Do you think I have OCD.?

Question

I have taken many quizzes on the interent that tell me that I have it but I don't think that I do, well I dont' want to have it. This is what I do that might cause me to have OCD:

clean my room at least twice a day
won't sit on my own toliet seat because of fear of germs
reset my alarm clock at least three times
constanly have reoccuring thoughts in my head that I want out and that won't leave
and take two showers a day.

Does this sound like OCD to you? What would you suggest I do?

Answer 1

definitely.

obsessive complusive disorder is actually not that rare and im almost certain you may have a slight to a major case of it.

cleaning due to fear of germs, doing things over and over again...all sypotoms.

i suggets seeing a doctor and having him perscribe you some mild medication. this will help you stop cleaning, or showering so much.

it can also let you relax a bit.

hope i helped

Answer 2

OCD isn't my area so you need to speak to an expert in the matter.

Some may consider your behaviour to be borderline obsessive. If you feel you HAVE to perform these tasks then it may be verging into compulsive.

A lot depends on the extent to which you perform these tasks, how much of a ritual it is and what happens if you don't perform the tasks.

Cleaning a room twice a day is fine if it's just a case of straightening a few things up and putting away things that have been left out. If it involves cleaning all the surfaces, windows etc then this is unnecessary and shows some sort of compulsion.

The toilet seat thing is surprisingly common and for many people this is just basic hygiene. The chances of picking up an illness from a toilet seat are remarkably small (unless of course it's encrusted with dirt) but the pressure put on people by commercialisation to live in a sterile environment is enormous. Half of all cleaning and related products on the market are utterly worthless, they do nothing whatsoever other than make people think they are clean.

Resetting the alarm clock - hard to say without knowing the routine around it but it's not excessive to the extreme.

Recurring thoughts - quite normal. Your behaviour is causing you concern and things that cause concern prey on people's minds.

Two showers a day - one would probably suffice but two isn't over the top or harmful.

No accurate diagnosis can be provided from limited info and any website that diagnoses OCD based on a test should be seen as indicative only.

Compulsiveness comes into being when the cycle of behaviour can't be broken without causing great distress - just like when coming of drugs or alcohol.

The obsessive site of OCD comes into being when the routines are excessive, unnecessary beyond what is normal or the behaviour is such that other areas of your life suffer unnecessarily. If for example you place a higher priority on cleaning your room than going to work or feeding yourself.

In the first instance disregard all non specific advice (including my answer which is loose guidance only) and speak to your doctor. For the time being try not to be overly concerned, let an expert discuss things with you on a one to one basis and take it from there.

One thing for sure is that, from what you've said, you aren't affected by OCD in an extreme form. However, as with drink, drugs, gambling etc, it is a condition that can worsen if not addressed so do please seek advice from a professional.

Answer 3

Hmm...it sounds like you may have some form of OCD. And you're not alone -- 94% of all Americans show some form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. (My English teacher actually just talked about this today).

I don't consider the showering OCD - that's just general hygeine. And I wish I could clean my room 2 times a day...

What I would suggest, although I am by no means an expert, is to slowly decrease the amount of times you do those certain things. Like, maybe clean your room one time a day for a while...or just set your alarm clock 2 times a day...just slowly depress the urges. And when you start to think about things, go and find some hobby or music or movies that you like to watch and get involved in those.

Writing in a journal may help as well...it's a good way to relieve stress and maybe any impulses.

Hope I helped.

Answer 4

Showering twice a day is a good thing :)

As for the other points, it does sound like you could be in the early stages of OCD.

See how you feel if you do not perform these repetetive behaviours. Stop yourself tidying your room and resetting your clock and see how it makes you feel, for example see if you feel anxious, restless or aggitated.

What do you think will happen if you sit on the toilet seat?

Most people have routines and repetitive behaviour but there becomes a point when it becomes obsessive. For example I reset my alarm clock each night and may check it to make sure I set it properly, but to keep checking it over and over is compulsive behaviour.

Hope I've helped a little.

Answer 5

I'm not going to say yes or no...but I will say that I think you're a germaphobe. I was one, there's nothing wrong about it.

The toilet seat germs are your own, people sit on toilet seats all the time in their homes and they are fine, no on has died from being exposed to sitting on their toilets.

I would take two showers a day if I had the time.

I'm lazy so I forget that I need to clean my room, but when I do remember, I constantly clean, not just my bedroom but my whole house; the bathroom, the kitchen, the living room, dining room...etc.

There are just some quirks people have that make them unique.

Try some exercises with yourself...decide on a particular day that you're going to sit on the toilet, that you're not going to clean your room, or do any of the things you listed here. If you find that you can't handle that, that you feel nervous and unsettled, biting your nails, feeling anxious...you might have to see a doctor for a sure diagnosis.

Otherwise, you might just be a quirky person.

Answer 6

No, it doesn't sound like OCD. Does it affect you life, does it interfere with daily activities? If the answer is no then its not OCD. If you washed your hands until they were raw, rechecked that the oven was off 100 times and reset the alarm clock 100 times, woke up from sleep and reset it 100 more times then it would sound more like OCD> If you are really concerned though, I'd suggest you talk to your doctor about it.


By the way: Probably nobody on here is a psychiatrist so you shouldn't take their advice too seriously. Don't try to diagnose yourself over the internet. Especially by people who are uninformed on the subject and aren't experts.

Answer 7

Well I might have OCD also then, I wash my hands all the times, and wont sit on toliet seats in resturants or anything other than my house. I look at my alarm clock all the time to make sure I set it right in fear of over sleeping. If you find you you have OCD let me know. I may have it too keep us posted

Answer 8

You might have a mild case of it, but nothing that I would say you need meds or therapy for. I don't clean my room twice a day, but I do shower 2-3 times a day and brush my teeth five times a day, don't sit on toilets etc. Things are problems if they interfere with your daily lifestyle. If taking the time out to clean your room all the time and such, or you can't go certain places because of your thoughts, get help. If not, continue living and enjoying your life.

Answer 9

OMG these people are NOT drs for crying out loud! If you think you have a problem go see a shrink, don't ask strangers online..

I do not think you have OCD but hey, if you think you might, get yourself to a dr!

People with OCD do things over and over and over again, not just 2 or 3 times.

Answer 10

wow that guy is a *** don't listen to him....anyway ya it sounds like you have ocd...you can look up clinics or see psychologists about it and they might proscribe meads that can help with the impulses. the only thing i do that you do is clean my room constantly,and im anal about my hoodie stings being the same size so i have minor ocd but yours sounds a little more serious. dont hate it because it will just be a part of your life if you do, people should just accept you for who u are. dont worry about it.hope this helped.