'Oh yeah, I have OCD' - No! You don't!
Scroll to see replies
I think everyone has their own little quirks, and often people use the phrase "Oh, I'm so OCD about X' to describe it to someone else, this indicates that the behavior they describe they do not perceive as normal.
I understand it may be offensive to those who have/had OCD, because it may make them feel sad that people do not understand the full extent of their illness, but it is a turn of phrase that I'm sure most people do not mean harm over.
I understand it may be offensive to those who have/had OCD, because it may make them feel sad that people do not understand the full extent of their illness, but it is a turn of phrase that I'm sure most people do not mean harm over.
Original post by catoswyn
It does sound very scary. Thank you for explaining the experience. It is interesting that it is so overwhelming. It almost sounds as if it starts in the instinctive part of the brain in that you know its irrational logically but that it is of no use when all the other signals inside you are telling you otherwise. I have never had this experience except it reminds me a little of phobias like although I know the spider cannot hurt me I cannot help my reaction to it or, for me, heights where everything shuts down and I just am the experience of fear. To have that kind of experience occur everyday over all sorts of things must be very difficult. No wonder people develop means of coping with it and rituals, even if the means of coping can become problems themselves. I never knew either that it could start so young.
Thank you again for telling me your experience.
Thank you again for telling me your experience.
You're welcome. I think you've deciphered the feelings associated with OCD extrememly well. Wow, i'm impressed.
This is how I see the issue..
Most people have (albeit minor) OCD-like quirks; that person who has to have things perfectly straight, or touch things, or have things a certain way.
These things can be exacerbated by situation - my first example is that I have had severe sleeping problems that only ended about two years ago. My brain's defence against that around the 15-16 mark was for me to have to have multiple things perfect around the room. I would take time each night to arrange each object, and if it didn't go perfect, I would move it until it did (my longest was over 20 minutes arranging a dressing gown).
My second is my borderline PD friend - her brain's defence is to make her tap each doorway twice as she goes through (as well as some other things), which is just as vitally necessary for her as my bedroom-arranging was.
Neither of us have ever said "I'm a bit OCD", ever. They are OCD-style traits, but nowhere near the maladaptiveness and difficulty of the time-consuming nature that an OCD sufferer has. They are minor traits that have been exacerbated by another issue, but not enough so to legitimise calling it OCD.
I know that it's just a turn of phrase. But it does trivialise the disorder. This is because everyone knows the difference between "I'm starving" and someone actually starving, but there is too much misinformation about mental disorders. That's why people can say "I'm depressed", then turn to someone who actually suffers from depression and say "hey, we all have problems, I've managed to cheer up so why can't you?"
Both me and my friend have mental disorders, and I think that is why we are more sensitive to this particular issue.
Most people have (albeit minor) OCD-like quirks; that person who has to have things perfectly straight, or touch things, or have things a certain way.
These things can be exacerbated by situation - my first example is that I have had severe sleeping problems that only ended about two years ago. My brain's defence against that around the 15-16 mark was for me to have to have multiple things perfect around the room. I would take time each night to arrange each object, and if it didn't go perfect, I would move it until it did (my longest was over 20 minutes arranging a dressing gown).
My second is my borderline PD friend - her brain's defence is to make her tap each doorway twice as she goes through (as well as some other things), which is just as vitally necessary for her as my bedroom-arranging was.
Neither of us have ever said "I'm a bit OCD", ever. They are OCD-style traits, but nowhere near the maladaptiveness and difficulty of the time-consuming nature that an OCD sufferer has. They are minor traits that have been exacerbated by another issue, but not enough so to legitimise calling it OCD.
I know that it's just a turn of phrase. But it does trivialise the disorder. This is because everyone knows the difference between "I'm starving" and someone actually starving, but there is too much misinformation about mental disorders. That's why people can say "I'm depressed", then turn to someone who actually suffers from depression and say "hey, we all have problems, I've managed to cheer up so why can't you?"
Both me and my friend have mental disorders, and I think that is why we are more sensitive to this particular issue.
Full disclosure.
i occasionally feel like this. My ears perk up when I here someone say ' I'm OCD'. Then when I hear how their "OCD" manifests its self I am disappointed. This isn't the time to bring up the 3hrs of washing I used to have complete before getting into bed; cracked and bleeding hands; red raw skin I used those bleach wipe things to 'clean'.
I have never told a friend, acquaintance, colleague about any of these things.
A lot of people, perhaps the majority, are exaggerating when they talk about their "OCD". I honestly think I am jealous that they can squeeze a little sympathy/pity out of a few quirks, and I want that. On the one hand I don't really want people to pity/feel sorry for me and on the other hand I really do. I think it might make things a lot easier, because half of my life so far has really sucked.
American TV/sitcom is probably responsible for making OCD a catch-all term for any odd, slightly obsessive, behavior. It doesn't really matter.
i occasionally feel like this. My ears perk up when I here someone say ' I'm OCD'. Then when I hear how their "OCD" manifests its self I am disappointed. This isn't the time to bring up the 3hrs of washing I used to have complete before getting into bed; cracked and bleeding hands; red raw skin I used those bleach wipe things to 'clean'.
I have never told a friend, acquaintance, colleague about any of these things.
A lot of people, perhaps the majority, are exaggerating when they talk about their "OCD". I honestly think I am jealous that they can squeeze a little sympathy/pity out of a few quirks, and I want that. On the one hand I don't really want people to pity/feel sorry for me and on the other hand I really do. I think it might make things a lot easier, because half of my life so far has really sucked.
American TV/sitcom is probably responsible for making OCD a catch-all term for any odd, slightly obsessive, behavior. It doesn't really matter.
