# OCD "magical thoughts"



## JustRachel (May 22, 2013)

So my councellor told me I have "magical thoughts", like the physical rituals people do but its in my head.

Like, I believe such things as, perfumes, underwear, clothes I wear can be lucky or unlucky. In the past I've TRIED my hardest to wear the "unlucky" clothes and underwear because I know deep down its a ridiculous concept that material things can determine wether or not your days going to be bad or not. But the days always end up bad :um

So were trying to work through it and the first thing she wants me to do is wear my "unlucky" perfume -.- I agreed I'd wear it that night which was Thursday..I haven't. I was already in a bad mood and didn't want to have a bad night just because of my mood cos I'd automatically put it down to my perfume :um

I've got until Thursday to do it but I'm too frickin scared -.-

This is so pathetic. I *KNOW* perfume can't affect how my day goes but then a part of me is screaming saying don't do it!! Arghh I'm needing some encouragment right now, really do!!

Also, does anybody else suffer these "magical thoughts" 
Is it REALLY ocd though? Best thing is I'm not even really superstitious..well not until this came out :um


----------



## corbeaublanc (Jan 29, 2013)

That's quite interesting. Yes-_*I *_believe reoccurring thoughts (sometimes turning into action) can be ocd;but I'm no doctor. When thoughts pile up-it may be an issue. I'd say try your best to do what was asked and I hope you'll see improvement in your situation.

my two cents.


----------



## JustRachel (May 22, 2013)

Well my councellor is calling it OCD lol its just I always thought of OCD as the obsessive handwashing, the physical side. But I suppose if I'm putting it into action by not wearing the stuff or going to the "unlucky" places then it can be OCD. Its just so strange, I've never been really superstitious as such and now seemingly I am lol! Ah, I'm gonna have to brave it before thursday, I don't want to let her down :um maybe tonight..I suppose lol.

And I'm guessing I'm the only one like this too as nobody else seems to have commented lol. Ah well I'm just unique :/ haha


----------



## InimitableJeeves (Aug 27, 2012)

Hi, it sounds like a challenging situation and I hope things will turn out for the best. I am wondering how do you decide which perfumes or clothes etc. are lucky or not?


----------



## SVIIC (Apr 15, 2005)

RACHEL1994 said:


> Also, does anybody else suffer these "magical thoughts"


Yep. Though moreso in the past... still a bit now though.

I suppose most people probably do get these kinds of thoughts though now and then... but OCD tendencies can make you do it more and make it become more of a problem.

It's textbook OCD:
- Feeling anxious.
- Feeling kinda helpless or afraid that you have no control over things.
=> Inventing some action (a ritual) you can perform that makes you feel like you do have control and relieves the anxiety.



RACHEL1994 said:


> Well my councellor is calling it OCD lol its just I always thought of OCD as the obsessive handwashing, the physical side.


Nah, it's loads of ****. Quite a varied array of activities, but they have certain commonalities too.

If you do some research into OCD, e.g. reading a book or something, you might find yourself recognizing a lot more things you do as being part of OCD or having similarities with OCD (I suppose these things are only really OCD when they become a disproportionate problem... everyone does illogical things now and then) than you ever thought before.

Counting... symmetry... perfectionism... repetitive movements... just about any situation where you feel kinda "wrong" and have some compulsive action that makes you feel more "right" for a while, and you find it hard to abandon because it's become such a natural part of you.


----------



## JustRachel (May 22, 2013)

Bonjour Tristesse said:


> Hi, it sounds like a challenging situation and I hope things will turn out for the best. I am wondering how do you decide which perfumes or clothes etc. are lucky or not?


Thankyou 
Well with the clothes and perfumes I completely avoid I've worn them a few times and every single time I wear them I have a bad day, full of arguments and upset. So I have to wear them a few times to recognise they aren't lucky.

I mean there's times after I've worn them because I KNOW its ridiculous of me, but then I always have a bad day :/ it sounds so silly. Material things cannot affect you but in my head it does, and I'm so much more anxious wearing them, I'm waiting for something bad to happen..

Then there's other clothes that aren't necesserily unlucky but if I pick them up they can feel "wrong" for that day, like I don't know I just get a bad vibe when feeling them so I have to avoid them until they feel "better" -.-

Okay now I sound really weird lol.


----------



## JustRachel (May 22, 2013)

SVIIC said:


> Yep. Though moreso in the past... still a bit now though.
> 
> I suppose most people probably do get these kinds of thoughts though now and then... but OCD tendencies can make you do it more and make it become more of a problem.
> 
> ...


I suppose it is OCD then, its just hard to get my head around, I've been this way since I was 12 so it doesn't seem out of the ordinary for me. Its pretty manageabe for me a lot of the time - probably because I avoid the bad things lol. It is frustrating when its a smell I like or clothes I like but I just can't wear them, so I tend to waste money a lot of the time on clothes.

I do other things to like, in my head randomly I'll think, oh if I complete this exercise before this song finishes or it finishes a certain part then I'm gonna be succesful in my losing weight or I'll have a good day..silly things like that 

Yeah when I was 12 I had a physical side of ocd, I had to have things in a certain place or it didn't 'feel' right, but I got over that so I always assumed I didn't have ocd, but I must, just the mind side of it.

I'm dreading this wearing the perfume thing lol. I'm just waiting for a day when I feel happy and everyone around me feels happy so there shouldn't be an argument or any upset..grr it sucks being this way lol. I wonder what its like to be "normal"


----------



## SVIIC (Apr 15, 2005)

RACHEL1994 said:


> I suppose it is OCD then, its just hard to get my head around, I've been this way since I was 12 so it doesn't seem out of the ordinary for me.


Yeah... when I got into dealing with my OCD properly, I noticed that a lot of things I'd done for most of my life had been part of the OCD.



RACHEL1994 said:


> I do other things to like, in my head randomly I'll think, oh if I complete this exercise before this song finishes or it finishes a certain part then I'm gonna be succesful in my losing weight or I'll have a good day..silly things like that


Yeah, crazy **** in that kind of style.

Or like... if you feel you have to listen to an entire album the whole way through in the proper order. That's the way it's "meant" to be listened to... and you wouldn't want to end up having listened to some of the songs more than others, would you? That would cause imbalance! :teeth


----------



## au Lait (Sep 8, 2010)

Yeah that definitely can be a symptom of OCD. Basically it's any kind of compulsion that causes a person to engage in an activity that they believe will counteract the fear associated with an idea (in your case the belief that certain things are lucky/unlucky) or obsessive thought. Ritual hand washing is probably the most well known form. 

The best way to fight OCD is to do the things that freak you out. Once you do and you realize that nothing bad will happen to you, it will be easier to break the cycle the next time.


----------



## JustRachel (May 22, 2013)

SVIIC I completely understand you. Gah, its so overpowering.

Au lait, I really hope it does sort itself out. The anxiety of doing it is just awful though. I'm trying to wait until a day where I know everyones happy but it has to be by thursday. Hopefully tomorrow night I'll be able to, seen as I didn't tonight :/ then I'll perhaps be able to carry on doing it. Its just so scary lol.

I've got a few issues my councellor wants me to face, I chose ocd to do first because I thought it might be easiest..but no its not lol.


----------



## Berzerko (Jun 16, 2013)

RACHEL1994 said:


> So my councellor told me I have "magical thoughts", like the physical rituals people do but its in my head.
> 
> Like, I believe such things as, perfumes, underwear, clothes I wear can be lucky or unlucky. In the past I've TRIED my hardest to wear the "unlucky" clothes and underwear because I know deep down its a ridiculous concept that material things can determine wether or not your days going to be bad or not. But the days always end up bad :um
> 
> ...


sounds like pure-ocd(mental ocd without physical rituals) I would know cuz thats what i have i get all sorts of random thoughts and some are repeating that trigger my moods. cetain thoughts and obects trigger different feelings in me.


----------



## JustRachel (May 22, 2013)

Yeah that's exactly how it is! :/


----------



## wrongnumber (May 24, 2009)

Yes I have had magical thinking / superstitious OCD. It started around puberty after stressful events in my life and faded out as I got older. By nature I'm pretty logical, and like you I'm aware of how bogus superstitions are. But I still get trapped in OCD rituals regardless.

While the magical thoughts have mostly gone, I still have mild trouble with contamination OCD, responsibility OCD (whereby I feel I must ward off harm to myself and others by engaging in little mental rituals / certain behaviours) and some hypochondria. I also have trouble with saying or writing certain words in certain contexts because I feel like it may somehow bring harm upon me or others, which I think is a grey area between magical and responsibility OCD. Even though I have these traits they're not crippling enough for me to feel like I need treatment. And I mainly just avoid hypochondria / contamination triggers to cope, and that's fine so far.



SVIIC said:


> Or like... if you feel you have to listen to an entire album the whole way through in the proper order. That's the way it's "meant" to be listened to... and you wouldn't want to end up having listened to some of the songs more than others, would you? That would cause imbalance! :teeth


I used to do this to an immense degree. Also have had a general obsession with organising files and emails on my computer... and loads of other weird little things that are hard to explain. It seems when you have OCD traits they can be extremely pervasive and often go unnoticed unless you know what to look for. I've been resisting this ''ordering'' need for the last few months. It's getting easier but still uncomfortable.


----------



## WhatWentWrong (Oct 25, 2010)

I don't know much about OCD since I've never had it but its sounds like you're subconsciously associating "bad" perfume with things that have happened in the past. You've already said that you know that its stupid to believe that certain clothes and items can actually make an impact but the sheer fact that you're giving it some attention will create some kind of association in your mind without even thinking about it.

The only thing that I could suggest (which may or may not work since I'm no doctor) would be to try and believe that ALL your perfumes are equal. You don't have any lucky or unlucky ones they are simply there to make you smell nice nothing more and nothing less.

It'll be hard to break this association, I hope you get through it.


----------



## JustRachel (May 22, 2013)

Wearing the perfume :clap
But feeling **** about it and very out of control. Definitely noticing I'm a lot more sensitive now I'm wearing it..waiting for a huge argument to kick off etc etc ;( must be down to anxiety. Feel like getting in the bath to wash away the smell


----------



## JustRachel (May 22, 2013)

My hearts racing I'm shaking I'm lightheaded I'm feeling like I'm having to gasp for air I want to wash it off but if I don't expose myself its gonna get no better  don't know what to do!!! She wants me to wear it for 2 days and this is after 2hours how can I do this ;(


----------



## stargazer74 (Jun 28, 2013)

Sounds like OCD if it is mentally and emotionally distressing you. There are so many weird thoughts and rituals that can be classified as OCD. It's not always your classic germophobia and the normal stuff you might read about in books.


----------

