What is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder, more specifically, an anxiety disorder. OCD is manifested in a variety of forms, but is most commonly characterized b...
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Hey everyone! I am new here, so I hope you don't mind me asking a few questions. Nothing like expert answers from the people who 'know!'
Can a doctor actually diagnose this disorder? Forgive my naivety, I just know there are a lot of real, honest-to-God disorders that they just can't (or won't) diagnose, so I had to ask. Secondly, how do you know you have it? For instance, I've washed my hands a million times a day from the time I was a child. I always assumed it was just normal, germ-evading behavior until a few years ago. But then I also remember trying to explain to my mom as a child that if I did something once, I felt like I HAD to do it again... for example, scratching my left ear. ....Something inside said, "now scratch your right one, too!" So I did. As a child I thought this was odd, so I tried to tell my mom, hoping she'd tell me not to worry about it. I was honestly no older than 10, because I remember where we were, what house we lived in, and how I started the conversation.... "Mom, I have a problem." (LOL! She thought I was just being a goofy kid. She wasn't nearly as knowledgeable in the medical field as she is today.) Anyway, I'm not as bad as I was as a child, but I do still find myself with chapped hands constantly. 'Monk' is one of my favorite TV shows, and now I realize why! Would I be right in a self-diagnosis of OCD? Thanks for taking the time to read this. Have a great week, everyone! Posted on 11/09/09, 08:11 am |
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While I'm not a doctor, I have been diagnosed as having OCD, so yes, doctors WILL diagnose you with it. I myself have a compulsion to wash my hands, and have since I was able to wash my hands by myself (even before then!). Now, I work on trying to not constantly wash my hands, because in the past I would wash them to a point of them cracking open and bleeding. Now, when I'm unable to get to a sink or a bottle of hand sanitizer (which doesn't really happen because I carry 2 travel sized-bottles) I find myself moving my hands in the same motion I would as if I were washing them to calm myself. Sometimes I do it without noticing. However, because OCD is an anxiety disorder, it really is hard to overcome some things, because I almost feel physically HURT when I don't do my little ticks.
I'm also a compulsive counter. I count my paces, and when I miss a step, I have to backtrack, because if I lose count, I feel like I can't catch my breath and my thoughts start to move too fast and I get very nervous. I'm also highly repetitive. Anyway, I won't go into any more detail, but OCD is an anxiety disorder. Here, take a look at this site: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/top... It should help you realize if you are severe enough to actually be labeled as being OCD. 
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Unfortunately, psychological diagnosis is not a science.
On the other hand, you can ask your doctor how they came to this conclusion. You can read the description in the DSM IV if you want. Like Cheshire said, you can read up on it. But these diagnoses are just labels. I am not my OCD. I have instrustive thoughts and compulsive behaviors and some doctors I've never met call that sort of thing OCD. They are acting on statistical inference, but I'm just me. You are just you. The label doesn't define you.
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Thank you so much for your responses. I appreciate it :)
Cheshire, I am with you - I count my paces as well. Sometimes I will even spell out words instead of using the numbers. I always thought I was strange in that sense, but obviously we can't ALL be strange, soooo... I guess we're just special normal :) Also, I didn't realize it until you said you are repetitive, but I am, too. Every night, I will find myself double and triple checking the doors to make sure they are locked, and the plugs to make sure they are not slipping from the outlets. Sometimes I'll check and re-check the stove if I used it to make dinner. And my hands are completely dry and cracked from the constant washing. I guess I have my answer. Thank you both for sharing your thoughts with me. I really appreciate it. PS - the link didn't work.
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