2008, 11:12 PM

hey hun, my ocd is the exact same way. i have had things that have been with me forever such as extreme handwashing, and then i have new obsessions that come and go. i have been learning how to deal with it and how to get through it. just know that you're not alone. for the last 6 months ive been taking a natural remedy 5Htp and find that it helps a lot.

nicky

OCDwontgetme · 05-05-2008, 09:15 AM

hello,

i have the exact same thing. you are not alone. all i can say is that you need to know realize its the OCD and not you. so whenever you have a thought, for instance, "i need to pick the fleas off of my dog/cat" then say to yourself outloud quietly, "no i dont, its not me, its my OCD." it wont be easy, you will feel yourself becoming crazy and wanting to grab your dog and start doing it. but you have complete control over yourself and no matter how much it hurts do NOT grab your animal just let it go. After about 2-3 weeks you will be seeing extreme improvment. Maybe tackle one thing at a time if it is too much but if you can at night or whenever you feel you need your blanket put it next to you... dont hold it but keep it next to you. i had the same thing with a teddy bear, i was so mad that when i died i got no earthly items to be brought up with me and it depressed me and i was afraid to die without it. so i began putting the bear next to me instead of holding it. or at the foot of my bed or under the cover by my legs.. and i grabbed my pillow instead repeating to myself "its not me, its the OCD" and started counting and fell asleep. when you wake up and see that you didn't need it.. you will feel amazing and realize you can get on with your life and you can tackle any other thought you have. if you have ANY questions, please contact me and seriously, just try to do this for a week or two. it WILL work, i promise. Its hard to trust someone you dont know but you really need to do this. You get one life, dont spend it like this.

good luck

Kellie

Post-It · 05-07-2008, 11:52 AM

Yeah, my obsessions definitely cycle. I have one major one but several other "mini-obsessions" that are still upsetting but don't quite stick with my like my main one! then it'll go away for a few months while I obsess about something else. It's annoying.