Is this OCD?

[haunting]

I have this issue with counting in even's. It bothers me to see anything in odd numbers. I count how many letters are in words and drives me insane when I see a sign or something that does not have even numbers.

Its like that with other things too. It can't be one, has to be two.... so on and so forth.

I am picky about certain things. If one hair on my head is out of place, I get really upset. I will sit there and fix it for an hour if need be. I like things to be in a certain place, or I will cry or become angry.

Its like this perfection, if its not the way I want it to be, I become like a robot to fix it. I find it draining sometimes. I often am aware of my breathing, I don't want to fall asleep before I hit an even number.

Kind of strange, even when I write, odd amounts of letters bug me. See like (bug). I want to add an "s" to make it even. I feel kind of silly with this, but it makes some sense to me. As long as I can remember, I have been this way. As a kid, I used to count the polls we drove by, till my eyes hurt trying to keep up with counting. I got so mad if I were interupted with my counting.

Haunting

 

[Ash]

I have this issue with counting in even's. It bothers me to see anything in odd numbers. I count how many letters are in words and drives me insane when I see a sign or something that does not have even numbers.

LOL That tickled me because I have the opposite. I like odd numbers and I hate even numbers.

 

[haunting]

Too funny. Wouldn't we be a pair. Thanks for the giggle.

So are you OCD? I have a hard time understanding some of this. I have never in my life told anyone about this. First time here.

Haunting

 

[Ash]

Boy is that opening up a can of worms. I definitely have Bipolar Disorder. I definitely have OCD symptoms. Whether it's by itself or from the BP, I have no idea.

OCD for me stems from the need for control. I know that my symptoms go haywire when things are chaotic and I need control in my life. I clean, compulsively. Every little thing must be perfect.

David should be able to give you a better answer than I could.

Btw, thanks for not taking offence to the giggle. I was afraid you would think that I was mocking you but it really made me laugh because I understand!

I need to run for now but I'll be back in a few hours. I'd like to continue this conversation.

 

[haunting]

Yes, me too. It takes a lot to cause an upset with others explaining what they go through. Don't fret about that.

Trust me, I had to giggle. I find it interesting to gather so many different views and perspectives. It helps look at the big picture; so if anything, I apreciate reading all of this.

I will say, I suck at spelling. So I wil warn u all now; lol. Got to de-code my lack of spelling skills; makes it kind of fun. hehe.

Haunting

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Is it an obsessive-compulsive trait? Yes.

Do you meet the full criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD)? Possibly. I don't have enough information to go on yet.

Can OCD or OCPD coexist with other disorders like mood disorders or other anxiety disorders? Yes.

 

[ThatLady]

Heh. I used to do everything in "fives". I'd dial a telephone five times before I let the call go through. I'd tie my sneakers five times. I knew it was obsessive, but I did it anyway. It's frustrating as heck but, over time, you can get control of it. Now, for me, it's only a memory. I hope that helps those of you who are bucking this monster. It is a monster that can be defeated with concerted effort and professional help.

 

[haunting]

Thanks dear. That sounds amazing. Good for you!! I have days where it does not drive me so deeply, but other days it such a frustrating thing for me. I try to tell myself that I can't allow this to take over.

I find myself somedays going so far with it, but can try to think my way out of it. If that makes sense. I know that I get mad when I am interupted when I am counting or fixing. My irritability hightens, then I feel guilty for snapping. So this brings hope for me and I thank you for this.

Thanks ThatLady, this is good to read.

Haunting

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Now, for me, it's only a memory.

Is it a memory that you replay five times? ;o)

 

[ThatLady]

Hee! No, Dr. Baxter. I even beat replaying the memory of "doing the fives". Now, I just find it amusing to remember myself doing it.

 

[Ash]

Haunting, I've really had to work hard at ignoring those compulsions so that they don't take over my life. There are times when I still get entirely too wacked out, unfortunatley for my family. I have to remind myself to take it easy, to not get so bent out of shape. Sometimes you have to force yourself to do something else.

 

[scm24]

This thread has been really interesting to read. Although I've struggled most of my life with the "curse of perfectionism", I never really noticed until lately that a lot of things in my house are in "threes"...three candles in that corner, three pictures on every wall, three pieces of furniture in each bedroom. Even at birthdays or Christmas, I've never been comfortable giving anyone just one gift...I always felt compelled to give three, even if one of them was just a tea-towel used to wrap the actual gift. I was eventually forced to not give into that particular compulsion because it can get rather expensive! I had never noticed any of this until about three months ago. So I've gone around and tried to change some of the decor to only two or four, but it drives me crazy and I always have to go back and re-three it. It's not harming anyone, and looks attractive, so I'm not going to stress out about it.

I did have to learn how to deliberately control my perfectionism though, because it was literally killing me. Now I'm so laid back when it comes to housework, and other things that used to compulsively govern my life, that I'm almost at the other end of the spectrum! I suppose I'll have to find a middle ground, but the dust bunnies don't bother me that much yet. Once upon a time they would have haunted me so badly that I'd have to get out of bed in the middle of the night to vacuum. Now that I've experienced both lifestyles, I think I prefer the laid-back approach, as hard as it was to get there.

It helps that my husband likes to vacuum.

 

[Ash]

Once upon a time they would have haunted me so badly that I'd have to get out of bed in the middle of the night to vacuum. Now that I've experienced both lifestyles, I think I prefer the laid-back approach, as hard as it was to get there.

Good for you! It's worth it!

It helps that my husband likes to vacuum.

HAHAHAHA!

 

[David Baxter PhD]

It helps that my husband likes to vacuum.

If you wouldn't mind posting his cell phone number here, I'm pretty sure the members as a group can keep him busy. Does he charge anything or is this a hobby for him? Also, I was wondering if he trains teenagers...

 

[haunting]

Thats too cute. Thanks for sharing all of you.

This is something that I have never told anyone. I noticed last night as I was reading something, I counted the letters in the words and became angry because it was an odd number. I counted all of the letters, so to make it even I added in the (-). Made me feel better to end up with the even.

I have noticed too that when I do eat, I have to do this a certain way. I have to cut everything up in even amounts, chew in even amounts etc....

I went out last night, just to a clothing store. I had to use the "little girls" room while looking around. I noticed dust in the washroom and stayed in there until I cleaned it. There was no way I could leave that washroom with dust all around edges of the tile.

I am like this in my own house, (although its messy now from lack of energy), which is driving me nuts. When I am in the bath tub and notice the smallest piece of dust or a finger print from my kids, I have to scrub it, more than once. I need to arrange shampoo's and have the soap sitting a certain way or my feathers get ruffled. I don't get angry at my kids for moving things, I just change them back.

I dislike anyone doing dishes, cleaning bathrooms etc. If anyone leaves bubbles in the sink and does not dry it, I have to follow them to "correct" this mess. I use a tooth brush to clean my bathroom. It takes me on an average of two hours to clean one bathroom, we have two. I vacuumed yesterday; took me 3 hours to do the living room. I get down on my hands and knees to make sure I have got everything. I take the hand held parts to go around the edges, four times, then go over it again and again with the "head". (dont know what else to call it; lol).

I have been realizing more and more how many things do bother me. But other things don't bug me so much. With my house being so messy right now, I am really down about it. I have been trying, I am just so tired. I end up crying looking at this house, want to be out where I don't have to stare at it.

Haunting.

 

[lammers1980]

I wish I could trade my obsessions for yours. I am personally not all that worried about dust. One slightly strange quirck I have is that when I am playing solitaire on the computer, I have a number of "rules" that I add to the actual rules of the game. For instance, I cannot put any of the cards into the piles at the top until I have all four suits in rows on the bottom, with the exception of aces. Also, in addition to having to alternate between black and red suits in each stack I stipulate that only spades and hearts can coexist and only diamonds and clubs can coexist. This actually makes for a more difficult game. If I break any of these rules, I don't count it as actually winning the game.

 

[haunting]

Wow stevel. That would make the game more difficult. Is this the only "quirck" you have or does this affect other things in you life as well?

So why is it breaking the rules? Can't we add our own? Just a thought, maybe this could make you feel better about it?

Thanks for sharing,
Haunting

 

[scm24]

If you wouldn't mind posting his cell phone number here, I'm pretty sure the members as a group can keep him busy. Does he charge anything or is this a hobby for him? Also, I was wondering if he trains teenagers...

Many people, mainly women, have asked me the same sorts of questions. No, he doesn't have a brother just like him. Yes, I'm keeping him. I've gotten quite used to not having to do dishes or clean bathtubs. The grass is definitely greener on my side of the fence! And he came that way, I didn't even have to train him!

He charges $20/hour to do odd jobs around the house and does get called constantly by many elderly people in the neighborhood to do everything from hanging curtain rods and cleaning toilets to washing 2nd story windows and even vacuuming. I'm not sure about training teenagers...but I know he has a $10 rate for the stuff that he doesn't really know how to do...he calls it his training allowance. ha ha (is this where I'm supposed to use that LOL thing?)

Yep, he's very handy to have around. Hands off, everyone.

 

[haunting]

LOL; yep that would be good timing. He sounds special, a real help. Well for sure hands off my dear.

I think your both lucky to have each other!! I liked reading this, thanks very much.

Haunting.

 

[lammers1980]

haunting: no unfortunately I suffer from many other obsessions. Just see the other threads I started in this forum.