Ive been pursuing this in the General section but anyway need to get my homework done ahead of my counselling appt...

1. Do the obsessive thoughts have to be "senseless" irrational or "random"-- form what Ive read here they seem to need to be in order for a dx--not coming from your own reasoning? Because there is logical reasoning behind the thoughts that cause the 24/7 ruminating (to me at least if not to others). As I said before its the frequency and intensity that is definitely out of whack, and even without the rumination theres the constant feeling of the thoughts hanging around in the background, unless I talk myself through it (rumination in itself in order to stop the ruminating!)--> could that count as the compulsion bit?

2. Its just the constant ruminating that is the problem, I dont exhibit the classic behaviours thing like making sure everything is arranged in a certain way, checking errors again and again and again and all that. Are those "needed" symptoms?

3. Has anyone on here who has a dx of OCD go through a counseller first for referral? How difficult was it to get a referral?

I'm not sure, but I think there is a separate disorder, that is similar to OCD but without the compulsions, my DSM-IV is at my parents' house, otherwise I would look it up for you. I would still mention what youa re feeling to your dr.

Getting a referral hasn't been a problem for me.