Your boy is back! Sorry for the long absence, it’s been crazy! Anywhozzles, into Checking OCD.
If you couldn’t guess, Checking OCD is when you have an irrational fear and intrusive thoughts that something bad is going to happen if you don’t check something. I can’t think of a better word than something because checking can honestly be done on anything. There’s simple checking, such as checking a door to make sure it’s locked. Next thing you know, you’re halfway to work and fighting the thought that you didn’t lock the door and people are going to break in. You feel compelled to go back home and check to make damn sure that door is locked.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, therapist, social worker, etc. Nothing in this article is to be perceived as medical or treatment advice. This is for educational and entertainment purposes only.
Why Do We Check?
To make ourselves feel better. We give in to the compulsion and check. But the relief we feel from doing that compulsion doesn’t last. It never does. So, we go back to check again and again and again ad nauseam. Its difficult because checking does bring relief, but if you don’t nip it in the bud, you will be hurting yourself in the long run.
What’s the Harm in Checking?
If you check something once, there’s probably no harm. If you check repeatedly and it interferes with your life, then there can be a lot of harm. Recently, I’ve had a resurgence of my checking compulsions. Every morning when I was leaving for work, I would have to check the stove and the refrigerator. As I was heading to the door to leave, I would feel intense fear that I left the stove on or fridge open. I would then head back and check again. My checking was touching all the stove’s knobs to make sure they were off and touching the fridge door to make sure it was closed.
There are many forms of checking. When driving, do you think that you’ve hit someone or something and drive back to check if you did? Do you constantly call your doctor or research any bump, pain, or weird feeling you have? Do you constantly check with friends or family to see if you haven’t insulted them and they still like you?
Checking takes many forms, but it’s important to notice any potential issues with checking because checking can start taking more and more time.
Hit and Run OCD
When I was a teenager, I used to love driving. I would go for a drive every night for about 30 minutes and just listen to music. Since I drove at night, it was obviously dark. I eventually started feeling anxious whenever I hit a bump or passed someone walking on the side of the road. I had to circle back. But then I started worrying that when I circled back that I hit someone or their car on that drive. Driving at night started to take an hour, then two hours. Eventually I drove in circles for 4 hours, anxious the entire time. Not only did this kill my gas, it was a huge waste of time.
At that time, I didn’t know what OCD was. Now, I drive and if I have the intrusive thought that I hit someone, I sit with it, but I continue on my way. I trust myself to actually notice if I hit someone or their car. I don’t ask for reassurance. I don’t drive back around. I deal with the thoughts and the anxiety.
Conclusion
You can make checking a lot less painful. You can even make it so it barely affects you. It is rare that I get an intrusive thought while driving now. I get them periodically about the stove and the refrigerator in my house. I don’t let them control me. Think back to the methods in Brain Lock and apply those methods to your life!
It is painful to deal with checking and the fear and uncertainty that comes with it. But if you put in the work and sit with the discomfort, you will eventually get to a place where it barely affects you.