Looking for support/similar stories?

I have had an OCD issue for a long time.. I'm 24 and ever since I was about 14 I've dealt with compulsive thoughts, and random rituals. As a teen I always stacked sneakers in front of the doors, or places chairs and somehow it made me feel safe.. I also had an issue with light switches.. unplugging everything in the house before I left and also cigarettes.. I had to make sure they were out.. I mean I would dump water on strangers cigarettes to make sure they were out. when I was like 19 all of the rituals stopped, like I don't even know how but they stopped.. for a while then I started to get worried about things here and there, Over the past two years I've been experiencing obsessive thoughts Instead, some of my thoughts I know many people obsess over too, but other ones I kind of feel alone with. A huge issue for me is telephones, I always think I accidentally say on the phone and it called someone and I was unaware so I'm constantly unplugging the phone because I don't wana deal with it.. when I'm driving sometimes I think I ran someone over and I have to turn around and go check.. but the most annoying thing has to do with my job, I have to do a lot of paperwork and a lot of handing files to other people.. I'm always terrified that maybe I wrote something ridiculous on the papers or maybe I typed that I'm gay, or I'm racist.. or something really opposite of me. I mean I'm petrified of this idk why! but all day this is a part of my job, also writing checks and going to the post office, I have to reopen the sealed things I'm mailing to make sure that I didn't write or type anything that says something obserd. I mean I really obsess over these stupid things. Also diseases I have been tested for HIV at least 25 times, I don't engage in permiscuous activities, but I always think I have HIV. I'm also really afraid of meningitus, and animals I feel as If all outside animals are going to give me a disease if they are around my house, ringworm? hanta virus. I just feel like I live In fear.. anyone else have any of these obsessions? lmao I mean I keep a good sense of humor about it but it sucks lol

i can kind of relate to your worry about typing something humiliating when you're at work. i worry a lot that i said something humiliating when i'm talking to people. i think that's why i have social anxiety. as far as the phones, i can also sort of relate. i fear that upon answering the phone i will burp or make some strange throat noise before even saying hello. this causes me severe anxiety to talk on the phone, but if i make myself burp before answering then i feel much safer about it. (i find that last fear to be rather funny. so do my sisters, whom i have told all my quirks too)

those are the only relatable ones though. the others are things like making lists of absolutely everything, making sure i'm surrounded by the number 3, and hygiene stuff.

the reason i call my things quirks is because i only have OCD traits, not full blown OCD

I am 23, and have similar sx's. However, mine are more internal. I can completely relate to freaking out over things that you know are irrational, but just can't help. I can give you an example, maybe it will provide some humor and reassurance. Earlier today I was contemplating if I was happy or not. (As if I can control a spontaneous emotion.) I was thinking in my head, wow this is a great day. Then I went to, is it really a great day or do I just want to believe this? This rational went on for over 45 minutes until I convinced myself that It couldn't possibly be a great day for some illogical reason. It was something small that consumed way too much time. I do this all the time with more serious things.
The one thing that stuck out to me that I can relate more directly too is the fear of HIV. I don't really have that fear, but I have the fear of others thinking I engage in permiscuous activities even though I am a complete prude.
I am glad you are able to laugh at yourself, I can often times do this too! I agree it totally sucks, especially when the quirks aren't funny.

I definitely had the HIV OCD before. As well as for various other STIs.

I've also had the fear about putting inappropriate things in school work / work work.

jballan - I've definitely had the rationalizing of happiness back and forth before.

However, it's important to recognize that an OCD about HIV and an OCD about worrying about writing inappropriate words an OCD about hanging up the telephone all have the same, single source - anxiety. When you have anxiety, an OCD can be made out of any situation. Spending time ruminating on the subject of the OCD was a fruitless endeavor for me, and only made the situation worse. No OCD makes more or less sense than any other OCD.