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Smelling danger


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Last week after a stressful day at work I got home and as I was outside I noticed a quick smell of gas. I had experienced something similar months ago but being on high alert I googled and ended up calling the gas emergency line. An engineer came out and inspected my home inside and outside and said there were no leaks and nothing to be concerned about. 
I felt slightly reassured but then I couldn’t stop wondering what if he was wrong, what if something had got broken and caused a leak afterwards. Since then I have found myself constantly sniffing in the kitchen near my boiler even though I didn’t smell gas inside. 
Two days later I cooked spicy noodles and then thought I smelt something strange and thought what if it was gas. I called the number again asking what they thought and they said they’d send an engineer. The engineer came and explained the tests, showed me the detector and again found no leak. 
I should feel satisfied and be able to accept this but I’m finding myself sniffing and panicking. Is the sniffing a compulsion? 
i also feel worried about posting on here in case I make something bad happen or if I say they said it was safe that I’ve got it wrong. I know this all sounds silly but I keep panicking and worrying that I’ll miss a leak and something bad will happen. 

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Sniffing is definitely a compulsion. Be careful you don't let your OCD get the better of you or they may charge you for the engineer's time if he has to come out again. If you phone and report a possible gas leak they are obliged to come and investigate even if they think it's a nonsense call, so don't go thinking that they'll just reassure you and make you feel better!

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45 minutes ago, snowbear said:

Sniffing is definitely a compulsion. Be careful you don't let your OCD get the better of you or they may charge you for the engineer's time if he has to come out again. If you phone and report a possible gas leak they are obliged to come and investigate even if they think it's a nonsense call, so don't go thinking that they'll just reassure you and make you feel better!

I think this is what is making it worse. I know what it smells like so I can’t help thinking it’s my OCD making me look for issues that aren’t there. 
 

I feel like it doesn’t matter what anybody says or does, I would struggle to accept it anyway if that makes sense? I know I can’t have things checked constantly and have to try and trust what I’ve been told. It’s just difficult I guess. 

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I’ve started to resist the compulsions, however today other obsessions are coming up instead. If I deal with one set of horrible thoughts by not giving in to compulsions I get more horrible thoughts about something else. 

I’m trying to get on with my day but I feel such a huge overwhelming sense of responsibility for everything and everyone around me it’s exhausting. 

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1 hour ago, Mthecatlady said:

I’ve started to resist the compulsions

I'm trying to get on with my day

Absolutely the right thing to do. :yes:

Keeping busy with normal stuff is the fastest way to teach your brain to switch off it's warning alert system.  It is exhausting at first, but does get easier the more you practice!

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I’ve now found that my driving OCD is flaring up. If I let a pedestrian cross in front of me I will see that they have made it across but as I move away and lose the visual on them I start to doubt that they’re okay. 
There were a few broken down cars on the motorway with the drivers standing beside them and I drove past carefully but I still panic that I’ve done something terrible without realising. 
The associated rumination is awful too. Just a constant stream of ‘yes but what ifs’ at me. 
I’m going to try and relax this evening and hopefully that will help. 

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