Anyone else with OCD?

Definitely a sufferer of OCD. Its been part of my life since I was about 10, but has recently become more aggressive. It doesn't help with dieting, though, because it has nothing to do with counting or checking things. This site does actually makes things a little bit easier because it gives me something to focus on other than my tendencies. I would honestly remain overweight forever if I could get rid of my OCD. I have no issues with how I look right now, but having OCD makes me feel ashamed.

Not diagnosed, but I suspect I am. I need to constantly check and recheck things.

Logging calories/macros must be an OCD person's dream - or worst nightmare. I can imagine that it's a fine line between being dedicated, and being truly obsessive.

Most of the time I just have to eat the same things over and over again so I don't spend hours of my day making sure everything is correct. It's really frustrating.

I was diagnosed when I was 15 and prescribed some medication (can’t remember the name of it) but refused to take it because the leaflet said they were also used as anti-depressants and I was afraid I’d get addicted to them.

My tendencies mostly relate to numbers, counting and symmetry which I don’t mind too much, but the worst is an overwhelming fear that I might kill someone some day. I can’t walk behind someone going down stairs because I’m convinced I’ll knock the person down them and they’ll break their neck, I don’t like driving in the dark in case I run someone over because I haven’t seen them, and I have to walk on the curb if I’m walking with someone next to the road because I’m convinced I’ll trip over and knock them into the path of a car and they’ll be killed if I’m walking on the inside of them. Quite often the image of those things happening flashes into my mind and I’ll either want to cry or throw up. I also love babies, but I’m often scared to hold them in case I drop them on their head and they die.

I’m much better now than I used to be, but I have phases (usually when I’m particularly stressed) where I really feel like I might end up in a mental health institution!

MFP is a bit of a double-edged sword for me. On the one hand I love it because it helps me fulfil my obsessive need to count, but on the other it’s exhausting because I think about it constantly and feel like I could have a breakdown if I don’t log something or think it might not be accurate. I also have an eating problem which I think may partly stem from OCD because I couldn’t swallow food when I was a teenager unless I’d chewed it a certain number of times and in a particular pattern, so MFP can be bad for me. I’m toying with the idea of not logging over Christmas but get sweaty palms and butterflies at the thought of it!

GAHH YESS! :mad:

I have had it for as long as I can remember but was only diagnosed recently when I began seeing my psychologist. I grew up in a rural area and we didn’t see the doctor other than for usual childhood check ups.
My parents saw I had an obsession with smelling things, cleaning my hands, fidgeting & tapping but apparently didn’t think it was too serious.

Nor did I, I had it under control. It wasn’t until I went on the drug Duromine/ Phentermine because I wanted to lose the 10 odd kilograms I had gained from my binge eating, which my doctor I feel negligently prescribed me given I was in the middle of the healthy BMI weight range at that time, but I pursued it and at that time would have done anything to get it, as I thought it was my quick weight loss solution.
I read in the pamphlet that any mental illnesses would be exasperated.

Given I didn’t think my OCD was worth worrying about it didn’t phase me, other than getting every side effect under the sun on that horrid drug my OCD sky rocketed. :explode:

It has been 9 or so months since I stupidly started that course of drugs and my OCD has lessened, but it still worse than original, yet still thankfully manageable without prescription drugs.

My obsessions & compulsions lie under the following banners:

Obsessions
• Fear of contamination from germs, dirt, poisons, and other physical and environmental substances
• Fear of harm from illness, accidents or death that may occur to oneself or to others. This may include an excessive sense of responsibility for preventing this harm
• Intrusive thoughts and images
• Excessive concern with symmetry, exactness and orderliness
• Excessive concerns about illness, religious issues or morality
• Needing to know and remember things
• Excessive hand washing, showering and tooth brushing
• Excessive checking of locks, electrical and gas appliances, and other things associated with safety

Compulsions
• Repeating routine activities and actions such as reading, writing, walking, picking up something or opening a door
• Applying rigid rules and patterns to the placement of objects, furniture, books, clothes and other items
• Touching, tapping or moving in a particular way or a certain number of times
• Need to constantly ask questions or confess to seek reassurance
• Mentally repeating words or numbers a certain number of times, or concentrating on ‘good’ or ‘safe’ numbers
• Replacing a ‘bad thought’ with a ‘good thought’.


Yes I pretty much have it all! :ohwell:


I was relieved when I completed the generic test that made me tick the boxes which I related to currently in the past, relieved because I was concerned with my actions and thoughts and when I had a reason as to why I did these things I finally felt okay.
Especially relating to intrusive thoughts and images I have had this from a young age, and it’s mortifying not understanding why these images run through my mind, especially given the tender age this began. I was even embarrassed to tell my psychologist, and have told no one else. But was SO thankful when I finally got it off my chest! :happy:

OCD is not great to live with, I am thankful, although I have a lot of symptoms, I experience it very mildly and am able to live my life with only about an hour or so a day of interruption from OCD, although it’s constantly streaming through the back of my mind daily.
MFP feeds my OCD, but right now I need it! I need to lose the weight I have put on from my binge eating and be happy again with my body. I just hope the obsession I am forming with MFP doesn’t take over and I can be happy when I get to my goal weight & not turn back to my mindset when I was restricting and/or purging Sadly my psychologist said that my OCD, perfectionism & type 6 personality makes me a prime candidate for an ED. :sad:

I have been diagnosed with Social Anxiety/Generalized Anxiety and some depression however I do show traits of OCD but have not been diagnosed fully for it. For me it is about being in control, having things kept clean and normally I check things (cannot sleep without the door locked in the morning) and some of my thoughts etc... good on you for sticking with MFP it's not easy but keep it up!

My anxiety literally exhausts me to the point where I am physically and mentally tired so I know how that can be.

This is me. GAD and some depression, perfectionism, and OCD originating for need for control. List making, check list of things that need to be done before leaving the house, order and cleanliness everywhere I am, to the point of cleaning friends houses (so embarrassing.)

Currently on a mix of prescriptions and getting counselling for the anxiety.

I'm obsessed with cleaning, and am a total neat freak. I'll have anxiety attacks (heart rate increases, VERY anxious and nervous ect) if everything isn't in place. If one thing gets dirty, EVERYTHING must be cleaned again....just one of my many quirks I guess.

i haven't been officially diagnosed with OCD as I've never been to a psychiatrist...but this is more of a self-diagnosis.

I was diagnosed at 15 but it was an issue for years before that. At some points it was pretty severe, limiting where I could even be in my house. I have some obsessions and compulsions and some pure O, it likes to transform itself from time to time. I'm pretty sure it fed my depression issues, and also why I was diagnosed with adult ADD, I just focus on everything because of my OCD (very very overly observant). It also has effected my new lifestyle because of how addicted or obsessed I become with things. It could very easily make people think you have an eating disorder. I too logged every single bite and recorded my exercise and bought a HRM but even wondered if it would tell me accurate calories, cause it matters for some reason. Now and again I like to stop logging what I eat and allow myself to take a break to follow intuitive eating. But basically I know what I eat to stay at the right amount.

the cuff on your winter coat you took a picture of yourself in is slightly ruffled....you better go take care of that right now before it eats at you...

I know you were probably joking ...but people with this complaint can take it to heart .
I have two daughters and a grandson ...with ocd ...And trust me wouldn't wish it on any one .

Feel free to add me

I check the stove to make sure it's off (over and over again).... I also obsess over faucets and I need to make sure they're turned off all of the way. (I think it's because I had a really bad flood once and I was traumatized by the water damage which occurred. In particular if it's raining outside I can't sleep. My flood was due to heavy rainfall.) I also check to make sure the front door is locked over and over again. The urge comes and goes but is more pronounced when I'm stressed or anxious about something. It has gotten better over the years but I sometimes still obsess over electronics...For example, I have to unplug them because I'm afraid of a fire. The only thing I don't unplug is the TV, our alarm clock, the microwave and my refrigerator, lol. Everything else gets unplugged if the urge strikes and I need to do it. This drives my husband crazy, lol.

I also take the cellphone battery out of my phone every night. It's so weird but, I'm not sure why, hahaha. It's not enough to shut the phone off but, I have to also take the battery out, haha. I feel so silly at times, lol.

This all started when I was a kid. It's very mild compared to other friends of mine who have to check things more often. I also once worked for a boss who had OCD. She would obsess over things like travel arrangements which I made. Needless to say, it was a really difficult relationship because we both fed each others OCD-like urges and fears.

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