Would you say this is a problem?

Question

for papers i need to write for school, they take me a lot of time because i am always deleting and rewriting sentences, paragraphs. it happens a lot. i wont like how it sounds, so i will erase it and rewrite it some other way, but a lot. my folders are always organized. i hate papers in the pockets. my locker at school, it has to be organized with my books going from left to right in the order of the classes and it has to be neat. my wallet has to be neat with the bills going from smallest to largest (ones in the front, then 5's, 10's, 20's, 50's, 100's). my pens.... i use BIC with grip. i hate blue pens. the clip part of the cap on the pen has to be pointed at the BIC logo when the cap is on, and has to cover the USA when i am writing with it. i dont know why, it just bothers me. it just looks messy.

ALSO! if i am walking and my foot hits the inside of one of my ankles somehow, if i just step retarded, i have to do the same thing to the other one to even it out. sometimes when im walking i also count how many steps i take in one square of the sidewalk and make sure i dont exceed that for the rest of the side walk until i realize how much i am concentrating on doing that, then i just have to look up and walk. my body has to feel "even". i dunno...

Answer 1

Someone already said it but we all have a little OCD in ourselves.
I write and rewrite all the time.
I count stairs and cieling tiles and well almost everything.
I hate blue pen too...almost to the point that I refuse to write with it or if I have to it almost makes me nausea.

Answer 2

You probably have an obsessive/compulsive condition. Try saying what you want to write, first, then rephrase if neccessary; should be quicker! Have a go at being deliberately untidy in some or all of those things - force yourself to, then, when you feel the need to reorganise it, say to yourself forcefully(aloud if appropriate) "I KNOW THIS TRICK - GO AWAY FOR A WHILE!!!" You could use: ruse,ploy,tactic,game or scam instead of trick. It won't be quick or easy, and if you see no improvement in yourself after using this reprogramming technique after several weeks of constant use, go to a doctor and ask for a referral to a specialist. Realise that the behaviour may have been instilled in you as a child, seeking parental approval.There are probably groups of sufferers online - try www.myspace.com and type in "obsessive/compulsive;" followed by your country's 2 letter abbreviation - if I was in New Zealand, I'd type "obsessive/compulsive;nz" into the bar near the top of the webpage. Try the WebFerret search engine, Google and Wikipedia, too. Hope this helps. Try to help others!

Answer 3

RELAX! You are very normal. Well, whatever normal is. There is nothing wrong with being organized. You may be young and think this is a strange thing, but you are very lucky. You are ahead of many people.

As far as writing and rewriting--wow-that is typical of all writers. Don't change your style--however, don't let it get in your way of feeling inadequate. You are not. Keep up the great work and let me tell you a secret. When I was thirteen--very long time ago--I used to keep file cards for things I packed away in boxes! How bizarre.

Answer 4

Maybe you have a parent that was in the military and you are emulating them. But you probably would be good in a very structured company or career. The military is one that is very strict like you ar to yourself. You sound like you have a lot of time on your hands, but if being disorganized makes you feel edgy, jumpy and really affects you then yes I would say that you have a problem and should seek help. But so far I don't think you need help.

You talked about deleting and rewriting sentences, paragraphs, but you say you "erase" and that leads me to believe you are handwriting instead of typing. I suggest you do those on a Microsoft Word or Office program so that you can work faster. Sounds to me that you want to be "exact", "precise" and don't want to be misunderstood. Yep, that sounds like a military career to me, although there are other types of careers like in science where being precise would be expected of you.

Answer 5

Welcome to obsessive compulisive disorder. I have been doing things like you do my whole life. The best thing is to accept it, but not let it get in the way of you accomplishing things. For example, I would rewrite my papers so many times, that I would end up not turning assignments in because they were not "perfect" enough. You can't do that to yourself. A suggestion from my therapist to help me deal with the OCD was to just let things be. Rather than closing all the doors in my house, I am supposed to leave several ajar. This bothers me for a few hours, but eventually I find that I can live with it. If your behaviors are not hindering you, then just continue with it. Sometimes it just makes you a lot happier to have things arranged the way you like them.

Answer 6

If it disrupts your every day function and you find yourself fixing things and worrying about messiness alot you may want to talk to someone professional to get advice. Sounds to me like you are a perfectionist. The paper thing everybody does because the words may not sound as good as they did to begin with. Unless it bothers you I really wouldn't worry about it, but since you are asking the question and seem to be analzying your own actions it bothers you to some level. If you get frustrated easily and really think you have to do something about it because you don't find it normal talk to a licensed professional unfortunately I am not one. Good luck and I wish you all the best.

Answer 7

not a problem unless it interferes with some part of life. Take the tv show monk, he couldn't catch a criminal because he got stuck on a ladder afraid of heights. If you couldn't ask a girl out because you had to stop to re arrange something, it might be an issue, otherwise, you can just be chalked up to being neater than the average ;-)

Answer 8

I dont think it would be a problem , you're just wanted to make everything in proper. but If you're really concern about it, I think you need to see a professional psych/doctor...seems you have this kind of excessive dis order, just to avoid to make it worst.

If your writing with something and keep deleting it, try to put it on the computer, so that you wont be ended with sore hands after repeating it many times. atleast in computer you can save it then.

Im pretty much organised too,everything I've done must be in folder, arranged alphabetically or by items.I keep washing my hands everytime I touch something, and keep checking the door if its locked twice before go to bed..just to make it sure..

Answer 9

Its only a problem if it is interfering with your life and you want to change it. If you're happy and able to function on a daily basis then don't worry about it. If you are finding that you are late for things because you have to straighten out your room or organize your cds by alphabetical order becasue one of them is out of place, or if classmates think its wierd and its affecting your social life, then maybe its a problem. We all have wierd habits and quirks. That's what makes us all unique.

Answer 10

You just gotta let go sometimes, when things do not really matter.

Like realize that nobody really reads those papers, or that you could go play in the time spent organizing you locker.