How do I stop my weird habits?

Okay so I have really weird habits that I can’t help but do but they are really irritating me and I want to stop it so badly but I can’t help it, I’ve done it for so long that it’s normal to me now. Help?

  1. I have 2 plates I eat out of, those are one small dish with a flower on it and a black square plate. I’m scared of eating off a clear glass plate as the scraping sound makes me feel all icky. I drink out of only 3 cups in my house and I have to use certain pieces of cutlery, and they are usually mostly or all plastic. I don’t like putting metal in my mouth.

  2. I wash my hands WAY too much, roughly about 25-30 times per day and I brush my teeth about 5-6 times per day.

  3. I weigh all of the food I eat and I always look at the calories and write down the calories I am consuming. I wont even eat a snack over 150 cals.

What do I do to stop this? Should I even stop this? Is this normal?

Answer #1

Sounds like definite symptoms of OCD. I used to suffer from this, big time. What you have to realize is that nothing bad is going to happen if you drink out of another cup, or eat something with slightly more calories in it. It really is okay if you don’t wash your hands a million times a day.

I used to have to make sure all the light switches were off, all the locks were locked and, get this sh*t, if I saw a particular word that would stand out (like a headline on a newspaper) I would have to spell that word backwards in my head. Why? I had no idea why. I felt like something bad would happen to me or my family if I didn’t do these obsessive things. One day, I realized that my routine was controlling my life. So I just stopped. But looking back on it, I was young, my parents were going through a divorce and I was having a hard time adjusting to it. I think that anxiety manifested itself into OCD.

Maybe something is happening or happened in your life that is creating these obsessive compulsive tendencies? If so, maybe talking to someone about it or finding some way to let you deal with it can help? If not, then maybe try doing a little trial run. Eat something on one of the plates that you dislike. Force yourself to, no matter how much you don’t like it. When you’re done, you’ll see that nothing bad has happened to you, your food, or the plate. Do this a few times and it might get better. Best of luck to you, I hope everything works out.

Answer #2

Oh. My. God. I didn’t even realise I have OCD until I read your comments. I was thinking about it early this morning and I searched it up. I never thought I would have this. I don’t want OCD. :( I didn’t even realise how bad my OCD is :(

I have just went through a rough patch because my family have just got this big problem in january and I couldn’t handle things so I left school, and working in McDonalds now I just feel so dirty and I always wash my hands there. I always clean there aswell when it’s not as busy. I do feel like something bad is gonna happen if I dont drink out of certain cups or eat out of these 2 certain plates. I don’t let anyone eat out of these plates or drink out of these cups or use the cutlery.

I always put things in the ‘right’ place, and always fill the juice up to the line, if it’s not on that line, I’m annoyed at myself. I feel like things have to be perfect and things have to be in a certain way or I get really annoyed with myself.

My problem with weighing food I eat is that I got picked on on my last 3 years of highschool because of my weight so I felt like I HAD to weigh my food. I’ll try eat more. I never really had anything more than 50grams. I’ll try. I’l try and bin the scales.

Even with music, I listen to a song but if I don’t listen to the whole song, I have to re-listen to it and with washing my hands, I don’t know if I can stop that. I don’t like feeling dirty.

I am so ashamed of myself. I’ll try my very best to quit this obsession, thank you all so much for your help. ):

Answer #3

Hello (= well, I dont really think it’s normal. maybe you have a type of obsessive compulsive disorder or something. (lol, not being mean because that’s absolutely nothing 2 be ashamed of you know)

Well, for #2, I know it sounds very healthy for you, but it may just as well be doing the opposite. You know how if you wash your hair to much, you’re stripping it of the natural oils it needs? Plus it tricks your hair into producing more oil than it needs, thus making it VERY greasy if you don’t wash it one day. I think these things could have similar effects. Plus it’s probably not so good on your gums.

For # 3, umm… well I dont think that’s normal either. But hey, at least you’ll be healthy and probably live long right? Be careful though, because calories arn’t the only things to measure in keeping a healthy diet. Some things like nuts have TONS of fat, but they have protein, which you need.

I think it’d probably be a good idea to some of those things, because, it kinda sounds like you’re letting it take hold of your life a little. Gosh, what would you do if you had to go to a sleep over or something?? Well, it takes 21 days to break a habit. Try making yourself a checklist for 21 days on the habits you KNOW you want 2 get rid of.

Good Luck!! Hope I’ve helped u!!! (=

Answer #4

Thank you, I will buy a journal! :)

And I know nothing bad will happen, but I cant help but do these things? But I’ll try. Thank you. xxx

Answer #5

Dude, don’t feel ashamed. It’s more common than you think. Just keep telling yourself that nothing bad is going to happen to you. Just keep saying that over and over. Because really, when you think about it, nothing bad is going to happen.

Also, maybe try investing in a journal and pouring out all your fears, stresses and frustrations out onto paper. For me, this helps a lot.

Answer #6

OCD Try just doing things. I mean just do it, maybe force yourself a few times and it may get better. If not, you may need to seek professional help gain control of it.

Answer #7

Thank you so much, I’ll try giving the checklist a go!

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