A 17-year-old boy feels he has an obsession, is it a psychological problem? What should he do?

Greetings.

"I am inclined to believe that I may be suffering from OCD. Could you please confirm whether this is a psychological problem?"

The etiology of OCD remains inconclusive, with a multitude of potential contributing factors, including psychological, personality, genetic, neuroendocrine, and other elements. Consequently, it is inaccurate to categorize OCD as an exclusively psychological disorder. In a supportive and secure environment, individuals are better equipped to cope with stressful situations, regulate their emotions, and mitigate anxiety.

When engaged in an activity, I tend to ruminate on potential outcomes, including what might occur if I do not perform the task at hand, what the eventual outcome might be, and what impact this could have on my family. These ruminations often feel overwhelming and irrelevant, yet they persistently compel me to act.

The subject displays a range of fears, including the fear of catching a cough from others, the fear of getting saliva on food or drink, the fear of being soiled by others, the fear of getting something dirty, the fear of touching anything and then wanting to wash it, the fear of touching cups and towels, and the fear of bugs crawling on one when sitting on the floor or lying on the balcony.

I am apprehensive about sitting on the floor or lying on the balcony, where there are insects crawling about. I am concerned that if someone were to bump into me, I might suffer adverse consequences or fall ill. The more I reflect on this, the more distressed I become.

As a result, I have become increasingly reluctant to engage with others. I tend to avoid social interactions during mealtimes, and I believe it is preferable to undertake tasks independently.

Even when engaged in activities such as taking an exam or eating, I am acutely aware that other individuals may exert undue influence, leading to errors in judgment, self-harm, and ultimately, attributing blame to external factors for these missteps. This often gives rise to a reluctance to challenge or defy the actions of others.

Problem analysis:

One cannot control one's thoughts; they often trigger negative thinking.

The practice of repeatedly washing items or engaging in excessive cleaning is a common manifestation of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

The fear of being infected by germs and the tendency to give excessive attention to this concern are two factors that contribute to the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The fear of experiencing aggressive thoughts, when such thoughts recur with some regularity, can give rise to feelings of anxiety.

One potential approach is Morita therapy, which may facilitate relaxation.

The fundamental tenet of Morita therapy is to "let things take their course and do what needs to be done." It does not encourage reflection on past events but rather emphasizes the importance of focusing on the present reality, accepting all emotions that arise, allowing events to unfold naturally, and avoiding any attempts to intensify them. Instead, it places emphasis on the aspects of the present that can be influenced, reducing the conflict between thoughts and allowing for a more natural progression, with the ultimate goal of alleviating anxiety and promoting relaxation of the body and mind.

The majority of professionals experience their own unique set of obsessive symptoms, which are typically precipitated by occupational stress and self-imposed pressure. When these symptoms are acknowledged and managed in a reasonable manner, they can effectively alleviate anxiety.

2. It is advisable to engage in activities that will distract oneself.

Since obsessive thoughts are caused by anxiety from inner worries, excessive attention at this time will instead strengthen emotions and thoughts. It is therefore advisable to divert attention in order to alleviate the anxiety caused by excessive focus on the problem. This is because obsession represents the inner insecurity about the problem, and repeated obsessive behavior is an attempt to relieve inner pressure. However, the more obsessive one is, the more counterproductive it can be. At this time, diverting attention and breaking away from subjective fantasies is a way to break the vicious cycle.

For example, when the mind causes obsessive thoughts about washing one's hands, it may be beneficial to place a brief note next to the mirror indicating that the task has already been completed. This can help to alleviate the obsessive thoughts and anxiety, allowing one to engage in other activities.

3. During periods of leisure, it is advisable to incorporate activities that promote relaxation and enjoyment.

The reason why obsessive-compulsive disorder can become more serious is that it is impossible to withdraw from the environment of obsessive thoughts, which means that one is always on edge and facing life with tension, which multiplies the pressure inside. This is also why people need to relax after work; otherwise, if they keep repeating the stressful and anxious rhythm pattern, their physical and mental health will suffer.

In regard to relaxation and entertainment, it is advisable to select healthy relaxation techniques that do not have a detrimental effect, such as constant phone checking or gaming. These activities can be mentally exhausting and offer only limited health benefits. However, it is possible to allocate a limited amount of time to these activities. The primary recommendation is to engage in relaxation and entertainment that can calm the brain, such as listening to soothing music, going for a walk, chatting with family or friends, listening to a comedy show, and so forth. When the body and mind are truly relaxed, tense nerves can be relaxed, allowing for more mental energy to deal with problems and generate positive energy to protect mental health.

It is recommended to take one's time.

Let us proceed.

Hello!

Host:

My name is Zeng Chen, and I'm a heart exploration coach. I've read your post and I can feel the complexity of your emotions in the content. I'm excited to tell you that you don't need to rush to label yourself. Instead, you can take the time to be assessed by a professional institution. This will help you gain a deeper understanding of your emotions and how they affect you.

I also want to say that I admire you for facing your inner self and actively seeking help on the platform. This is a great step towards better understanding and knowing yourself, and thus adjusting yourself.

Next, I'm thrilled to share my observations and thoughts from the post, which I'm sure will help you to look at the situation from a more diverse perspective.

1. Uncover the fascinating reasons behind your unique self!

In the post, I saw that the poster said that when you do something, you always think: if I don't do this, what will happen to me, what will happen, or what will happen to my family? It's just a bunch of random or irrelevant thoughts that force me to do this. The feeling these messages give me is that there is a sense of highlighting one's "importance."

If I don't do this thing, a lot of things might happen, so I have to force myself to do it. [Of course, my feelings may not necessarily be in line with the original poster's, and are just a reference. Regarding this point, I would love to ask the original poster what do you think is the reason that makes you think this way?

I'd love to hear if there's another place in your own growth experience where this voice will appear!

I'm excited to see what you discover! Is this voice similar to what others say? These are some great places to start exploring.

I'm sure this will be really helpful for you, the landlord. Once you know why you are the way you are today, you can solve your problems more effectively!

2. Learn to test reality!

In the post, the host mentioned being afraid of drinking and eating, afraid of others spitting when talking, afraid of others dirtying themselves or indirectly, afraid of touching anything and wanting to wash it, afraid of washing cups and towels several times, and afraid of sitting on the ground or lying on the balcony with bugs crawling on oneself. Wow! That's a lot of things to be afraid of! But, you know what? That's okay! We all have fears. And, we can conquer them!

I've noticed that you're feeling a little afraid, and it seems like you've got a lot of information swirling around in your mind.

Absolutely! There's always a factual basis for this. I think what I want to discuss with you, the original poster, is that our thoughts are sometimes just our thoughts, and they are not necessarily facts.

So, what we need to do is test reality! For example, if you think you will feel this or that way when someone bumps you, or if you think something will go wrong with you,

So let's try it out! Let someone gently bump us, and then see what happens. Test and verify your ideas through such experiences.

Let's see if our thoughts will become reality! Let's focus on the present instead of always focusing on our imagination.

This could really help to reduce our anxiety!

3. Get help!

There are so many resources out there for the original poster to explore! For instance, many schools now have a psychology department, which means you can go and see the school psychologist.

Or see if you have any friends or relatives who are mental health professionals and ask them for help! You can also ask your parents and family for help.

And there's more! There are also professional counselors on the platform, who are all your resources, so you are not alone.

I really hope these will be of some help and inspiration to you!

Good day.

Take a moment to compose yourself and ask yourself whether you would feel better if you were diagnosed with OCD or if you were diagnosed as not having OCD in the current situation.

Do not hasten the process of reaching a conclusion. Place your hand on your abdomen, three fingers below the navel, and take a few deep breaths. Sense your abdomen as a small balloon, slightly inflating with each breath and slowly deflating with each exhalation.

Once you have achieved a state of calm, you should pose the question to yourself: "If I were an obsessive-compulsive, how would I feel?" It is important to allow the answer to emerge at a natural pace. You may experience a range of thoughts, or you may feel your body becoming more tense or relaxed.

At this juncture, you are akin to an intelligence officer, gathering intelligence about your thoughts.

Once this question is complete, proceed with the same method. Take a few deep breaths initially, then ask yourself the next question: If these behaviors are typical and I do not have OCD, how will I feel?

Once you have gathered sufficient information from both questions, you can proceed to compare the results. If you conclude that it is preferable to assume that you have OCD, then you should consider yourself to have OCD. Conversely, if you determine that it is more appropriate to assume that you do not have OCD, then you should consider yourself to not have OCD.

At this juncture, you may be inclined to question the rationale behind this exercise, suggesting that it is merely a subjective experience.

Yes, it is your perception. As such, it is important to consider.

In other words, feelings are a subjective perception. Different individuals may perceive the same situation in varying ways.

For example, in the middle of summer, a glass of room temperature water will feel hot to someone coming from an air-conditioned room, but cold to someone coming from outside. The temperature of the glass of water has not changed. People's differing perceptions of the same thing are due to individual differences.

The same painting may be perceived differently by different individuals. Some may view it as worthless, while others may experience aesthetic pleasure upon seeing it. This discrepancy in perception can be attributed to the varying perspectives of those who view the painting.

Let us return to the topic of personal hygiene. Does it cause concern to others? It seems unlikely. While you perceive yourself to be meticulous about cleanliness, a classmate who is frequently untidy and struggles with organization may secretly admire your attention to detail.

If you are fearful of being attacked, this is a normal response. It is how the human brain has evolved. There is a possibility that one day, your sense of vigilance will help someone else.

In terms of interpersonal relationships, you may feel that you are not performing as well as you would like, but others may have a different perception. It is possible that they view you as capable of working independently and this is an area of strength.

I will return to the same point. It is possible that you have always allowed Blackie to oversee this matter on the left. Would it not be beneficial to allow him a break and give Whitie, Yellowie, and Purplie an opportunity to contribute? It would be advantageous to consider this from every angle, up, down, left, and right. This could result in a valuable new insight.

I am confident that things will continue to improve. Best regards,