Do you think I am suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?

Question

Okay you guys, this is a serious question I'm afraid.

Husband has been telling me for ages now that I suffer from OCD - I'm not sure but it's starting to worry me cos even I know my habits and routines are ridiculous and the smallest task can take me for ages to do eg. always late for work cos I have to keep checking lights etc are off properly, odd numbers scare me, always buy, for instance an even number of fruit at supermarket, i.e. 4 oranges, 2 apples, wouldn't dare buy 3 or 5! If someone offers me, say peanuts, I have to take 2 or 4.

All my tins in the cupboard have to face out the way with labels showing, when hanging up washing, clothes must all be in line with each other, all my clothes must be put in the wardrobe very neatly with hanger facing in the way - I just thought this was good organisational skills? I dont wash my hands like 40 times or anything like that.

I just feel I have to do things in a certain order or something bad will happen.

Any advice?

Answer 1

Hi, OCD has the following, major presentations; first is Obsessive Decontamination where the sufferer experiences relentless cognitive intrusions regarding contamination and ritually cleans to avoid the feared consequence, second we have Obsessive counting, checking and ordering behaviours were the sufferer fears some catastrophic outcome if not allowed to, or inhibited from, performing their rituals, Third we have Obsessive Egodystonic ruminations where the suffer is tormented by relentless intrusive thoughts that suggest that they have performed some harmful act, like murder or child sexual abuse, that is contrary to their personality (Egodystonic). There are sub-sets such as hording and primary obsessive slowness but these are much rarer.

I treated OCD for over 25 years and it is nothing to do with your past, I have no doubt that has a neurobiochemical basis and if you are genetically proximate to a sufferer then you are more likely to develop OCD (first born male children have a greater risk). It is NOT curable because it isn’t a disease it is, however, eminently treatable with a combination of medication and Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy.

I don’t know if you have OCD, you need a proper assessment by a competent therapist; ask your GP for referral to your nearest CBT service and because the waiting lists are so long the sooner you do it the sooner you’ll be seen

Answer 2

Yes, you definitely have OCD. It is treatable, however. You will need some help to break the habits formed and will probably need to take one of the SSRI medications to increase the level of serotonin in the brain.

This is beneficial for some sufferers but it all depends on how badly you have it and you will need to take the tablets daily for a very long time, maybe even life. That is no big deal though they are safe and data suggests there are no long term side effects.

If you feel something bad will happen then you have anxious feelings as a result of your routines and rituals. That is classic OCD.

First of all listen to this- nothing bad is going to happen if you don't have all the tins facing out one way, nothing at all, There is no weird power watching humans to check they have counted things or avoided odd numbers.

This is just a superstition that has built into a bad habit but you can break it if you take control now. Try it- leave one tin facing the other way and just go about your day. Nothing bad will happen and if it does it has absolutely nothing to do with the tin.

We only live 70/80 years odd- time to get on with your life and put this condition in check.

Answer 3

Many of us have a certain amount of OCD, mine was worse as a child. If I went to the bathroom at night, I had to get back into bed before the noise of the toilet flushing had stopped. Now it's small things like pictures on the wall not being straight and small details like that. If your compulsions are getting in the way of your life, see a Dr. but don't worry too much about the smaller little quirks, I think they're what makes us unique.

Answer 4

Yes it sounds as if you are suffering from OCD visit your doctor and try to get some help before it becomes more of a problem to you and your husband. Yes it is good organising skills but could you just shove your tins in the cupboard if you were in a hurry. I think we all show some signs of OCD but some are more severe than others. Dont worry about it just get some help. Good luck

Answer 5

I just feel I have to do things in a certain order or something bad will happen.

Any advice?

yes that is one of the first signs of OCD. If you are performing obsessive compulsive behaviour out of fear of something bad happening to you or those you love if you dont perform the behaviour...that's a classic sign.

talk to a therapist they can help you break this routine. you may not realise it but the anxiety and fear you feel which causes you to perform these tasks is hurting your life in other ways too.

Some people have suffered from OCD for so long that they do not realise that they are even suffering as it just seems normal to them. Where as other people are like "my God that must be torture to live and feel like that!"

Your honesty is admirable that is the first step to getting help dont stop now you wont regret it.

Answer 6

Hiya
Just by the fact that u said that u have to do things in a certain order else something bad will happen , is a clear indication that u are suffering from ocd
If u thought of it rationally , the fact that a tin is out of place or ur wardrobe is messy is no indication that something bad will happen to you or ur family that day
Go to your doctors and explain how ur feeling and ur rituals , he will get u to see a counsellor , who will diagnose and find suitable treatment , in most cases this can be almost cured
Good luck to you
x

Answer 7

you could have OCD, what you have described is not really harmful, i suppose the only thing that is noticeable to a stranger is how neat your clothes are!
we all do silly little things, i have to have the loo roll a certain way, my cutlery has to be pointing right in the drawer and cups on a mug tree have to go clockwise.
If it doesn't bother you and it's not harming anyone i wouldn't worry, theres alot of people suffering with OCD, David Beckham for one, the tins in the cupboard thing is what i do too, but by the time i get to peg my washing out...well i just throw it on the line, lol.
If it really bothers you, speak to your doctor just to find more info on it.

Answer 8

Yes you do have a bit of OCD, but it's nothing you can't change. Try to be a bit more relaxed about things and don't make up any more routines. To get rid of your fear of odd numbers buy an odd number of fruit and you'll see that nothing bad happens. Good luck!

Answer 9

Yes, that definitely does sound like OCD. The best therapy for it is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. It has the best success rate for dealing with OCD and it usually consists of a few sessions so not too expensive. If it is bothering you as it sounds like it, get a recommendation preferable for a therapist or ask your doctor for a referral. Not sure where you live so not sure where to direct you....

Answer 10

it does sound like you have ocd traits but don't panic!
everyone has traits of this illness to a certain extent. often when someone can put a label on behaviour it makes us panic and over analyse what we are doing.
what you should look at is how you cope with these symptoms.
do they interfere with you're normal life? if so and if they affect your relationships than maybe you do need to accept that you will need some support-maybe contact your GP for advice. if it does not seem so extreme then remember that some people are a bit more anal than others and like things to be just right.
hope it becomes clear to you. good luck.