Are you superstitious?

[DaForce]

No stupidstions, but I check my alarm clock like around 3-4 times before going to sleep to make sure it's on. Same thing with my front door in the morning, I'll check that 2-3 times to make sure I've locked it.

That's about it as far as obsessive/compulsive behavior goes.



:jumpie2:

[MPG]

Originally Posted by kah

Or just Stupersticious?

Do you have any superstitions or act a certain way based on an unfounded belief? Do you have odd habits, like locking your door 6 times, or avoiding cracks in the sidewalk? Are you Obsessive Compulsive, or just mildly neurotic?

Well, there's a huge difference between being superstitious and being obsessive compulsive. If you think bad things will happen to you because it's Friday 13th, you're superstitious. If you have to avoid the cracks in the sidewalk, you're obsessive compulsive.

I'm definitely not superstitious, but most definitely obsessive compulsive. I actually have to work against it on a regular basis, because I know that otherwise it will take control of my life. If I give in to the impulses, I could end up being one of these people who need two hours to leave their apartment because they have to go back a hundred times to check if the lights are all turned off.

Just a few examples:

• During my college years, I had an alarm clock where the paint around the "Alarm on/off" button was worn off, because I sometimes checked the alarm probably 30+ times before I went to sleep, and every time I did it, I had to turn the alarm off and on again, because I feared that by checking the alarm, I may have messed something up, so I had to "reset" it.
• I used to have a car radio where the volume was displayed as numbers between 0 and 20. I always had to set the volume to an even number. I could not stand setting it to an odd number. Especially prime numbers would annoy the hell out of me.
• If several items lie on top of each other and they are directly in my line of sight, I sometimes feel the unbearable urge to align them with each other (this often happens with DVD cases or magazines on my living room table). I am not the kind of person for whom everything has to be perfectly perpendicular. In fact, my desk is a total mess right now, but sometimes, certain things just stand out for me.

These are all things that I have to actively work against. It may sound strange, but it would actually feel nice to give in to all these small obsessions. I sometimes compare it to the feeling of pulling a nice warm blanket over your head - it can be strangely comforting to just keep checking the alarm clock over and over again.

Now, when I leave the apartment, I take a look around and tell myself explicitly "Alright, everything is the way it's supposed to be." and then I leave. I hardly ever have to go back to double-check. I check the alarm clock a maximum of two times, clearly telling myself that it's set correctly. And so on. It works pretty well most of the time.

[kah]

Originally Posted by MPG

Well, there's a huge difference between being superstitious and being obsessive compulsive. If you think bad things will happen to you because it's Friday 13th, you're superstitious. If you have to avoid the cracks in the sidewalk, you're obsessive compulsive.

Stepping on a crack will break your mother's back. Sounds pretty superstitious to me.

[Space Tycoon]

Originally Posted by Queen Mae

Mirrors & dead tv/radio stations. When I was younger I had a vanity with a large swivel mirror that creeped me out, so every night I had to flip the mirror so that it faced the wall.

What so creepy about mirrors/reflective surfaces? You afraid you're going to see something like this?






MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[sickness]

Originally Posted by kah

It must be hard for you to go out, being naked all the time.

Enis, you dipstick!

I don't mind touching them when they're on me or when I'm preparing to wear them but I try to get them out of the dryer in one fell swoop if possible to minimize handling.

[American]

Originally Posted by KingVoyeur

Yeah, supposedley if you breath in while going past a graveyard a spirit will enter your body and possess you.

You sure it might not be an improvement if you are possessed?

Me, i get creeped out when i'm coming upstairs from watching a horror movie on TV down in the basement family room. I know monsters won't be behind me and all, but i still get creeped

[kah]

Originally Posted by sickness

Enis, you dipstick!

I don't mind touching them when they're on me or when I'm preparing to wear them but I try to get them out of the dryer in one fell swoop if possible to minimize handling.

Not a folder, eh? I am still giggling every time I think about you trying to avoid your own clothes.

[Monic]

Originally Posted by DaForce

No stupidstions, but I check my alarm clock like around 3-4 times before going to sleep to make sure it's on.

I do that too.

Also, before leaving home, I check many times my 2 VCRs to make sure that they are closed, otherwise they will not tape my shows. And if they weren't pre-programmed for every weeks, I would check many times the programmation too. :green:

[Senormac]

Not sure if you call this superstitious or not, but I don't use an alarm clock....I just tell God what time I need to be up in the morning and ask Him if he will wake me up in time.......you know......He always does

[Queen Mae]

I've heard of people doing similar things, though I've heard it related to your own unconscious mind. If you give enough mental focus to the time that you want to wake-up, your unconscious mind will "program" itself to nudge your conscious mind at that time.