I'm new and I'm so glad to have found this site. I have AD/HD and today I found out that I ruminate. I didn't even know it had a name. I create scenarios in my head that make me more angry at the person/situation that I am ruminating on. Sometimes I think I might hurt someone or think of inappropriate things about a person when I know that I would never actually do that, and I can't stop thinking about it then beat myself up for thinking those things to begin with. I don't do rituals but I don't like sharp things pointing towards me so I'll turn them away. Also there have been a couple of times in my life that I would pull out hair one by one. I'm kinda just now putting these behaviors from my life together. I never knew that you could have co-disorders.
I have had a sense of peace today knowing that others have intruding thoughts too, thank God it's not just me. But could I have little OCD too? I go to my GP for the adderall and he sent me to a Psychiatrist before he put me on it but I didn't share any of this info with them. I have felt so much shame. I never thought anyone could understand untill today.

I am diagnosed ADD, OCD and some depression.

I too do the hair pulling. Hair and the occasional eyelash. You shouldn't feel ashamed to tell your Dr. about it. It is actually more common than you probably think it is. It is called Trichotillomania. Here is a website on it: http://www.mindpub.com/art263.htm

Also, I do the ruminating. If I am planning on having a difficult conversation with someone I go over it in my head a thousand or so times. I even go so far as to bring in my Mom and my boyfriend into it so I can bounce off ideas. It drives them crazy.

I also "kitty proof" my house. I go over my whole house when I leave to make sure I didn't leave any appliances plugged in or leave something out that could be potentially dangerous to my cats. Its fine to do this once, but I do it up to 6 times.

I could go on and on, but I don't want to bore you.

I mainly just wanted to let you know that you are not alone in this.

Take care,

notmADD -

I also have, among other things, ADHD, OCD, and depression.
What you describe as ruminating, my family always referred to as "stewing". My grandmother would do this over something someone said that she'd decide to take in some wacked out weird way and then she'd stew on it until she was good and worked up and not speak to that person again for years!

I've done the imagining hurting someone thing. Especially with my ex. When he was at his worst I'd actually imagine stabbing him repeatedly as he stood there belittling me.
I can't say with 100% assuredness I'd never do it, but I wouldn't be ashamed to admit it to a psychiatrist. They've heard far worse, believe me. They're immune to shock.

Yeah, the Trichotillomania is a coping mechanism in the anxiety arena.
I understand how hard it is to admit your deepest darkest secrets to your therapist, but that's what you're going to them for and if you're not completely honest, then you're really wasting your money and time.
When I had something hard to admit to them, I'd write it down and hand it to them. Much easier. Saves them the trouble of writing it down in thier notepad too! I'm so thoughtful :D

Ruminating, eh? We always called it "stewing" too. A few years back I learned the "STOP" technique, when you become aware of what you're thinking and that it's just making things worse you just yell "STOP" mentally, or even out loud. That made things quite a bit better for me.

Didn't everyone within earshot freeze for fear of being shot? :p

Nope, I wasn't saying "Freeze" or "Stop or I'll shoot." It probably sounded more like I was yelling a child to stop doing something. Which I was. The child was ME. :rolleyes:

Sorry Lunacie, it was a lame joke.

An OCD diagnosis requires the presence of BOTH obssessions & compulsions to be present.

Obessessions are defined as :

1) recurrent & persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced,at some time during the disturbance as INTRUSIVE & INAPPROPRIATE and cause MARKED ANXIETY & DISTRESS.

2) the thoughts,images,or impulses are......> NOT SIMPLY EXCESSIVE WORRIES ABOUT REAL-LIFE PROBLEMS <...... = rumination

3) the person attmepts to IGNORE OR REPRESS the thouhgts,impulses or images or to NEUTRALIZE them with some other thought or action

4) the preson recognizes that the obsessional thoughts,impulses or images ARE A PRODUCT OF THEIR OWN MIND.


Compulsions:

1) repetitve behaviors ( e.g., handwashing,ordering,checking) or mental acts (e.g., praying, counting, repeating words silently) that the preson feels DRIVEN TO PERFORM in response to an obsession, or according to rules that are rigidly applied

2) the behaviors or mental acts are AIMED AT PREVENTING OR REDUCING OR PREVENTING SOME DREADED EVENT OR SITUATION.


Hope that helps.

That's okay, Chameleon, I wasn't upset with you, I was just 'planing.

McTavish, interesting explanation. I think maybe I used to be much closer to having OCD than I am nowadays. I still find myself counting, lots of things, but don't feel like it's something that is disrupting my life.

Ruminating, eh? We always called it "stewing" too. A few years back I learned the "STOP" technique, when you become aware of what you're thinking and that it's just making things worse you just yell "STOP" mentally, or even out loud. That made things quite a bit better for me.
Heh, I do that too. Kinda knocks some sense into me when I feel out of control.

Lunacie,

That was straight out of the DSM-IV TR :)

I got it from my sister. I don't know where she got it.


What's the DSM-IV TR?

I was diagnosed with ADHD/OCD. I do all of this too, my family called it "stewing" too. Or getting upset without a good reason! When I get a thought stuck in my mind I say "Stop" as well. Just like when I feel I need to focus and am having trouble I say "Focus!"

The Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association-Fourth Edition (Text Revision)

The DSM-IV TR is THE official diagnosis manual for ALL mental health professionals

The symptoms are empirically (research) based.

The TR is the version whereby they update the diagnoses on a regular/rotating basis.

If the longitudinal (long term) research studies don't continue to substantiate the diagnostic criteria as valid & reliable ( does it measure what it says it does and can outside researchers come along and reproduce their study exactly the same way and then get the same results?)

If the results don't continue to stand up, then the the diagnosis is "gonged."

Thanks McT. I know it worked for me, it's good to know it works for others too.

Is there just an obsessive disorder?