Jump to content

Obsession about Keeping Home Rooms' Doors Closed


Recommended Posts

Hey

Recently, I got a very strong obsession to keep the doors of all bedrooms, living rooms closed. I feel this strong need to close the doors just because I think It's the right way and how It should be and not closing it causes great anxiety. I think leaving the doors open is NOT orderly and correct. I feel this need mostly when the room is empty and want to keep its door shut.

How do you as normal healthy people keep the doors of your home rooms regarding this?

I've got previous other OCD obsessions and I'm confused about this current concern.

Thank you so much if you give me any insight about this new concern and if this concern is yours too?

Thank you

Link to comment

Hi fighter. You may not find someone with the exact obsession you have. OCD comes in many, many different flavors. You have an obsession (that to be right the doors have to be closed), you have anxiety if it isn't so and you have a compulsion of closing doors. It's all very basic OCD.

You'll find some people keep their doors open, others keep them closed. It's not a big deal either way, more of a personal preference. The question is, is it a big deal for you? I mean if you prefer the doors closed and you close them and there's no problem then it's likely not something to be concerned about. On the other hand, if it is causing you a problem, like creating a significant amount of anxiety in your life (for instance if someone else leaves a door open), then it would be something to start dealing with.

If you feel like this is something that needs to be dealt with, then you can probably guess what you have to do. You have to start leaving doors open and sit through the anxiety created. It will be uncomfortable but after repeated exposures like this, your anxiety should begin to go down.

Link to comment
  • 10 months later...

Hi fighter. You may not find someone with the exact obsession you have. OCD comes in many, many different flavors. You have an obsession (that to be right the doors have to be closed), you have anxiety if it isn't so and you have a compulsion of closing doors. It's all very basic OCD.

You'll find some people keep their doors open, others keep them closed. It's not a big deal either way, more of a personal preference. The question is, is it a big deal for you? I mean if you prefer the doors closed and you close them and there's no problem then it's likely not something to be concerned about. On the other hand, if it is causing you a problem, like creating a significant amount of anxiety in your life (for instance if someone else leaves a door open), then it would be something to start dealing with.

If you feel like this is something that needs to be dealt with, then you can probably guess what you have to do. You have to start leaving doors open and sit through the anxiety created. It will be uncomfortable but after repeated exposures like this, your anxiety should begin to go down.

Thanks for your attention. I give more details in the following post. I'm grateful to you if you can help.

Link to comment

I wanna say that until the thought popped in my mind (the thought that the doors MUST be closed and it's the right state for house doors) the doors in the house was usually whether open or partly open with no disturbance for me and they become closed only when they need to be so such as for a private conversation or studying, .... But suddenly this became an issue (obsession) and a rule was formed in my mind that the doors not being closed is the wrong way for them and not following the rule triggers severe anxiety in me. After this obsession I'm now terribly confused about how to keep the house doors. Such a great pain!

I'm extremely grateful if you can help sort this out. Tell me about my thought's validity, and how you personally keep your doors.

Link to comment

Tell me about my thought's validity, and how you personally keep your doors.

Hi Fighter.

I do hope nobody on the forum will make the mistake of replying about whether they personally keep their doors open or closed. :no: That would simply add fuel to your OCD thoughts that there is some kind of rule to be followed, a right and wrong way to do things.

And I think you already know this thought has no validity.

It only became a problem after you had an obsessive thought about how things 'ought' to be and became anxious about 'getting it right'.

Start doing the opposite of what your OCD demands and when the anxiety kicks in remind yourself there is no fixed rule, so there is no right or wrong way. It's totally unimportant how you (or anybody else) choose to keep their doors.

What's important is realising this is OCD. It will continue until you decide for yourself it doesn't mater whether you leave your doors open or shut. Once you give your thoughts about 'how it ought to be' no importance, the anxiety will stop. :)

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...