repeating memories

There is a reason why this specific obsession has such a strong hold on you. Which aspects of these conversations bother you?

Whatever they may be, you need to acknowledge their presence - these events that cause you so much anxiety, accept that your OCD is causing them, and then let them go.

At some point, you will need to take a stand and fight. I know, it is easier said than done, but no amount of medication can help you in the long run unless you yourself accept that these anxieties are merely false messages you receive from your brain due to your OCD, and that you need to dismiss them as much as you can.

is this OCD? I thought OCD was having obsessions about being clean or shutting the door properly. Is what I describe also OCD? I feel like my mind is not normal but I do not know what mental problem I have.

Hi Penfold,

I don't know if you have OCD or not, although it is one possible explanation for what you are describing. OCD doesn't always involve compulsions. It can also involve obessions - obsessions are repetitive thoughts, images, or urges that are persistent, intrusive, and unwanted.

May I ask how old you are? Also, when you "hear" these people, do you feel as if you are hearing them as if they are actually there in person talking to you? Or are you "hearing" them as you hear your other thoughts (I hope that makes sense)? I ask because this may also be a symptoms of another disorder as well.

Regardless of your diagnosis, my best recommendation is that you set up an appointment with a mental health professional (a psychologist or psychiatrist, preferably) for an evaluation to determine what is going on. There isn't a quick fix or easy answer to give you in terms of how to make these memories / thoughts go away. You may need treatment - therapy and possibly medication as well, depending on a variety of factors. But an evaluation is the first step at this point.

Based on your description, you seem to be experiencing some type of Anxiety Disorder. There are a whole array of them,and OCD is just one.

One characteristic of an obsession is that it is recurrent (for example, your repeating memories). A compulsion, on the other hand, is the ritualistic behavior you feel obliged to do in order to overcome the obsession (such as shouting).

OCD is not confined to mere cleanliness or checking rituals. I'm 28, and I've had it since I was around 5 - so I know the condition evolves through time. But it can be controlled, so yes there is a silver lining.

Everyone undergoes some degree of anxiety, but someone with clinical OCD finds these worries too bothersome that it interferes with his/her normal functioning.

I suggest you speak with a professional regarding this if you find it too bothersome. I wish you well. =)

Penfold...i can't thank you enough for writing your short description of the struggle you have had with the "repeating memories"! I am 54, and have been taking a fantastic anti depressant for a sleep disorder and depression since age 28. It works beautifully--but guess what? I still have the on-going "memories" just like you have experienced, though the depression has been gone for years. I have never told anyone about this part of my problem because it involves certain obssessive thoughts that are somewhat embarrassing. These memories are exactly as you have so well described--but mine include bits and pieces of music, lyrics, or poetry that simply refuse to stop! Like you, i hear this junk in my head and have been yelling at them to stop for many years. Now that i know it's not my fault, and i'm not doing something to cause it- and i'm NOT alone maybe i can finally find some peace by asking a competent clinician to treat it. I urge anyone out there who is disrupted in daily life by on-going 'repeating memories or thoughts' of any kind to seek help. I hope our stories continue to help others, there is so much hope for these problems!