Is it a symtom of OCD when you are obsessed with material items such as clothes, bedding and shampoo?

Answer 1

Any obsession can be a symptom of OCD, or an Obsessive Compulsive behavior, but keep in mind that obsessing alone doesn't constitue an OCD diagnosis. In order for a person to be diagnosed with OCD, they have to have a reason for the obsession or compulsion. In other words, do you hoard shampoo because if you don't, something bad will happen? Or do you hoard shampoo because you have an unusual fear of running out, even when it's not likely that you will? Simply stated, people with OCD do certain things to prevent an unfortunate consequence. Some with OCD wash their hands for fear of dying from germs contracted. Some recheck the stove 50 times before bed because they worry that the house will burn down if it's left on. Some have to skip every other step when climbing stairs because they will fall when they reach the top of the stairs if they don't.

Obsessions are unwanted thoughts or ideas. Compulsions are unwanted actions, usually in response to, or as a direct result of obessions. If they happen alone, meaning that a person is obesssed with shopping for shampoo, and they have no other reason to have to shop for it, then they may have an Obsessive type personality, or OPD...Obsessive Personality Disorder. Referring to the comment above about a girl having to have everything perfect, well for and accurate diagnosis of OCD, she'd have to be making sure everything is perfect because if she doesn't an unwanted thought or event would occur. Simply being a perfectionist is more of a personality disorder...and for any obsession or compulsion to become part of a diagnosis, it has to be time-consuming, and interrupt normal daily routines.

Answer 2

That all depends. It's easy to misdiagnose a psychiatric disorder, whether it's neurotic or clinical. Check the DSM-IV when in doubt. An important characteristic common among OCD sufferers is that they find it difficult to stop repetitious thought. For a classic example, if one thinks she's forgotten to turn off the stove before leaving the house, she continues going back to the stove again and again, checking and rechecking it over and over again because she cannot help get over the anxiety that perhaps she did forget to turn it off. OCD sufferers wash their hands too many times because they worry that they haven't done it right the last time. OCD sufferers track an imaginary trail of germs left by a person's hand to some doorknob, which is then touched by another person's hand, which is then left on another object like a magazine, and so on, until the world is a vast complexity of germ tracks.

Now, It's possible that one "obsessed" with material things like clothes, bedding and shampoo, but merely being a shopaholic is not a sign of a true OCD. Anxiety is normally at the root of OCD. Unless anxiety, particularly repetitious, obsessive worrying kind, is present, I wouldn't be too quick to say that one that is "obsessed" with those thing is a true OCD sufferer.

The 2nd link gives the criteria for OCD as per DSM IV

Addendum: The others above have just given good answers.

Answer 3

I don't think so. Here's a little advice on obssessive compulsive disorder.

A person who shows signs of infatuation or fixation with a subject/object, or displays traits such as perfectionism, does not necessarily have OCD, a specific and well-defined condition.
To be diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, one must have either obsessions or compulsions alone, or obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are defined by:

Recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses, or images that are experienced at some time during the disturbance, as intrusive and inappropriate and that cause marked anxiety or distress.
The thoughts, impulses, or images are not simply excessive worries about real-life problems.
The person attempts to ignore or suppress such thoughts, impulses, or images, or to neutralize them with some other thought or action.
The person recognizes that the obsessional thoughts, impulses, or images are a product of his or her own mind, and are not based in reality.
The tendency to laggle over small details that the viewer is unable to fix or change in any way. This begins a mental pre-occupation with that which is inevitable.
Compulsions are defined by:

Repetitive behaviors or mental acts that the person feels driven to perform in response to an obsession, or according to rules that must be applied rigidly.
The behaviors or mental acts are aimed at preventing or reducing distress or preventing some dreaded event or situation; however, these behaviors or mental acts either are not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent or are clearly excessive.
In addition to these criteria, at some point during the course of the disorder, the sufferer must realize that his/her obsessions or compulsions are unreasonable or excessive. Moreover, the obsessions or compulsions must be time consuming (taking up more than one hour per day), cause distress, or cause impairment in social, occupational, or school functioning. OCD often causes feelings similar to that of depression.

Answer 4

Depends on the level of obsession, but most likely is. I suffer from a mild OCD as far as my house cleanliness, my clothing sorted by color, and automatically wanting to clean up messes. When you walk in my bathroom it is like the health and beauty aisle at a store. :)

Answer 5

OCD(Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) is when you think everything has to be neat and tidy and you are obsessed with that. That's why it is obsessive compulsive. Coz you are obsessed with everything Having to be neat and it is a disorder.

Answer 6

Sounds like hoarding.

Answer 7

yes!! my freind is OCD..it's freaky....she has to have everythig perfect