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A 13-year-old boy with mild anxiety, always worried about having Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

OCD Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Symptoms Anxiety Worry
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A 13-year-old boy with mild anxiety, always worried about having Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? By Anonymous | Published on December 18, 2024

I've found myself a bit worried lately.

For example, I'm concerned about developing symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

I've seen descriptions of OCD patients online, where they mentioned that they would imagine putting snails in their mouths and chewing them up just by seeing one.

Later, when I was anxious and worried about having OCD, I experienced a similar situation.

Now, I'm even worried about potentially developing OCD symptoms while eating. And I'm beginning to fear this worry itself.

Nicholas Castro Nicholas Castro A total of 7295 people have been helped

Hello, classmate.

When you're 13, you're just starting junior high and going through puberty. Your thoughts and emotions aren't yet mature and stable, and you're highly sensitive and easily tempted.

These days, there's a lot more information out there, and in the age of self-media, it's tough to tell what's real and what's not online.

Our high sensitivity makes us susceptible to keywords and prone to applying the situation described online to ourselves.

My classmate, you should know that obsessive-compulsive disorder can't be diagnosed by yourself. You need to go to the hospital for treatment if you think you're sick. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a psychological illness that also requires a psychologist to diagnose.

There's a well-known law in psychology called Murphy's Law. It basically says that when you're faced with two choices, one of which will lead to a bad result, the more you don't want it to happen, the more likely it is to happen.

Why does this happen?

This is because people who believe in an idea will look for evidence to support it, while ignoring or even rejecting information that contradicts it.

Yes, we think we're sick, and we'll keep looking for evidence to back this up, even if others say otherwise.

Believing is very important. Not all information on the Internet is correct, and even if it is, we can't apply it to ourselves.

As a teacher, I really don't think it's a good idea for students to access this type of information online. We're not mature enough to distinguish and understand.

I think it'd be a good idea for students to play games online, chat with their classmates, or search for questions online. They should avoid accessing content on diagnosis and treatment and engaging in speculative content.

I hope this helps the person who asked the question.

Thanks for your time. I'm Jiusi from Yixinli, World and I Love You.

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Elsie Knight Elsie Knight A total of 6973 people have been helped

As a teenage boy, you are likely experiencing a period of rapid growth and development. This transition from primary to junior high school may coincide with a natural tendency to conceal certain emotions. It is not uncommon for individuals of this age to suppress thoughts or experiences that they find challenging to accept.

If left unaddressed for an extended period, various anxiety symptoms may manifest. Mild anxiety may be experienced, potentially resulting in restlessness. Additionally, concerns about OCD may persist.

It is important to note that individuals without professional training cannot diagnose themselves. To receive a formal diagnosis, it is necessary to visit a psychiatric department at a regular hospital. Some of the concerns expressed may be unfounded speculations, and there is currently no clear evidence to suggest that OCD is present.

It is not uncommon to experience negative emotions in life and to feel that something is wrong. You are concerned about your situation and the symptoms of OCD. You may also be interested in understanding the impact of OCD.

Due to my research on OCD patients, I understand that these descriptions may be unsettling. It is important to note that your life has not been negatively affected, and there is no reason to feel restless or worried. As a dedicated coach, I recommend that you first try meditation and mindfulness practices, which can be found on the Meditation Planet platform. If you feel the need, you can also consult a psychologist for counseling.

Please advise.

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Paul Frederick Richards Paul Frederick Richards A total of 6597 people have been helped

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a psychiatric term for a persistent and recurrent obsessive idea or compulsive behavior.

You know these ideas and actions are meaningless, but you can't control the cause. It's complicated, manifests in various ways, and lasts a long time. Is it OCD? It depends on whether you worry and feel unable to control it, even though it's unnecessary.

Your text doesn't describe what I'm talking about. Psychiatry judges whether there is a "disease" based on the severity, impact on social functions, and duration. You and I have obsessive symptoms, but that doesn't mean we're "diseased." Everyone has obsessive thoughts and behaviors to a greater or lesser extent. Some diseases are fine without treatment. To judge whether there is a disease, you still have to go to a specialist.

Don't diagnose yourself. It'll scare you. It's like medical students feeling they're sick.

Second point: You've mentioned your worries a lot. Why? When were you happy? Why are you so worried? When you're worried, what thoughts do you have? Write them down and judge whether they're real. What's the chance of this happening? What does it mean to you? You feel OCD won't appear just because you worry about it. You might worry about hypochondria more. If checking doesn't relieve your anxiety, consider hypochondria. OCD and hypochondria are both diseases. A strong sense of insecurity, overly strict upbringing, and inability to release emotional repression can be transferred. Instead of thinking about these things, see what happens when you think about them while eating. In clinical practice, I'll find that many people are afraid to think about it. This increases the fear. Remember, it won't get worse just because you think about it. I'll say it again: It won't get worse just because you think about it. If you're afraid or worried, name it.

If you think about it, it won't get worse. Give it a name. Look at it, pay attention to it, experience it, and perhaps you will find that it is not so scary. If you continue to feel this way, you should go to a specialist psychiatric hospital for diagnosis. Psychologists and therapists do not have the right to diagnose.

To diagnose a disease, you have to consider other possibilities. You can't say for sure just by reading the words.

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Abigail Abigail A total of 3286 people have been helped

Dear Question Asker, Thank you for your recent inquiry. Best regards, [Name] [Title]

I am writing to inform you that eight days have elapsed since you posed your question. You are now in the seventh grade. I am unsure how you have been spending your time. Kind regards,

I understand your question to mean that:

I am currently experiencing a degree of concern.

For instance, you have expressed concern about the symptoms of OCD.

From these two sentences, can we infer that your concerns extend beyond the symptoms of OCD? Are you also apprehensive about other scenarios? It appears that you are solely discussing one particular situation. Is this an accurate assumption? I am uncertain if my understanding aligns with your actual circumstances.

At the age of 13, you have entered puberty and just started a new school. You may have to adapt to a new lifestyle and learn new things. There may be some physical and psychological changes. It is possible that the physical changes have caused some conflict with your psychological changes. Therefore, for adolescent boys and girls, sometimes there will be some unstable emotions, such as your worries! Some students just can't control themselves and their emotions fluctuate. These are really the inevitable processes of puberty, even if we have to face them. We must accept them as they are.

What steps should be taken to address these concerns? Let's turn our attention to the obsessive-compulsive symptom you've raised.

First, let's discuss your experience of mild anxiety. You have indicated that you experience mild anxiety. Have you defined this for yourself?

From whom did you learn about mild anxiety? Are you aware that mild anxiety is beneficial to our lives and our growth?

This is a defense mechanism developed by our primitive ancestors to cope with the harsh environment. Because anxiety is the only emotion that causes us to worry about nature in a variety of ways, we can predict the approach of danger and avoid dangerous situations. It is evident that anxiety is still meaningful for our survival. Do you recall experiencing mild anxiety?

Such an outcome would undoubtedly be beneficial for you.

Secondly, it would be beneficial to identify the advantages that mild anxiety has brought you. You may also have an opinion that problems like yours, obsessive symptoms, are caused by mild anxiety. I believe this is likely to be the case. If this is your opinion, I also think you should determine the cause and effect relationship between them and ascertain whether there is a direct cause and effect relationship between your mild anxiety and this obsessive symptom. Please write down your thoughts on this matter. I believe you are aware of the term mild anxiety, and you should also be aware that writing down your thoughts is also known as writing therapy in psychology.

I also hope you can persevere. For example, if you start worrying while eating, stop eating immediately and write down your worries on paper or with a pen. You can use your phone to write, but write whatever comes into your head. Write about all kinds of worries and anxieties, as well as the obsessive symptoms of worry. I just want to emphasize that you need to keep writing down everything. I know that for a 13-year-old like you, it may be easy to say yes, but also easy to say no. It's not easy. If you keep up the habit of writing or keep a diary, I don't think it will be a problem. If you don't have this habit, I think you need to make yourself obsessive about writing!

Finally, let us consider the potential consequences of following these steps and developing a writing obsession. It is likely that you would feel unable to stop writing and would want to write all the time, about everything, anywhere, and at any time. I am uncertain about the outcome should you become a writing addict. Nevertheless, I am confident that we can address this issue if and when it arises.

If you were to become a blood-curdling obsessive-compulsive, I would be inclined to congratulate you on your potential for becoming a great writer in the future.

It is an intriguing concept, so I encourage you to consider it further. The world and I support you in this endeavor.

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Claire Reed Claire Reed A total of 3374 people have been helped

Hello! You seem young. I think you're in junior high school. It can be stressful.

If you're in 6th or 7th grade, you might be having trouble adjusting.

Anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder are linked. When someone is anxious, they may try to reduce it through uncontrollable behaviors. This is called obsessive-compulsive behavior.

Who said you have mild anxiety? If it was a doctor at a psychiatric or general hospital, it's probably true.

If this was diagnosed early on, get a follow-up to confirm. If it's mild anxiety, the chance of OCD is low.

See a doctor for a diagnosis and follow their advice.

I hope my advice helps.

Anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder can both be treated. Don't worry too much. If you have these symptoms, see your doctor. Don't self-diagnose online. Online information is often biased and difficult to understand.

Checking your mental state online is bad for you.

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Victor Victor A total of 4220 people have been helped

Hello!

I'm thrilled to be able to give you some advice!

From your written description, I can tell that you are currently 13 years old, feel that you have mild anxiety, and are always worried that you have obsessive-compulsive disorder.

First of all, I don't think it's very appropriate for you to define yourself as mildly anxious. You're not just mildly anxious — you're ready to take control of your health and get back to your usual energetic state! Mild anxiety is a medical condition that requires diagnosis by a qualified hospital in order to determine whether you suffer from it.

If you're dealing with some obsessive thoughts or mild anxiety, we've got great news for you! With our follow-up adjustments, you can start feeling better in no time. And the best part is, we can help you differentiate between normal anxiety and anxiety disorders. If your anxiety has been around for two weeks or less, we've got the perfect solution for you!

For example, if we experience such feelings of anxiety within two weeks, it means that we are just anxious, and the good news is that we can gradually get over it by changing our daily habits or incorporating some new lifestyles!

If you have been feeling this kind of bad emotion for two weeks or more, then as I said at the beginning, you need to go to a regular tertiary hospital for medical treatment and follow the doctor's advice.

It's so important to be aware of anxiety, whether it's an emotion or a disease. The sooner you face it with a scientific attitude, the better! You're already doing great. You're aware that there seems to be a change in your emotions, and you're on the path to figuring it out.

I'd love to hear everyone's opinion on our platform! I think this is a great thing because you've taken the first step to making a change. I believe that in the answers of the respondents, you'll find the answer that resonates with your current state, so you can get back to your usual energetic self!

Now, let's dive into your actual description! I'm excited to analyze your content one by one and help you in any way I can.

From your content, I can tell that you are excited to learn more about OCD! You've seen online that OCD patients will imagine that they are chewing snails in their mouths when they see snails, which is fascinating!

You are actually afraid of this news, and you feel that his behavior is unacceptable and disgusting, similar to these feelings. So you are very afraid that if you also get OCD, you will imagine in your mind how you feel about snails, just like him. This is the point of your unacceptable fear, and it's totally normal!

What you fear is not the act of chewing snails. What you fear is not OCD, but the description of OCD, that is, the snails!

Once we realize it, we can see that what we're really afraid of is the actual description of this Internet user. It's a great opportunity to understand that we can't accept the idea of chewing snails, which is totally normal.

The great news is that there is no equivalent relationship between OCD and snails! This person may have such thoughts about snails, while many other OCD patients will not think this way. It's just that the snails make us feel uncomfortable, so we worry about our OCD.

Therefore, we get to be more mindful of snails, not OCD! This way, we can reduce our level of concern about OCD.

In that case, there's no need to worry about whether we'll have such thoughts because we may suffer from such problems. So what we can do now is to understand where our fear lies. After all, when you're eating later, you'll also think back to this incident, which will make you have this obsessive-compulsive symptom and anxious state again.

We must understand that we and other people are all independent individuals, each with our own differences. And that's a wonderful thing! Some of the comments made by others on the internet are just an elaboration of some of their actual situations and cannot be used as a complete reference.

We've learned about some of the possible manifestations of these people on the Internet, and it's great that we know! Because we know that there is such a pattern of behavior in this world.

And when we feel uncomfortable with the content of these descriptions of people, it's important to remember that it's not the illness itself that we're uncomfortable with, but rather the matter itself.

I truly believe that if you can distinguish between other people's descriptions and your own true feelings, you can look at things relatively objectively and see some of your personal realities. In this way, you will be more rational and will look at the people around you on the basis of understanding their character, which is an amazing thing to be able to do!

Instead, focus on your own situation and don't worry about what others are doing!

I wish you all the best!

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Ethan Thompson Ethan Thompson A total of 2378 people have been helped

Good day, I am writing in response to your query.

My name is Xiaobai, and I am here to help. I do not have any worries myself, and I hope that I can assist you in getting rid of yours.

After reviewing your inquiry, I would like to provide some insights that I hope will be beneficial to you.

Let us examine the particular issue that the questioner has raised.

I recognize that I am somewhat concerned at this juncture.

By way of illustration, I am concerned about the symptoms of OCD.

In an online account by an individual with OCD, it was noted that the subject would imagine chewing on snails when he saw them.

Subsequently, when I was experiencing elevated anxiety and concern about the possibility of OCD, a comparable scenario unfolded.

Furthermore, I am concerned that my current state of mind may be causing me to experience OCD symptoms while eating, which is a cause for concern.

First and foremost, it is unwise to diagnose oneself. It is always advisable to seek the advice of a qualified professional. It is also worth noting that information found online is not always accurate.

It is not uncommon for me to experience this phenomenon. Even when I have a common cold, I often perceive it as a more serious ailment after conducting online research. It is therefore important to avoid dwelling on such concerns.

If you are experiencing genuine concern, it is advisable to consult with your parents and arrange an appointment at a reputable medical facility for a comprehensive examination.

Secondly, it should be noted that OCD is not inherently negative. For example, one of my classmates is a germaphobe. He never uses the chopsticks or spoons in the cafeteria, and always brings his own utensils.

The books on the desk are all neatly arranged, in contrast to my own collection, which is disorganized.

He is not considered unusual. In fact, he is perceived as meticulous and hygienic. It is evident that everyone has some form of OCD, although it may not be apparent.

Finally, avoid overthinking the situation. It is not uncommon for individuals to experience elevated levels of anxiety when they are not actually ill. Adjust your mindset and refrain from engaging in unproductive thinking patterns.

In the absence of a definitive answer, it is advisable to refrain from further speculation and to prioritize rest and recuperation.

It would be beneficial to interact with your classmates more frequently to help distract yourself.

In conclusion, I would like to present my views and suggestions, which I hope will be of assistance to the questioner.

My name is Xiaobai. I am not concerned about anything. I love the world and I love you.

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Kai Taylor Kai Taylor A total of 9740 people have been helped

Hello. This is my first time responding on this platform, and I hope I can be of some assistance.

I have a younger sister who once told me that she felt she had borderline personality disorder. I was taken aback because there was nothing unusual about her usual behavior, so I asked her more about it and learned that she had formed her opinion based on the description of borderline personality disorder in an online public account after reading it.

I feel the article could be improved by including more information about relevant solutions and methods. It also might benefit from being more accurate in its descriptions of psychological disorders.

I hope that by sharing my experience, you will be able to view your own behaviour from an objective third-party perspective and make an informed judgement. As a psychology student, I was taught that psychological diagnosis requires a therapist to make a diagnosis. In China, this would require you to visit a professional diagnostic institution such as a mental health centre to receive a definitive statement.

If the obsessive behavior is causing you a great deal of distress, it might be helpful to consider seeking outpatient treatment at a mental health center.

If the compulsive behavior does not affect your normal life, could I perhaps understand your behavior as follows: fear that you have not done something well, lack of confidence in yourself, or the feeling of security that comes from repeated confirmation?

I hope the following methods will help to alleviate your anxiety: First, it might be helpful to try to figure out why you have repetitive or obsessive behaviors. When did they start?

Secondly, it would be helpful to consider your inner view of yourself when engaging in compulsive behaviour. Identifying any negative core beliefs that may be present could also be beneficial in facilitating subsequent correction. It may also be useful to consider some counterexamples. If you don't force or repeat a certain behaviour, what are the results?

Could I suggest that you consider whether the results are consistent with your expectations? Perhaps you could debate with yourself: if I don't do these compulsive behaviors, can I still get things done? Can I still maintain my confidence? And so on.

Ultimately, by persistently questioning your initial negative beliefs, modifying your original core beliefs, and developing new, more constructive and suitable core beliefs, you can attain a more balanced state of mind. It is my sincere hope that you will continue to grow and evolve into a better version of yourself. Life is a continuous journey of dialectical growth.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to share this text with you.

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Comments

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Allison Barclay The pursuit of knowledge across different spectra is what gives a person the label of erudite.

I understand how troubling this must be for you. It's really scary when we start to notice patterns in our thoughts that worry us, especially when they relate to something as distressing as OCD. The fear of developing such symptoms can indeed become a source of anxiety in itself.

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Keira Dove Life is a ladder, climb it with determination.

It sounds like you're caught in a cycle where your worries about OCD are causing more intrusive thoughts. This is a common experience, and it's important to remember that having these thoughts doesn't mean you have OCD. Many people experience occasional intrusive thoughts, and it's the way we react to them that matters.

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Cornell Davis A learned individual's understanding is like a web that stretches across different knowledge domains.

The fact that you're recognizing and questioning your thoughts is a good sign. Sometimes, just being aware of what's happening can help lessen the intensity of the anxiety. Have you considered speaking with a mental health professional? They could offer strategies to manage these concerns effectively.

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Nelson Jackson Time is a mystery, always unfolding before us.

It's natural to feel scared when you encounter thoughts or situations that remind you of OCD. But try not to let the fear dictate your actions. Maybe there are relaxation techniques or mindfulness practices that could help you stay grounded when these thoughts arise.

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Duncan Miller It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience.

I can see how challenging this situation is for you. It's great that you're reaching out and sharing your feelings. Talking about your worries can sometimes make them seem less overwhelming. Do you have someone you trust who you can talk to about this?

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