Is this OCD?

[rachmumtobe]

I have to touch wood. Like if I'm sat next to the door in our living room I touch the door, other settee is the desk, when I get out the shower I touch the box next to the bath and when our bed was near our wardrobe I'd touch the draws for my mum and the wardrobe for my little boy. Now it's moved I touch the bedside cabinet but on the odd occasion I will go to the bottom of the bed to reach the wardrobe.

Most of the time it's not even the thought that if I don't touch it something bad will happen, I mean that is the reason I'll touch it but it's more a feeling I get in my hand. If I can't touch wood without looking too weird I touch my head. My oh and family have noticed I'm doing it a lot more as I'll also do it if something bad comes on the news or a film, like touch wood I hope that doesn't happen to me etc.

I just don't know if it's become a habit because the feeling is definitely that I need to touch it?

 

[R_x]

I did this in my teens. I had to touch certain wood stuff in a certain order before leaving the house etc
Not sure if it's OCD or how I managed to stop

 

[babycrazy1706]

I think it sounds like ocd or anxiety. Xx

 

[TTCabundle]

I do this all the time and I have anxiety, I've never thought about ocd though?Might be worth seeing your doctor if its bothering you xx

 

[mummyof3babas]

yep defo sounds like it, iv had the same symptoms since been around 8 and still have it i have ocd and axcity:/ x

 

[hayz_baby]

I think it's only a bad thing if it starts taking over your life. Like if u don't do it u physically panic and can't carry on with ur day. Your thoughts will probably be intrusive like "u haven't touched wood now something bad WILL happen" if it's just a habit like u have described then I wouldn't worry x

 

[rachmumtobe]

I used to do little things when I was younger but then nothing I can remember until this which started probably about a year and a half ago. I just touch wood without really thinking about it now, I noticed earlier walking to the kitchen I touched the shoe rack and the door frame so I think it probably is habit although I haven't yet dared to not touch it at night time when I actually think touch wood so this doesn't happen.

Thinking about it I when I give my little boy kisses at night I don't like to give him 2 because that's how old he is, and I think something bad might happen to him at this age. I am a bit paranoid about something happening to him though x

 

[Elljo3]

I have been OCD since little and now 30 years on I will have it, it can take over your life. Please go see a doctor xx

 

[Kate&Lucas]

It sounds like it could be. I'm on the waiting list for CBT at the moment for compulsive behaviour, I've never had help for it before so I don't know an awful lot about it.
I've never sought help before though (despite it taking over my whole bloody life since childhood), because I thought it was only OCD if you thought bad things would happen if you didn't complete your rituals. I've never thought bad things would happen, but my entire body feels wrong. My main compulsion at the moment is breathing manually, (basically I have to conciously breathe in and out all day long, taking care of how deep my breaths are, if I breathe too deep/shallow I have to stop what in doing and really concentrate on it), it is frigging hell. If I forget and realise I've been breathing unconsciously I have panic attacks. But I never think "if I don't do this, something bad will happen", I just physically can't not.

 

[CRWx]

I'd go and see someone, hun. I'm also waiting for CBT for compulsive behaviour and other things. I have something similar to yours but it changes in my head regularly and if I don't do it my whole body feels 'off' and something bad will happen. I remember the first time it happening, I was about four and my brain told me if I didn't follow my mum into the living room and touch every cushion and turn them round, my mum would die (that was irrelevant really!)

xxx

 

[Kate&Lucas]

CRW. Lucas has been showing signs of OCD since he was tiny. As soon as he could stand, he'd cruise around the room turning around all the cups/mug handles to face one way.

 

[rachmumtobe]

It sounds like it could be. I'm on the waiting list for CBT at the moment for compulsive behaviour, I've never had help for it before so I don't know an awful lot about it.
I've never sought help before though (despite it taking over my whole bloody life since childhood), because I thought it was only OCD if you thought bad things would happen if you didn't complete your rituals. I've never thought bad things would happen, but my entire body feels wrong. My main compulsion at the moment is breathing manually, (basically I have to conciously breathe in and out all day long, taking care of how deep my breaths are, if I breathe too deep/shallow I have to stop what in doing and really concentrate on it), it is frigging hell. If I forget and realise I've been breathing unconsciously I have panic attacks. But I never think "if I don't do this, something bad will happen", I just physically can't not.

Can't imagine how hard that must be x

I wouldn't say I can't carry on my day as usual, I'm just forever touching the door when I sit next to it and most of the time it's not because I've told myself I need to touch it, it's just a feeling I get in my hand. Before bed I touch it because I've told myself to. It's just so weird how the urge goes when I've touched the door for a little while n then have to do it again x

 

[rachmumtobe]

When we visit my Mum I have to touch a photo of my little boy that she has on the stairs and now he's started touching the photos. You can see my finger prints on this one photo lol

 

[CRWx]

I wouldn't say I can't carry on my day as usual, I'm just forever touching the door when I sit next to it and most of the time it's not because I've told myself I need to touch it, it's just a feeling I get in my hand. Before bed I touch it because I've told myself to. It's just so weird how the urge goes when I've touched the door for a little while n then have to do it again x

It's like a weird heavy feeling for me. It's strange isn't it xxx

 

[rachmumtobe]

Mine is a bit like a tingly feeling in my hand x

 

[starangel27]

I used to have this feeling also I used to have to write out certain sentences in my head in capitals then lowercase. If feels really strange remembering this I've never told anyone it really took over all my thoughts as a kid I still do it sometimes. Now but no where near what it was I also used to have a dragging horrible feeling and had to complete the sentences. In my head.

 

[jellybean83]

I have a few things Ive always done and i don't know why,In have to read certain sentences in a book or whatever Im reading over and over again otherwise i get a really heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach a bit like if id swallowed a brick,I also have to make sure all the handles of the mugs and cups in my house all face the same way,I dont like things in uneven number and buy my shopping according to that,Ive thrown food away to even the score up,I dont think i have Ocd though i just think im a bit quirky and easily pissed off by small things! lol

 

[meli1981]

Im sorry hun, it does sound like it