View Full Version : OCD, scared of thoughts coming true or just coincidences???
Hi guys,
I posted here not too long ago. My thread is "my bizarre ocd- pure hell"
Well this is my 2nd thread, here goes....
Things have gotten alot worse. I didn't think it was possible since my OCD was already very severe.
I have not read a single OCD story like what i am about to describe and it's worrying me that i am alone in this.....:weep:
Here is an example:
If i dont do a certain ritual then if what I'm thinking comes true sometime in the future, something bad will happen to me or a loved one. Confused?? Ok i'll explain it as best as I can.
A thought will randomly pop into my head... like "Someone I know will break their leg" If i don't do the ritual i'm supposed to and someone i know DOES break their leg then something bad will happen.
Then another thought will pop into my head like " There will be talk about a big ufo sighting" If i don't do the ritual i'm suppsed to and sometime in the next weeks or months there is a big ufo sighting then something bad will happen. And it just goes on and on one after the other where i'm literally doing rituals every second!
These are just examples.
The problem is, they are very specific and rare things. So I'm scared that if what i'm thinking does come true in the future then there will be doom and something bad will happen. It would be proof. I get soooo scared that i end up doing rituals all day long just in case these random events occur.
The problem is... lately a lot of the minor 'prediction thoughts' HAVE come true that i have severe anxiety. Now i think that had i not done the rituals then something bad would have happened. It isn't helping my ocd that these predictions or hopefully just coincidences are happening.
The ones that have come true are not as specific so it makes me feel better. I'm scared the more specific ones will come true, and what are the odds?? Wouldn't that be proof?? And i can't even wait and see because some are for the future. Example: If in 10 years so and so turns out to be gay then if i don't do ritual something bad will happen.
This is causing me such anxiety i can't sleep. I really believe these things will happen and it will be PROOF so i end up doing all my rituals which are EXHAUSTING. I walk in and out of my room in sets of two like 30 times a night sometimes! It's hard to hide from my family because no matter how quiet i am sometimes i make noise. Sometimes i even screw up and have to start over! This is killing me.....
How do i get over this fear? What kind of OCD is this?? I've never heard of anyone having it like me. I'm so scared these thoughts will come true because if they did they are so SPECIFIC, what would be the odds? Am i having delusions? Could this be schizophrenia?
I know you guys will say it's a coincidence, and what about all the times the thoughts didn't come true... BUT, my thoughts are very very specific and rare and IF they did come true just ONE coming true would be enough.
It's not like..Example: If next week there is a severe earthquake somewhere in the world and i don't do my ritual then someone will die. This is not rare or even very specific.
Im sure ive confused you guys but............ im falling apart...:shrug:
I dont believe i can predict anything, i just believe that if these thoughts do come true it's like OCD saying HAHA told you im real, and then the bad things will come true if i didn't do the ritual......
Hi there
I suffer from ocd and had a similar problem as this related to coincidences. I know its really difficult but it helped me to confront the ocd and take the risk. So therefore if i had a thought if i dont do this such,and such will happen, i decided to look ocd full on in the face and say get stuffed.(feel the fear and do it anyway). I also noticed lots and lots of minor coincidences and was terrified of anything with a massive coincidence happening but you have to take that risk and realise that if anything does ever happen, it is a coincidence it was nothing to do with your thoughts, lets face it with all the thousands of different thoughts that we had would it be that bizarre if you could make a link to something that then happened. Its more down to pure chance than anything else. I know this is very frightening and the anxiety involved makes you hypervigilent to notice anything in your surroundings that you can link as a coincidence.
Are you getting any help, ive found c.b.t helpful in the past. Take care, hope your feeling better soon.
charlotte83
20-09-10, 15:49
It's just co-incidences, I promise. I have had OCD for over 11 years now and have had so many different forms of it, and I know that it will literally find any way in if you let it. I'd say the OCD you're describing is some form of "Magical thinking" OCD. I have a great book on OCD which explians all the different types, I'll have a look later to get the name and post again. Basically its sort of like superstitious thinking, where you might think for example "If I don't touch this bit of wood 15 times and count to 45, something really bad could happen to my family" even though that makes no sense. What you have described is just another form of that kind of thing. The best way to deal with it, is to just let the thoughts be there but try your best not to react ot them. You know that you can't affect whether something good or bad happens to someone by rituals you perform even if it "feels" like that. Don't listen to how you feel and listen to that logical part of your brain that is telling you it's not real. Even if the OCD is pushing its way in, don't let it! Good luck, you can do it :)
That is the only way I keep my OCD at bay now is by ignoring everything it throws at me and its tough at first but it does get to a point where the OCD becomes a mild irritant rather then a mighty monster, I promise you. Take care
MajCinematic
10-12-10, 06:07
I have these all the time and am having one right now! What I try to do to comfort myself is look at OTHER coincidences that have happened that are NOT scary or OCD related and see how it is all just chance. I will have things happen where I will think something then somone will say something realted to it so I fear they are reading my mind...:ohmy::wacko: I then think of other coincidences that have happened that werte just as strong but had no real significance otherwise. Like one time I was looking up a movie by a certain director and I happened to cross his name on one of the pages in a TOATLLY UNRELATED MOVIE for something else!! This book was filled with everything and anything too so to happen to cross his name while looking for something else of his by chance was freaky, but becuz it instilled no OCD like fear I did not worry about it.
You just have to break it all down and really think it through before you let the fear take hold of you and rule yer life. I can say all of this stuff but I still suffer with it.:whistles:
This sounds similiar to my problem. I think a negative thought and it takes the form of a color in my thoughts. I have to then remove that color from the thought or else it will make something bad happen! I spend all day unthinkng colors. Its very difficult and keeps me in a state of panic constantly. My thoughts take the forms of colors and shapes its just how I see thoughts in my mind. I have to spend all my time removing the bad colors from my thoughts. Its exhausting.
These thoughts are called Magical thinking.You will find plenty of websites discussing this on the internet.
OCD of this kind responds well to CBT. Discuss this with your GP as waiting lists are often rather long on the NHS. But private therapist's specialising in this type of OCD could be found privately,if you can afford to pay.
Always find a registered therapist as there are a lot of frauds out there.
Good Luck
clarisse
hi clarisse, thanks for the reply. Im familiar with Magical Thinking. The problem with treating it is that I have convinced myself I will make these things happen by my thoughts and the ONLY way to prevent them from coming true and regaining control of things is to go thru this very difficult unthinking ritual where I must visualize things just right... and its next to impossible! So when I think of trying exposure therapy... I can only imagine freaking out in trying to resist unthinking the bad thought!
I have the same issues! I do cognitive behav therapy and it has helped. Regarding the idea that if we think something bad, it will happen, well, I'm a pro at that one! For example, if I get a 'sense' or thought that a certain person will call, or I just think of that person..and they call...I totally freak! Because that sends me into the next stage of 'oh my gosh, if that came true, will it also come true if I get a 'feeling' or thought that something bad will happen??? This is magical thinking for sure, and it's having thoughts about our thoughts. Thoughts aren't real, even though we give them power over us with our minds. Another thing I do is, if I'm having particular thing I'm OCDing about, lets say I'm terrified of flying. Then everytime I open the paper, or turn on the news, there's something horrible about flying there..crashes, engine failures, etc. And I'm positive that's a sign that I'm not suppose to fly or that will happen. The counselor made an excellent point in that if that were true, did I realize how many people would die on a plane just because they, too, happen to see that story!! Hadn't thought of it that way! After all, why would I think that if millions of others would read the story, yet not have it happen to them, but it was meant just for me??! And one more thing that does help me is, if I have a bad thought such as, if I don't do "XYZ", then something bad will happen, try reversing it...if I don't do "XYZ" I will win the lottery!! Put a positive spin on it and see if just because you think something good will happen, does your thought make THAT happen?? Hope some of this helps...I still have a long way to go, but CBT can help!
Yeah I must find someone who can give me a good exposure therapy and cbt treatments. I am so sick of having to unthink every negative image I see i my mind. All day long all I do is remove bad thoughts from my head.... and it very time consuming because my thoughts are very visually detailed and I have to think them just right... and it takes a lot of difficult concentration and effort! It really is killing me.
Just forget about it ,don't worry about.. .those things happening.. .It is not as easy as thinking it once or twice to make a thing happen.. .Magical thinking as in visualization are not that powerful.. .
yes... I haveto put my faith in realizing what you say is true!
Any wise.. .quotes related to solving magical thinking?.. .Anyone?.. .
I have the same problem and don't know what to do. Reading your post has made me realise I'm not alone even though I feel crazy
i feel like a lot of things in my life have happened because of how ive thought
Amgi
This really has struck a chord with me. I do this exact thing except my ritual is 'if I worry about this then it won't happen' therefor if I don't worry about it it will come true. This only fuels my thoughts and its one vicious circle!!
---------- Post added at 01:55 ---------- Previous post was at 01:47 ----------
I even think sometimes that I am psychic. Like you I have specific thoughts and they happen. And it freaks me out, do you get much deja vu?? Your really have hit the nail on the head with me and to know that there is somebody there with exactly same thing is a relief! Thanks for this. We should talk some about this!
Autisticnerd1991
10-04-15, 04:51
It may be hard to believe but I too have went through the same thing! For me it is even more extreme!:ohmy:I was supposed to go to Israel this December on a birthright trip and I had a feeling that because I am so unlucky and because I didn't do enough rituals that my trip to Israel was going to be cancelled even though I paid money for it.
I paid $250 for the trip. I told my friends and family that if I don't do the rituals that they are telling me not to do that the 7 negative predictions will happen that I predicted, including me not going to Israel.
Here are the 7 negative predictions that I made; 1, I will not go to Israel 2, I will not get any major snow storms in New York City for the rest of the winter. 3 I will not get the Greenpeace job that I always wanted to get for the last several months. 3, my parents will not take me to Florida or the Dominican Republic on one or both of the trips. 4, I will have a horrible time at home during spring break walmart parents get to go to the dominican repBostf. 5, I will loan my best friend $100 and I won't get one penny back. 6, I want get the meteorology job which I was promised to get by my job developer. and 7, I will fail my math test even though I practice non-stop for it and everyone else that I was going to pass.
the weird thing is that none of these negative predictions were supposed to happen with the exception of me not passing my math class since I didn't have much faith anyway. My parents promised to take me to Florida in February, they also promised to take me on any trip that they will go on however I claim that because I didn't do my ritual that they were not going to take me on any of the trips and that they were just lying to me and making a fool out of me.I was so sure my predictions that every time I made a prediction I swear to God and I bang my fist over my chest, I only bang my fists on my chest when I'm a hundred percent sure that the prediction will happen. after I wrote down my predictions I waited my first prediction which was for me not to go to israel and my parents told me to pack for the trip that I was supposed to go in with the group for kids with autism and I told my mom I refuse to pack because I'm 100 percent sure that I'm not going because I did my rituals. then the next day, which was about 5 days before my trip I decided to call the company that was supposed to take me because I was so sure they were not going to take me so I called to make sure that I was still going on the trip in that I wasn't going to pack needlessly. and to everyone's surprise but my own they told me that I am NOT going because there is not enough room on the trip and then my mom told me that's what I get for being so negative. I had a complete meltdown and I fell into depressive state for several weeks. then I showed my mom all of the negative predictions that I made and that I and that I expected all of them to come true. my mom promised to take me to Florida or on any trip that she goes on in February or in the spring or in the summer and I told my mom that she's obviously lying and I don't trust her because I was that sure the predictions were going to happen. within the next several weeks a majority of my negative predictions came true which included my friend stealing the money I loaned him
and all the snowstorms missing New York City and heading to Boston, and that is February approached I expected my mom not to take me on the trip to Florida. then my mom told me that she wasn't going and that we will go in April instead. then in February during presidents week I found out that my mom behind my back went with the rest of the family to the Miami and spend there 5 days. When she came back she told me that she had a horrible time there because the weather was so chilly and I told her, that serves you right for going behind my back like that and lying to me. she then told me that she promises to take me on the next trip whether it will be in April or in the summer. I told her I don't trust you anymore and your promises mean absolutely nothing to me. the just a few days ago I called my mom cell phone and her cell phone was making this weird ringing sound and the reason I called her cell phone was because I had a feeling she went on a trip behind my back again and when I tried to and I realize that she went to the Dominican Republic even though she never even told me about the trip she wanted to keep me uninformed so I wouldn't know she went and I got so angry at her when she finally called me I told her don't ever speak to me again. I was actually the first member of my family to find out who did not go on a trip that you went to the Dominican Republic. Nah my mom is telling me that you will take me in the summer and I told her don't make a fool out of me this was supposed to be the trip that you were supposed to take me out of this summer and you went behind my back and lied to me, this is supposed to be the trip that you promised to take me on and I was right that you were not going to take me and that I was stupid to listen to you to stop my rituals. Not my grandparents are promising to take me in the summer and I'm telling them the same thing that I told my mom don't make promises that you won't keep in that you will absolutely break and lie to me.
my mom then told me that the reason she didn't take me was because of my heart bleed negative attitude. I am the only member in my entire family that has never been on a trip outside of the United States with my family everyone in my family has been at least two or three times outside of the United States well I have yet to be on a trip. my younger sisters went two times my grandparents with 3 or 4 times my mom went 3 or 4 times and I am still waiting for my first trip. they do occasionally take me on small trips with Andy the area but I have never been on a trip outside of the United States with my family. and everytime i family make promises to me to do that I tell them well what about all the other times that you promise and broke it you are not trustworthy they promised me for the last 5 years in a row to take me on these trips and they never do. Maybe it's because of my negativity but I have a feeling that my family just a bunch of f****** liars.
my mom does tell me frequently not to make negative predictions and that if I put too much negativeenergy out there I will attract negativity like a magnet in the negative predictions I make will likely happen. That's what my mom told me recently but right now clean that I could predict the future and my parents think I'm crazy yet 99 percent of my negative predictions always happen.
the thing is I also made a list of positive predictions which I hope to happen they were which were the exact opposite of the negative predictions yet not one of them happened. Even before my mom betrayed me and went to Florida and the Dominican Republic I already put a check next to the she will not take me to any trips list. And yes I did mention before every single negative prediction that I made happened.
I have done several experiments in the last several years were make a list of negative and positive predictions when I stop my OCD rituals and guess what about almost a hundred percent of the time the negative predictions happening yet when I do my OCD rituals the results are usually mixed like they're supposed to be. So this is my conclusion when I do OCD rituals my negativity is attracted to me like a magnet and when I do my OCD rituals my luck essentially becomes normal like everyone else's
I am NOT going to make a prediction for the summer trip with my parents promised take me on I swear to God because I am so f****** unlucky that my parents will not take me on the trip that they promised me, and the excuse will be now that says they went on two trips to Dominican Republic and Florida then we not going to go on any more trips and that I missed my opportunity for this year.:lac:
Man, what the ****. I am so deathly afraid now. I had a panic attack and now a coincidence pops straight up. Ask dark and odd as this sounds I was looking at the Columbine shooting wikipedia page because it was I'm the news again recently. I noticed that they listened to the band KMFDM which I was listening to (the old spiderman 2 video game soundtrack they made.) I feel so light headed. I don't know if this is BMP but I am scared to death. I am lightheaded and cold.
-woops wrong thread had this open and responded to wrong one-
it'sgoingtobeokay
25-02-16, 21:14
I had the exact same fears and experience of coincidences like this when I was young. I wish I could have spoken to my younger self that these compulsions do not prevent things from happening. The truth is, you have absolutely no control over what happens to other people. What it is, is you have chosen things to prevent-that can happen to anyone at any time. I used to wash my hands over and over again to prevent things from happening, turn light switches on and off over again. I had the exhausting rituals you are describing- eventually you will have a complete mental break down if you keep this up. You seem like an intelligent person. You likely know that performing these rituals will not prevent bad things from happening, but you keep doing them in a almost superstitious paranoia that you have some control. You have no control. It's mind over matter. You have two choices. Carry on this way, be so exhausted you break down and make yourself sick. Or empower yourself, decide right now,that this is enough. No more. If you choose to end this, you will ACTUALLY be helping those around you. Because you will have made the choice to have a healthy mind, freeing up your time to actually help others and be there for them. You will actually experience how beautiful and unpredictable this life truly is.
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