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Why do I feel compelled to do things that I shouldn't?
Ok, I've got to start with an apology to those of you who clicked on this thread hoping to read about how I enjoy molesting marmosets or drinking Bosco and Vodka on the job. My compulsions are much more mundane.
Perhaps an example would serve to illustrate: When I see a "Wet Paint" sign, I feel really compelled to touch the surface to find out if the paint is really wet?! When I see a button or switch that says "Do Not Touch", I have to resist the urge to touch it. I find these urges to be particularly strong when there doesn't seem to be a real reason not to touch said button. If I am touring a hydroelectric dam and there is a "Do Not Touch" sign on the button marked "Open Floodgates" I don't feel like I need to push it... Ok, maybe a little bit. But if I see a light switch in a hallway that is similarly marked, I will most likely flick it on and off to see why someone felt the need to mark it that way. Maybe it is a simple as a desire to interact with my environment. A need to see what things do and don't do. Maybe it is a bit of mild obsessive-compulsive disorder. Does OCD even come in a "mild" form? Does anyone else have similar experiences to share?
This isn't something that I really feel the need to address in my life, just a curious aspect of my personality that I thought I would share. I'd like to know of anyone else here who has similar compulsions in their own life.
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You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother.
- Albert Einstein
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