r/StaringOCD

like bc why not???

I don't know what it is , I try and glance to look around in public , maybe my eyecontact looks forced and I get looks back and then I feel anxious that they hate me and think I'm weird when they don't even know me and start questioning myself and then I feel uneasy , I'm also audhd.

I'm part of the team at Manhattan Mental Health Counseling, and one thing we've noticed from talking with people is that many don't realize how isolating staring OCD can feel until they find others who have gone through something similar.

For the longest time, I didn't even know there was a name for what I was experiencing. I kept thinking I was just overthinking where I was looking whenever I was around other people.

The more I tried to make sure I wasn't staring, the more aware I became of my eyes. It felt like I couldn't stop thinking about it, even during completely normal conversations. Looking back, it was exhausting because I was constantly second-guessing myself.

Finding communities where people openly shared their experiences made me realize I wasn't alone, and that alone made a big difference.

I'm curious if anyone else had a similar experience before discovering this community.

What was the biggest misconception you had about staring OCD before you learned more about it?

I'd genuinely love to hear your experiences and the lessons you've learned along the way. I think conversations like these can help others feel a little less alone.

Okay to sort out my thoughts fully.

I was going on a walk. I saw a kid struggling to get in a car, and I hung back because I thought she was going to fall out. My brain instantly told me to look under her dress. Which of course I was disgusted by. This is where the thoughts get sticky and I can't fully remember. I remember looking. I am scared it's not like my usual involuntary where I see someone with cleavage out and my eyes dart without full conscious control. It felt like I was in control. I think my brain was telling me to "just look" and that "it won't hurt anyone." it was around the time I was testing my intrusive thoughts to know myself that they will not hurt. My eyes kept glancing down. Because she was getting in the car, I saw her underwear. I instantly looked away of course. I blocked it out of my mind because I knew deep down it was an intrusive thought. But now I cannot get rid of it. Constant panic attacks, bowel issues, fears. After that, I self punished. I would constantly monitor the way I acted around that kid to make sure I really wasn't attracted. I would self punish after by avoiding kids. I struggled to eat. I would tell myself I had to live with the guilt and disgustingness. I hated myself. I don't really want to hurt kids. I don't want to be a predator.

I was mainly thinking about her falling. It was unwanted, but I also felt that tempting pressure in my skull when looking. It's so scary. I can't remember my immediate reaction. I remember panic and the world spinning. I would not be worried if it was an adult. I would have let it go. Im most worried that I deliberately looked. That I am actually disgusting. I have constantly ruminated and researched. I pushed myself away from the idea of working with kids. The looking felt like I was in partial control. I would feel bad if someone described this story to me, because the thought of someone going through this and not trusting themselves makes me feel ill. But I can't do that for some reason when it is myself. Maybe the lack of trust for myself.

My main thoughts, before I started researching and coming across pocd was that I wanted to protect kids from me. Because you know.

Anyone else relate? I feel so alone.

Ever since I developed this OCD, I’ve had sleep issues. Whenever I try to fall asleep, I get random, racing thoughts in my head that I can't stop—voices having nonsensical conversations. On top of that, I can barely visualize anything anymore. Of course, this has all been going on for quite a while now. Have any of you experienced this? Or is it unrelated to the OCD? Cheers.

Hi everybody! I wanted to ask if something similar happens to you also. For exemple if I’m on a public transport, some times not everyday, I can’t unfocus from hearing random conversations or watching somebody else’s screen. This caused me a lot of guilt and moral issues. Also I while usually I don’t have any social curiosity, when this happens I feel curious about the people around me. So I learned a few tricks: watch something on your phone, have a book and turn your head in the opposite direction. Do you have any strategy for this?

It happen again now I’m a million times sure they were talking about me as I heard my name Idk if I should quit people are definitely going to talk about me what to I do? I have an another manager who I feel is very understanding do I explain to them? I also have autism too so idk please help Im crying

I think I found the right sub for this, but I’m not totally sure. I’ve always felt like something was “off” with my attention, but I didn’t notice it heavily until I started taking meds a while back. I’m not on them anymore, but the issue stayed.

My first problem is that my eyes automatically go to people’s butts, and I don’t want them to. I’m female, and it happens with both genders, but probably more with women. It’s not sexual at all because I’m not attracted to women like that it’s more like my eyes just snap there without me meaning to. Sometimes it’s just a “dang she has a nice body” type thought, but not in a sexual way. Even with men, my eyes go there and I don’t want them to. Or sometimes with their private area. Whenever someone moves, my eyes go straight to the movement too. It’s just really hard especially at work because I feel like people notice and get uncomfortable. I work with pratically only females and I just notice little things they do around me like pull their shirts down, kinda look to see if I’m looking or avoid walking past me in general and I don’t want them thinking I’m weird. I feel they gonna think I’m gay and like a creep and I’m not either. Even if I was gay I dont want this problem I have

Second problem: I focus way too much on my peripheral vision. I don’t even know if it looks like I’m side‑eyeing people, but it feels like my peripheral catches everything even when I’m trying not to look. I worry people think I’m staring or looking from the side. Sometimes people pull their shirts down or adjust their clothes and I panic thinking they noticed me, even though I’m not trying to look at anything. It’s especially stressful at work and in social situations.

I don’t know how to fix this or what it even is. Has anyone dealt with something like this? Is it anxiety, ADHD, hypervigilance, or something else?

Even when I fall asleep. And I dream. I still get bizarre dreams and dreams where my ocd follows me. I’ll be experiencing normality in a dream then my ocd flares up again. I also have very bizarre dreams. Like i had a dream that gattouz0 stole my imaginary girlfriend. And I have dreams about people hating me. I think it’s cuz of my self stigma. A lot of my issue probably stems from mistakes I’ve made in the past and bad people that I’ve surrounded myself with. I’m also addicted to bad habits outside of drugs that warp my mind. My mind was warped from a pretty early age and I got 10/10 on the ACE score or whatever. I’m slowly feeling less hopeless and I’m even gonna try out a new boxing/mma gym next week. I think I’ll just try my best to be like: “hey guys I gotta let u know I have this issue with my eyes so if you ever see me staring at you just try to ignore me because it’s kinda a tic”. The best thing about these environments is that people can beat me up for having these problems if they don’t like it! I think I’m kinda crazy. The only thing I have going for me is that I have a lot of money saved up and invested in a stock, so I don’t have to worry about getting a job. I can just focus on my lifelong dream of being famous and inspiring people! I’ll try my best to spread awareness for this disorder if I make it. And if you guys ever need to talk to someone or just wanna be mutuals my Instagram is: nayif._999. Long story short, my life has been super messed up and now with this disorder it’s gonna be challenging to fix it myself. But I will do it for you guys! Because even with this disorder I’m still blessed.

i’m new to learning about staring ocd, and think i might experience it. what i do is i have to look at something a certain amount of times or until it feels balanced. i sometimes even rewind a video im watching so i can re-watch a certain part to look at it a way to make a feel right. this also happens with hearing things a certain amount of times until it feels right… i also have tourette’s and my ocd and it love to party together to make me miserable, so i never know exactly is going on with me. is this what vision ocd could be?