Obsessive Compulsive Disorder....

Former Member

Does anybody have any experience of this? Someone I know has let it slip that they may have some OCD tendencies.

Little things like, when washing they have to wash everything in fours, everything has to be in fours. They have a TV with built in VCR. Before they go to bed they have to make sure that the tape (that is kept in their constantly) is in, rewound and if it's been ejected and is sticking out in the morning, it means they will have a bad day. They won't change anything on their facebook since they first started it because it means it will jinx all the progress they've made in life since they started going on. They won't sign any employment contracts because as soon as they do that things go badly etc etc.

It's not a massive thing but where does the line between OCD and being overly superstitious get crossed?

Former Member

It usually based on how much it affects your life, and how debilatating the effect it.

I think a lot of people have related behaviours, and I think to some extent they can be normal. I know I do (more obsessions than compulsions, although I still do stupid stuff like not being able to stick on certain prices when I put petrol in my car). But because it barely affects my life (I work, I socialise, I maintain a relationship) it's perfectly normal.

If it got to a point where it seriously damaged my work or home life it would probably start to be classed as a disorder.

Former Member

Hi,

It possibly sounds like they have ocd....everything to them is compulsive. I knew someone once who had this disorder and they had to wash their hands every five minutes.

Former Member

Yeah I know quite a bit about OCDs. And yeah it does sound like they do. They porbably need CBT to help them get over it.
Hope this helps.

Former Member

I def got ocd withcleaning my house spotless i do top to bottom everyday wash bedding every sunday im realy bad :yes: u wudnt think i had 2 kids+all my clothes organized+cupboards in order i never have any wash drying ironimg to do

littlemissy

I have OCD tendencies.

It took over for a while but I got it all under control. I didn't have the cleaning everything in sight stuff though. That wasn't it for me. I would count and make sure that everything is in the right place, get dressed in the right order ... that sort of stuff. Every time I went out the house I used to count how many steps it would take me to get to places (God, I sound crazy!)

It used to have an impact on my life and I was on medication for it. But I have it all under control now. I only get bad when I am stressed so it doesn't have a huge impact on my life now. I think that Olive had it right - it becomes a disorder when it affects your life.

Former Member

Thanks for all the great replies. I spoke to this person about it and they pretty much admitted it. It doesn't seem to massively effect their life as such but occasionally it can affect their mood. Before they were getting kind of crotchety with me over silly things I did and I had no idea, now I realise that I was effing up their "things".

They don't seem to have much trouble day-to-day but I think they've been a bit paranoid about me finding out. I just want to help the best I can, and I know they aren't crazy and have reassured them. Shared a few things that I think are probably more superstitions than ocd tendencies and it seems to have put them at ease. I've never met anybody that I was aware that had OCD before.

Former Member

Hello :wave:

It sounds like you're doing all the right things - you're being there for your friend and reassuring them. You've also had some good advice here, if you feel you need further, maybe check out this webiste that focuses on OCD and specifically around support family and friends can offer.

Keep posting and good luck :thumb:

Former Member

I guess there really is a fine line between superstition and OCD... like people have already said, when a superstition starts to affect your life on a daily basis then it becomes an OCD. Your friend sounds like they just have a mild case of it, but they might want to try cognitive behavioural therapy if it worsens.

Former Member

honestly as with all stuf like that, at the end of the day it seems better to get a psyc assessment and see what they think becuase they are the only people that can say for sure (somethime even the cant) if something is or isnt part of a disorder like OCD.

the earlier stuff is assessed etc the less entrenched it is allowed to become so surely it is better to get help when you start to feel you need it. they may offer CBT but there are other things that work and things that can be tried.

By going to a GP and getting referal to the mental health team they then have access to all of the different services available so the best one can be found, rather than going directly to a specific type of therapist (unless its private im not even sure that is possible in the uk).

hope that helped
(all you can really do is be supportive)

Former Member

Double/triple checking that my pockets are zipped when going on fairground rides - normal.

Still going to fairs aged 30 - not normal :-D