An event from my past, irrational worries - OCD Support

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An event from my past, irrational worries

Obse profile image
Obse
4 Replies

Hi,

I’m a volunteer at an animal shelter and a big animal lover. About 3 weeks ago, a staff member at the shelter found a frog in there, and she invited me to come with her as she went outside to release the frog. She put the frog near a puddle and went back inside the shelter, but since I have OCD, I felt like I had to stay there a few more moments to make sure the frog was okay. After staring at the frog for a few moments, I started walking back to the shelter, but I kept looking back at the puddle, just to be absolutely sure.

At some point when I looked back the frog wasn’t there anymore. I went back to puddle to take a closer look, but the frog was nowhere to be seen, so I just went back to the shelter.

Even though I can tell with almost 100% certainty that the frog simply jumped into the puddle when I didn’t look, I still can’t get over the idea that I accidentally stepped on the frog when I went back to puddle to take a closer look. This idea makes no sense because the closest I got to where we put the frog was a few meters away from that spot, and also, if a frog had been crashed under my foot, I would have surely noticed.

Unfortunately, I cannot reason with my OCD, and even though I keep telling myself how irrational my worries are, they just don’t go away.

Any advice on how to deal with this trouble?

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4 Replies
Sallyskins profile image
Sallyskins

That's the problem with OCD. It is hard to reason with it, but it only understand the irrational. I could reassure you and say that you did not step on the frog, but you know that anyway, and it is only your OCD telling you that you did. Try to put it behind you if you can, don't go over it in your mind because that just feeds the OCD, and it should start to feel better eventually. A technique I have been taught is to tell yourself 'I shan't think about it now, but I will give myself permission to worry about it at a quarter to four' or any other hour you happen to choose. A quarter to four comes and goes, and you have forgotten about it. I know that this incident has stuck in your mind, but it won't always bother you like it does now.

Obse profile image
Obse in reply to Sallyskins

Thanks for the advice!

dollmad profile image
dollmad in reply to Sallyskins

that's good advice very usefull , I like that saving worrys for half past 4 xx

dollmad profile image
dollmad

I too worry about animals , I work in a school and the kids find insects and snails ect , they usually end up dead after being played with at play time which is so hard for me I actually feel sad for them. I dread it when they show me what they have found because I know its likely to be a sad ending for them at the end of play.OCD sucks

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