on solipsism

gobblgobbl · Newbie User Joined: Mar 26, 2008 Posts: 6

First off, as you read the following post, please excuse my ignorance. I, personally, do not have OCD (save a few, not serious symptoms from when I was younger). Though, I did have a friend who suffers from the disorder. She once shared with me that for a while she was mentally obsessed with the philosophical idea of solipsism. From my understanding, many people with OCD have thoughts of solipsism at one time or another. Since I cannot ask her questions (we don't talk anymore), I was wondering if you guys would be willing to answer them.

I am a pretty philosophical person (I'm no expert by any means), and am familiar with the belief of solipsism. Now, my questions to you are the following: Even if your mind is the only thing that exists (for sure, anyways), why does that matter? I mean, what choice do you really have but to keep on living your life how you always have? It really doesn't make anything different, does it? Also, how do those with OCD confront this problem (in getting rid of it, that is)?

thank you for now. =P I'll post more questions as I think of them.

Musicocd · Newbie User Joined: May 16, 2007 Posts: 53

Hi gobbl,

This was one of my worst obsessions a while back, but I didn't know it actually had a name!

The thing about obsessions in ocd is that they are not like normal patterns of thinking. I used to think things like 'Why does it matter if things only exist in my mind?' Then I'd think 'well if things only exist in my mind then my mind is making things up so I could be lying to myself constantly, how am I supposed to do anything if I can't trust myself?' Which is just another question and I've left the first one unanswered. When I was ruminating about these things I, and many people with ocd find this, would never get to a conclusion about anything. I would just spend 3 or so hours asking myself the questions, going round in circles, then getting so tired of myself that I'd just give up and try not to think about anything.

I can't say I really 'got rid' of this, it just went away and was replaced by different obsessions and compulsions. That's the thing about ocd, it tends to change and wax and wane.

I'm sorry that wasn't particularly helpful, I didn't really give an answer to the questions you were asking, but I don't actually know any of the answers!

gobblgobbl · Newbie User Joined: Mar 26, 2008 Posts: 6

Hi Music,

don't worry about answering the specific questions! your response was awesome. =] I'm really just trying to understand (though, I know it isn't really possible) the experience OCDers have when going through this.

thanks for the response! =P

meme · Newbie User Joined: Oct 07, 2007 Posts: 40

i never really had thoughts about solipsism as a particular obsession, though philosophy in general sent me into a spin. im not sure if this is what you meant, but for me, the mind whether its justified or not, is not in total control of the person with ocd. think of it like a clock. youve seen the clock where the second hand twitches like it'll move to the next second but it doesnt because it's stuck to to a stuck cog in the mechanism. the clock itself is fine, its just one little thing that makes the hand get stuck. not to imply that i or other people with ocd have no control of the mind, but sometimes its hard to differentiate between whats rational and what's not. this makes trusting one's self difficult.