Do you have OCD?

1. 0

   ryankettposted 12 years ago

   I think that I have a little, my major ones are:
   
   a) Fixing my hair about 20 times a day.
   b) I have to have any digital volume control on an even number, I can have the volume on 30 or 32 but not on 31.
   
   Do you have any compulsive instincts? I know that mine are pretty tame, I know some people with some mad ones, one of them lines up his shoes against an entire wall of his bedroom in order of the brand, e.g. Adidas at the start.

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      thisisoliposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      My wife has the exact same issue on the volume thing.

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      johnshadeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      check this out the remote thing is really common, i guess its a habit
      
      http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-have-to … 756?v=wall

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2. 57

   worldgrandeurposted 12 years ago

   My major OCD is sweating. Since I hate to sweat, I have to make sure to be near an AC and also make sure to shower several times everyday...

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3. 87

   Shil1978posted 12 years ago

   Well, I have some minor ones too - though I believe it slows me down sometimes and wish I could have done without. One of them is checking if I've locked my front door. I just have to double check and then check again (just to be sure). I spend about a minute doing that, when it should take me seconds!!
   
   Secondly, if I feel something needs to be in a particular order, symmetry, etc., I feel a compulsive urge to set it that particular way. Fortunately, I don't get this urge often. It happens once in a while, and when it does, I just have to set it in that order.
   
   Also, I tend to proofread what I write again and again. I don't spare e-mails either. Though with my hubs, for some reason, I am not that stringent. I do give them a twice over though, so if some errors creep through, I would have missed them. I do get mad when I find that I've missed some and let some errors through - so that's another thing I have!!

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   sunforgedposted 12 years ago

   I cant cook in a kitchen that has any dirty dishes or disarray, even if im starving.

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5. 83

   Lily Roseposted 12 years ago

   I definitely have always felt that I have a touch of OCD, as well as anal retentiveness...(anal compulsive I call it!)
   
   I, too don't like odd numbers - it must be even!
   
   The toilet paper must go over, not under and when it's time to replace it I'm careful that the holder remains in the same direction - its direction really doesn't matter and I don't freak out if I drop it and loose track or if someone else changes it and I don't know -- very minor and silly.
   
   I have more, but I've probably already made myself look somewhat silly - or weird .....
   
   Thanks, Ryan! 

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   mega1posted 12 years ago

   Major OCD here.  Counting everything!  looking at the clock and at exactly 22 minutes after the hour! proofreading everything!  even my forum posts - mentally editing everything people say, for god's sake!  I can just barely stop myself from correcting everyone all the time.  Tidy drawers, must be tidy - all the time!

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   Flightkeeperposted 12 years ago

   Whenever I leave my place, I go through the place once to make sure lights are off, faucets aren't running, and all appliances are off.  When I come back, I always make sure that my door is locked.

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      ryankettposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Just sounds very sensible to me!

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         Flightkeeperposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Well it would be if I didn't worry so much if I forgot one thing.  It's always a relief when I get back and everything is in one piece.

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   Maddie Ruudposted 12 years ago

   Self-diagnosis is dangerous.  We all have thoughts and behaviors that fit various mental illnesses, but I think we should hesitate to identify with them... Most of us have no idea how hard it is to actually struggle with the full-fledged version of OCD; though we all have our own particular compulsions, they pale in comparison with the mental gymnastics that a person who truly suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder deals with daily.

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      mega1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Its true that we all make jokes about OCD when it is a serious, serious ailment - however, if you've lived with it for your whole life like I have, (not self-diagnosed) you get so you enjoy the jokes and it helps get you through the day.  I am glad that the stigma attached to most mental illnesses is not as severe with OCD - I think some people actually think it would be good to be OCD, it's not a great thing, but let them think it.

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         Maddie Ruudposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I'm glad you've got a sense of humor about it, mega.  Humor is one of my favorite coping mechanisms as well. 

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   girly_girl09posted 12 years ago

   My grandmother had OCD. While she is still living, her OCD is "gone", but this is only because of her severe dementia. In a way, it is a blessing to our family because she always seems peaceful now! Her OCD worsened before the dementia came into play. It was incredibly sad to see; she was always in such torment about mundane little things.
   
   While I do get into "ruts" on certain topics and have some unusual tendencies and aversions to certain things, I wouldn't say I have it. Sometimes, I wonder if some of my behavior that has markings of OCD is simply learned due to all the time I spent with her.

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      mega1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      yep, it's also learned I'm sure.  I got a whipping from my mom once for putting the knives on the table with the sharp side facing out.  Now I understand her, but then I thought she was a real wack-job!  anger comes up all too fast in OCD people - but if you are fore-warned you can handle it and not display every little emotion that passes through like a tidal wave.  I was especially vigilant around my kids when they were small and I don't think they suffered from my weirdnesses too much.

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    frogdroppingposted 12 years ago

    My brother-in-law has OCD, pretty bad. It's unpleasant for him, makes him anxious about seemingly silly things. But he can't help it. Sometimes we laugh about it, other times it's anything but funny.
    
    My sister handles it well, considering how much of his anxious behaviour can and does affect her. Plus he can't sit still for five minutes. From my P.O.V. it looks rather stressful. Luckily they're a happy family and it kinda takes a back seat, most of the time.

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    Mighty Momposted 12 years ago

    My father-in-law, also, became OCD in his Alzheimer's years. Lining things up on the table just so. Counting and stacking his coins, etc. I guess when you're losing control of your mind, your mind fights for any control it can get!
    
    I personally have only a very limited OCD tendency -- except that it involves my WRITING, which I do for a friggning living!
    Unlike you Hubbers who obsessively proofread your work, I obsessively edit mine. I keep going back over and back over what I've written and keep changing it. Does it make it stronger? Not necessarily!!!
    
    BTW, this is a good forum topic. Thanks OP and posters! MM

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    johnshadeposted 12 years ago

    It's important not to self diagnose
    OCD is really serious and some people need treatment.
    
    to have ocd you have to obsess as well as compulse.
    
    I had a friend that had the bacteria one, he would literally scrub the skin off his hands. even with years of therapy he cant shake hands.
    But he can chop knuckle now.

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    johnshadeposted 12 years ago

    and also there no such thing as 'minor ocd' thats a made up word, you either have it or you dont.
    Anything else in between is just habits and personality triats

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    lambservantposted 12 years ago

    I think Maddie is very right that we need to be careful about diagnosing ourselves with OCD. Most of the things you folks mentioned are pretty common. We all have a few OCD like behaviors. But I have met several folks, and one of my closest friends is a diagnosed OCD and it is not pretty. One of you mentioned taking a whole minute to make sure your door is locked. A gal in one of my support group gets up several times a night to check the locks on her doors. She is always exhausted. She is never satisfied that she and her cat are safe.
    
    My close friend, I'll call her Ann, has some checking behaviors, but her primary symptom is irrational thoughts and fears. Crazy kinds of stuff. ODC is called the doubting disease. Anyway, when she is having an episode, she will grill her family all night long about an irrational thought/fear. Their answers never reassure her and she works herself up into quite a state of tears and anxiety. Then she feels horrible guilty for causing her family so much stress and worrys obesessivly that she will have to leave, or they will leave her. Poor thing suffers terribly.
    
    I have some mental illness issues for sure. On medication, been to the hospital, have PTSD among other things, but I think OCD would be horribly distressing.

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    ShadowCleaningposted 12 years ago

    I have ocd and was diagnosed with it. I'm also a germaphobe. I have a real hard time using public toilets, don't eat or drink after people and they can't touch mine. If a waitress touches the top of my glass or side of my plate, I have to have a new one. My dogs nails can only be a certain length.
    As far as my house, my clothes are organized by color and then sleeve length. My pants are color coordinated too. My books, music and dvds are alphabetic order by author and then title. My pantry-the food is alphabetized.
    My food on my plate has to be-meat, then starch, then vege. meat has to be at the bottom, starch to the left and vege to the right.
    When I'm tired (then my guard is down) I count. It can be lines on the street or ceiling, lightposts, or even license plates.
    
    I also catch myself editing not just my things but others too.  Some of these things interfere in a relationship. If the person doesn't understand they are critical. Thankfully, I've started dating someone who leaves me be about it.

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    Pcunixposted 12 years ago

    Nope.  I'm a little off in a different way
    
    I don't mean to make light of anything. Mental illness is important - I get very upset when "spending cuts" are made here first.  It's an easy target because very few complain.
    
    If someone is concerned, they should seek help.  Unfortunately, they may not get much - insurance won't cover very much.  But do what you can.

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    prettydarkhorseposted 12 years ago

    Little bit, I hate to see clothes which are unwashed. Of course when I just took a bath, then I have a clothes which are unwashed before I am tempted to wash it immediately. I came to terms with that, I just put in my mind the electricity wasted bec of what I am doing. I arranged the closet -- clothes with same color together etc. Things should always be in order, but when I had a baby, I guess, I have little time to put things in order.

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    preyposted 12 years ago

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