Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Support Group
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 by a subject's obsessive (repetitive, distressing, intrusive) thoughts and related compulsions (tasks or rituals) which attempt to neutralize the obsessions.
Ok so I'm browsing the forum, and everyone seems just sad and miserable. Maybe it will help lighten the mood?
What are some of your quirks? You know, maybe some things you wouldn't do otherwise if you didn't have OCD.
For me, there are a few things that don't really impact my life negatively, but are little rituals that /must/ be done.
When I write with a pencil, I don't write with the lead if it's pointed. It has to be flat. I also must touch the lead to my finger every so often to make sure it's staying the same shape. WhenI touch the lead to my fingertip, I have to rotate the pencil in my fingers usually 5-7 times before I start writing again.
When I write with a pen, the plastic clip piece must be facing up, ALWAYS.
When I'm in a store that sells clothes, I have to touch the fabric of *everything*
When I open a can of any kind that has the tab you pull up, I pull the tab just a little and then click the tab at least 7 times before fully opening the can. (This drives people around me nuts)
Numbers must always be "even." For example, 5 is an even number. 3 is not. 12 is much more even than 13. This gets me in trouble regarding money, because if I have, say, $23.78 in my pocket, I absolutely have to spend 3.78 to make it completely even. Adding to the money will NOT work. And if I spend more or less, I will keep spending until I get to the next even number. This IS helpful when putting money in my savings account, as long as I don't know how much is in my savings account because then I take money out until it's even again.
What are some of your quirks? You know, maybe some things you wouldn't do otherwise if you didn't have OCD.
For me, there are a few things that don't really impact my life negatively, but are little rituals that /must/ be done.
When I write with a pencil, I don't write with the lead if it's pointed. It has to be flat. I also must touch the lead to my finger every so often to make sure it's staying the same shape. WhenI touch the lead to my fingertip, I have to rotate the pencil in my fingers usually 5-7 times before I start writing again.
When I write with a pen, the plastic clip piece must be facing up, ALWAYS.
When I'm in a store that sells clothes, I have to touch the fabric of *everything*
When I open a can of any kind that has the tab you pull up, I pull the tab just a little and then click the tab at least 7 times before fully opening the can. (This drives people around me nuts)
Numbers must always be "even." For example, 5 is an even number. 3 is not. 12 is much more even than 13. This gets me in trouble regarding money, because if I have, say, $23.78 in my pocket, I absolutely have to spend 3.78 to make it completely even. Adding to the money will NOT work. And if I spend more or less, I will keep spending until I get to the next even number. This IS helpful when putting money in my savings account, as long as I don't know how much is in my savings account because then I take money out until it's even again.
If I know I will be going into a meeting at work and will have to shake hands I use scotch tape as a bandage and stick it on my hands where I feel I have a cut or scratch.
When I shop I can't take the first product on the shelf, but have to dig back to find one that I feel hasn't been touched.
Things disappear when I'm around. If I feel that I have contaminated something I will "steal" it and put it through my detox process and then return it (most of the time nobody notices, but I have had to fess up a few times).
This topic is great! I totally agree that you have to have a sense of humour about yourself to get by with OCD.
Sarah
I once made two police officers cut their finger nails before I would let them in my house. The ambulance crew they called for me wouldn't do the same, so I had a major freak out while they were trying to get me to hospital. I guess sometimes it pays to humour crazy people!
When I'm at the library or even at other people's houses, I always have to turn books the right way round on the shelves, so you can see the spine and I arrange them in subject, alphabetical and size order.
I always have to wash, dry and sharpen my cooking knives before and after I use them.
When I'm really anxious, I count in 7s and pace in long steps.
All the rest of the time, I count in 3s.
It's good to know it's not just me!
IP xx
Idiotpig: I do that too, with the books. I turn books so you can read the labels. there's also a specific sub restaurant I go to often, they have their spices and sauces lined up on the counter so you can pick what you want. I have to organize them into a pattern either big to small, small to big, or alternate sizes. Sometimes the employees and customers look at me funny, but one time an employee said, "I'm glad you did that, because I was going to have to do it later!!"
i do gravitate towards volume knobs that show a picture instead of numbers, though...
always have to have the volume on a 'powerful' or 'safe' number...
and my fiddling with the thermostat on this level drives the huz NUTS ::lol::
have yet to find a thermostat without numbers, haha!
xx!!
Nice choice on the topic change :)
no I really don't...but I have to correct you because if I don't, it will bother me and I may start having a panic attack because if I don't correct you now, I might not get the chance to correct you in the future.
Thanks for starting this one kokokitty. :)
I've developed some weird ones. This one isn't so much a problem any more, but when I would talk to people on the phone and they coughed or sneezed I would hang up on them. because you know the germs might come through the phone lines :). If I was talking to people on line and they said they were sick, I would have to log off and back in several times until I felt I was safe from the magically transmittable germs. haha
I have some of the same obsessions...including the ice one but only if they are puddles of ice! I also will not buy lotion or shampoo from the dollar store, cause everyone seems to feel the need to open those and dig in them. Even if they don't look dug into, you know they probably are. That's just common sense though!
I imagine numbers are colors. 1 is red, 2 is blue, 3 is green, 4 is orange, etc. lets see... when i type, i occasionally have to hit space or enter a few times, and then put the cursor back. Something about watching the cursor move to the next line. or the words on the top scroll off. tab works sometimes as well.
when im using a mouse, i HAVE to click the right button sometimes. that one can be annoying. i also enjoy taking things that I'm going to use, put them back, then take them again. imagine putting clothes on! lol in the right arm, out the right arm, in the right arm. It's a lot like the hokey pokey sometimes! luckily, not all the time.
I always blink one eye. but you never know which one!!! ;)