21 Comments
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Existential Nuances™'s avatar

Peter, such a creative and engaging way to talk about your own experience with a lifelong companion whom I also know all too well! I was hoping the “eulogy” in your article title meant you found a cure! 😅Thank you for helping me feel a little less alone with my OCD brain. 🫶

Peter's avatar

Thank you John 🙂. I don't know if I should say congratulations or I'm sorry 😆. If I find a "cure", you'll be the first person I tell! Thank you for always supporting me!

Maria Grace's avatar

I loved how you managed to write about something so difficult with both honesty and humor. The opening immediately pulled me into the repetitive thought process; this was so creative. I also love the compassion you eventually extended toward yourself. Instead of turning OCD into a villain, you allowed it to become something you could understand. That shift felt incredibly human and gave the essay so much emotional depth. Thank you for sharing such a vulnerable perspective. This was beautiful Peter!

Peter's avatar

Thank you, Maria. You saw right to the heart of this one 🙏. Love, compassion, and acceptance for all of my weird and wonderful neuroses seems to be the easiest path these days. I so appreciate your thoughtful feedback.

Maria Grace's avatar

You did great, that point really shined through!

Life Inside My Mind's avatar

This is funny! I was laughing the entire time. I don’t really know much about OCD but during those times when my Mom is still alive and she was in the hospital for more than a month, I was tired by the time I get home. I work remotely so I worked in the hospital. One time I was so tired that I called a friend asking if I have divided my medicine into half correctly, like the perfect half of 1 tablet. And my friend was concerned asking me if I was okay.

Peter's avatar

I'm so glad it brought a laugh. Thank you so much for reading and sharing that 🙏🙂

Life Inside My Mind's avatar

You’re welcome, Peter! 🤗

Csaba Majchrics's avatar

What a relatable and concise read—great one! I can totally imagine the rush of the intro, thinking about whether the adapter is truly with the capo. I learned to give myself 30 minutes, by the way.

Peter's avatar

Thank you sir and you are a smart man! 30 minutes would be better than 15 for sure 😂.

Apurva's avatar

Such a relatable essay Peter! haha OCD brain is so real. Reminds me countless times of checking if door is locked and keys there again and again...being an extreme people pleaser did take a toll on me. Working on getting rid if that:) thanks for expressing it creatively!

Peter's avatar

Thanks Apurva 😀. Yes….the door. My favorite ocd door game is locking the door without closing it and then unlocking it with the key…to make sure that it’s actually the key for the door and not some strangers house 🤔😆. It takes a few tries to convince my brain before we come to an understanding.

Apurva's avatar

haha totally relate to it been there done that :XD for me it is to make sure i still remember how to open it. 😂

Rise Your Aura's avatar

this was such a good read :)

“The Instrument Awareness Olympics” made us laugh, but the whole piece has that really lovely balance of funny and honest. The way you wrote about not fighting the obsessive checking like an enemy, but almost recognising it as something trying to look out for you, it's sooo true.

also, “people-pleasing doing push-ups in the parking lot” is ridiculous in the best way.

Really liked this <3

Peter's avatar

Thank you for your continued support and sharing your time Rise :) Appreciate you :)

Rise Your Aura's avatar

ahhh same Peter <3

Kelly Higgins's avatar

Peter you had me stressing out checking we had packed everything too! Did you lock the door on the way out? Hate that one. 😂

I think I'd easily rid myself of people pleasing. The OCD and I will be unfortunate besties for the foreseeable future yet. Annoying, but there.

Peter's avatar

Ooohh god the door 🤦 I'd have to remember to close it first to lock it 😆. J'king not jking!

The people pleasing dealio has been an interesting pivot for me. I do many of the same things as before but not from a place of lack anymore. Appreciate you as always Kelly 🙏🙂

Karin Smilović's avatar

Peter, this was incredibly relatable as I myself suffer from a mild case of OCD and I used to be a MAJOR people pleaser. I genuinely believe that’s the worst combination there is 😅

Peter's avatar

Thanks so much for reading and sharing Karin 🙏🙂. It's a noisy combo, no doubt!! 😆