What would Freud say?

[HotthenCold]

I am just wondering if anybody can help me shed some light on a feeling I've had for most of my life. It's a feeling that I closely relate to my OCD feelings (you know the "negative" that will happen if you don't perform the ritual) Quite often I'm bothered, or saddened, by a scenario in my mind, which takes place at different times and with different specifics, but always the same type of people invovled, though it's usually my dad. What happens is my dad, or some figure who I see as resembling him, is either very poor and somewhat helpless, maybe homeless, and getting treated very poorly by people around him. also, another twist on that scenario is, and this one isn't always my dad, sometimes it's me, or a stranger, trying to do something nice for someone, but the gesture is considered awkward or pathetic or "not good enough" and subsequently results in scorn and humiliation from people around the "victim" at the time. Both scenarios result in me feeling very sad, embarassed, and terrified that such a scenario might come true in the future.

It's really odd because my dad isn't poor or helpless or any of that, but my worry for him is very high, and for myself as well.

I don't really expect for anybody to be able to say what symptom this sounds like, if any, becuase it's fairly random, but has anyone ever had similar thoughts and worries? again, the reason I post this in the OCD section is because the worry associated with it feels exactly like my other OCD symptoms or triggers.

blah.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

That's because it is pretty much like your other OCD symptoms and triggers.

You worry about something bad happening to your dad or someone else. That worry morphs into something more specific, a specific bad thing happening. The fact that you have that worry in your mind gets special significance - a characteristic of OCD thinking. And now you're worrying that the worry will actually occur.

It's really the same issue and the same resolution as any other OCD worries.

 

[ladylore]

It's impossible to know what is going to happen in the future - sometimes obsesive compulsive behaviour is just a means to cover all the basis to ensure nothing bad happens. Unfortunately worrying won't make that senerio come true or stop it from coming true.

You may want to try conciously putting another positive swing to that senerio and then focus on something else - a task perhaps washing dishes.

 

[braveheart]

Ok, this is my slant on it from what I know of Freudian theory, seeing as you mention him specifically.

Well, to me, it sounds like you've got a bit of a conflict running in your mind. You maybe have ambivalent feelings about your father, and the whole idea of power and fear. Yours and your fathers. Kind of like a competition in your mind with your father.
Also - what kind of care do you feel your father gave you - was it 'good enough'?