Wastelands of OCD

Imagine there’s an extra jar sitting on the kitchen counter, right next to the salt and pepper. It's right there in plain sight, where everyone can see it. Inside that jar is cyanide—a deadly, lethal substance—just sitting there. You’re not allowed to remove it or eliminate the danger. You have to live with the knowledge that it’s there, and that at any moment, you could accidentally reach for it instead of the salt or pepper.
 
Sometimes, you might think to yourself, I could just get rid of it, throw it in the trash, and be done with it. But then you remember that’s impossible. According to the “rules,” every time you try to remove the jar, a new one will appear on the counter within minutes. It’s unavoidable.
 
Your only option is to get used to living with the cyanide jar. Yes, there’s always the risk that you might make a fatal mistake. And no, you’re not allowed to take precautions against it. In fact, when the thought of this terrifying danger crosses your mind, you’re forbidden from dwelling on it or even coming up with solutions. All you can do is accept that there’s a jar of poison in the middle of your home, within easy reach, and that you’re supposed to carry on as if it isn’t there.
 
Or, to give another example, you might consider this: Imagine you have a cup of hot coffee in your hand and you are walking around the house, attending to your tasks. Suddenly, the coffee disappears from your hand. You remember that you placed it on the floor next to the couch while emptying a drawer, but since you've been moving around the house, you don't know which room you were in or where exactly you put it. Picture that moment: if you walk without paying attention, you might step on the cup next to the couch and spill it. No matter what you do, you have to remember to be careful while walking. You will never find it, and according to the rules, searching for it is forbidden. You will just have to live your life being careful not to knock it over with your foot. It could be anywhere.
 
You can also picture a staircase in your home with one step that’s broken and unstable. You know it’s there, and you’ve been warned about it, but you can’t fix it or put up a sign to alert others. Every time you go up or down the stairs, you have to be extra cautious, constantly reminding yourself to avoid that step. You can’t talk about it or think of ways to make it safer. You just have to navigate the stairs carefully, always aware of the risk of tripping or falling.
 
Or if you like, you can imagine you have a gas line in your home that has a small, undetectable leak. You know it’s there, but you can’t see it or smell it. You’re not allowed to call a professional to fix it or even to install a detector. Every time you enter the kitchen, you feel a sense of unease, knowing that if the leak were to worsen or if a spark were to ignite it, the consequences could be catastrophic. You can’t dwell on the danger or take any precautions, like opening windows or ventilating the area. All you can do is go about your daily life, cooking meals and spending time in the kitchen, while constantly reminding yourself to be careful and aware of the potential risk lurking in the background. The knowledge of the gas leak hangs over you, creating an atmosphere of anxiety, but you must carry on as if everything is normal.