Do I Have OCD?
I think I do have Mild OCD, but I try to use it to my advantage.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder can be a serious condition, but I think many people suffer a slight form, which gives them an urge to do any or all of the following:- straighten things, put them in order, double check locks and switches, hoard stuff, make lists, follow routines and keep themselves and their surroundings clean and tidy. It's not a bad way to be, but can, if done excessively, slightly irritate other people. I think I do some of those things more than is really necessary.
My mild OCD is hardly noticeable, I hope, but it means I have a place for everything and everything is in it's place, usually. Well it can't be in it's place if I'm using it, can it? What I mean is; when I've finished using something, I put it away in the place where it normally goes.
Why I never lose my keys around the house.
Take keys for instance; when I come into the house I still have my keys in my hand from unlocking the door. Instead of absentmindedly chucking them on the nearest surface like the hall stand, kitchen top, sofa, mantelpiece etc., I hang them on the hook where they normally go. There they stay until I need them again and "Hey Presto!" I know exactly where to find them.
I know this may sound pretty obvious to many people, but I'm sure we all know someone who, every time they are preparing to go out, calls out, "I'm just going out ... have you seen my keys anywhere?" This can be very frustrating if it happens regularly.
"Where did you leave them?", is the usual answer, as you try to be patient and wait for the inevitable accusation that YOU have "... done something with them."
Not so in my house. My keys are on their hook waiting for me. Mild OCD has its advantages. Take a tip from me, even if you don't have OCD; it takes far less time to trouble to put keys away in their proper place as soon as you come in than it does to turn the house upside down looking for them when you want to go out again.
Updated January 2019
Is Hoarding one of your problems?
Depends what you keep and where you keep it.
When I was about 4 years old I remember playing with my Nan's button box. When a garment became unwearable, my grandmother always removed the buttons before throwing it away. The rescued buttons were put in the button box which always stood on top of a cupboard in the scullery. When Nan needed a button for a repair she could always find near enough what she wanted.
Perhaps that's where I get my passion for keeping anything which might come in handy sometime in the future. I keep bits of metal, offcuts of timber, old electrical items, scrap paper and cardboard, screws, hooks, nails, washers, string, rope, material, stationery items that previous employers were on the verge of throwing out.
To store all this stuff, I accumulate large cardboard boxes, old tobacco and biscuit tins, small plastic food containers, wooden boxes (which I sometimes construct myself), jam jars and ice cream tubs, etc.
When I start to use a container, I label it to show its contents. Large boxes with maybe a variety of items, I also number and list with their location as they may be stored anywhere in the house, garage, shed, etc.
The net result of my collecting and storing (hoarding), is that if I need to do a household repair or construct something perhaps to amuse my grandchildren, I can almost always find just the thing I need.
The problem with hoarding is keeping everything tidy and knowing when to stop. A small stack of old newspapers can be very handy for fire lighting, wrapping delicate items, standing paint pots on, etc, but a growing heap of ancient periodicals impeding access to everything else in a room would be overdoing it!
Apart from being a fire hazard, such a useless pile could encourage vermin to take up residence.
I couldn't live in a mess, but I do know the difference between pointless clutter and my collection of useful bits and pieces, and do have the occasional clear out.
Don't forget, you never know when some spare part, special tool, or piece of material will come in handy.
Now that's what I Call a Shopping List!
It's a regular chore we all have to do; the Weekly Shop! Do you just grab your purse, head for the store, and then wander around trying to remember what you need? That's a good way of forgetting to buy the very thing you went for in the first place.
Perhaps, like many, you make a list. Scribble down a few items in random order, worrying about spelling and being able to read your own handwriting, only to find yourself in the store going up and down the aisles over and over because your list is out of order.
My mild OCD saves me all that bother. I use PRE-PRINTED SHOPPING LISTS!
I designed my list to have most of the items I buy regularly, not only grouped under natural headings, eg., Fruit & Veg, Meat, Household Items, Frozen Food, etc., but also in STORE AISLE/DEPARTMENT ORDER. I print a few out from my computer and keep them in the kitchen. Whenever I feel a shopping trip coming on, I simply ring each item I need on the list. Because all the items are under group headings the list itself acts as a reminder to check our stock of certain things, or suggests something we haven't bought for a while and might try again. The list has some white space for adding the occasional extra item.
The pre-printed list is on A4 paper and has four columns, so when it's complete, I fold it in 4 to make it a handy pocket size.
This might all seem a bit of a long-winded way of doing things, but over the years I've saved a heck of a lot of hand writing, and trips back to the store for items I forgot!
Am I so weird? Or are there a lot of us like me?
When I tell friends about some of the ways I deal with everyday things, the small but regular routines, the straightening, the hoarding, the list making, my home filing system etc., their reactions vary but they show little real concern so I figure my problem, if it is one, is not life-threatening.
Some people laugh at me and say things like, "You're a nutter!" or "You always were a bit weird!". Occasionally when I explain one of my actions I detect the slightest of frowns or looks of puzzlement and this makes me feel, despite my rationality, a little different from others.
There's a method in my madness .... It's called Mild OCD!
On an OCD scale of 1 to 10, I'm probably a "1", but I know there are many individuals who would rank higher, if not by themselves, by the people around them. If obsessive-compulsive behaviour begins to interfere with the smooth running of everyday life, it is maybe time to seek help.
I recently came across a very interesting and helpful book about OCD, which I think is perfect for people like me, and their families and friends.
The book is called "Break Free from OCD", by Dr. Fiona Challacombe and two other specialists. Details below.
This book explains in easy to understand terms, the nature of OCD, the range of symptoms and severity of conditions, and how to recognize your own and others' compulsions, rituals and behaviours, and to use the experience gained and a degree of self help to let go, break free, and reclaim your life.
Regular hand washing. Germs are everywhere!
I've just emptied the kitchen waste bin. We bag all our waste (anything we don't recycle) and never put loose rubbish into the outside wheelie bin. It's an old bin which came with the house when I bought it 10 years ago and it doesn't smell even though I have never had it cleaned. Nevertheless I think of it as being covered with several years worth of accumulated germs. Not necessarily MY germs, but those of many other people on the bin-men's rounds which get transferred from bin to bin as they are handled for emptying every week. I am not saying the bin-collectors are dirty, they wear gloves, but the gloves are used to handle dropped rubbish etc., and I doubt if they are exactly sterile. So, if I so much as touch the wheelie bin to open the lid to drop a bag in, I immediately wash my hands. And, if I straightaway went back out to drop some recycling stuff into the green bin, I will immediately wash my hands again! So what's wrong with that? It's called hygiene! I am very particular about regular hand washing, but once is enough each time.
Mild OCD prompts me to take care about picking up germs from other people, animals or inanimate objects they may have made contact with and my general health is a testament to this policy. There is an upside to mild obsessive behaviour.
OCD versus OCPD ... What?
Since I was a young man I've joked about OCD and confessed to having a mild form of it. When I explain to friends for instance about the lengths I go to with recycling my household waste, filing my paperwork, keeping and storing my 'stuff', they often laugh and say something like, "You've definitely got a touch of OCD!"
Everybody seems to have heard about OCD. Most people have a vague idea what it means. To them it usually means a person who is overly concerned with straightening things up, constantly checking lights are off, doors are locked and everything is in its place. They may not exactly know that the letters stand for Obsessive-compulsive Disorder or the precise symptoms or manifestations of the condition, but most people have definitely heard of it and know roughly what you are talking about if you mention it.
I have NEVER heard anyone speak of OCPD! ... Never in my life! I have only just read about it today for the first time. I bet most other people have never heard of it either.
So, there's OCD and OCPD. They are similar, but different in many ways. OCPD stands for Obsessive-compulsive Personality Disorder, and I think, to my dismay, that I actually have a mild dose of OCPD and not OCD at all.
I should be encouraged by this. Apparently, in a nutshell, OCPD is mainly concerned with perfectionism while OCD is centred around anxiety. Phew! I certainly don't feel anxious ... at least only very rarely.
The subject is too weighty to go into here and there is plenty of information available elsewhere on the differences between the two disorders. Suffice it to say that for the benefit of all those who, like me have never heard of OCPD, I shall continue within this light-hearted discourse to refer to my own condition as mild OCD.
Mild OCD routines are OK.
Here's my OCD routine to ensure I take my pills daily and once only.
I'm not on any kind of medication (unlike most people I know of my age) but I do regularly take vitamin pills. At least I try to take them regularly. Sometimes I lapse for a few days. The thing is I don't feel any worse if I don't take them ... AND I don't feel particularly better when I resume a regular dosage. So, do they do any good at all? Frankly I'm sceptical but they have become a habit. Not an addiction I hasten to add, just part of my routine and now my mild OCD has taken over and tells me it's something I do and, for that reason alone, should continue to do.
The OCD in me, (See!, I have convinced myself that a have the mildest form of a disease which can be an absolute scourge to many people), tells me that since I am committed to taking the pills, I must take them regularly ... but, ensure it's only once a day.
My OCD forces me into a routine. I always take a glass of water to bed with me to drink a little if I should wake in the night. Needless to say it is always the same glass, my special glass. When I come down in the morning I bring the glass and place it in it's special place on the kitchen top. I take my jar of pills from the cupboard and place it in front of the glass. This acts as a reminder to take the pills. Later in the day, usually after food, I take the pills and put the jar back in the cupboard. The glass is returned to it's place on the kitchen top. Since I can't remember later whether I took the pills or not, the glass with no jar by it tells me I did and prevents me from taking a double dose. Makes sense to me anyway!
List Making. Another mild OCD trait.
Lists help you remember to do things you might otherwise forget.
I make so many lists, I sometimes make lists of my lists.
There are PROS and CONS to list making. On the good side, lists help me remember things I need to do, record fleeting ideas, group items together as with shopping lists, do jobs in the right order as with a DIY action plan, etc. On the down side they can add to the clutter I seem to surround myself with. Sometimes when I half remember something I have to search through a whole pile of lists to find my original jottings.
Some people, I suspect, make lists almost without realizing it. A diary is a list, a calendar is a list, a recipe is a list, your address book is a list, and so on.
For someone with mild OCD like me, the perfectionist in me hates to forget anything, it's a kind of failure. Writing everything down is a great help, which is why wherever I am I'm never far from a pad and pencil.
I never forget to pass on phone messages for others, because as the phone rings I reach for a pad of sticky notes ready to record the call however insignificant. Even if the message reads something like, "Mary called to see how you are. No need to call her back," I still place the note where the other person will see it on their return. Common sense, I know, but many people just forget about the call.
Another problem with lists is maintenance. Handwritten lists quickly get scruffy with crossings out, amendments, additions, notations, calculations in any spare space. Sometimes when only a few items remain valid, the list may have to be re-written. As I have several lists on the go at any one time, these can pile up. Mild OCD prompts me to start a separate list: Item #1 - Consolidate old lists!
Please leave a comment here:-
Do you have any quirky rituals or routines? - Do people say you have OCD when you think you are just being thorough?
Bob Black (author) from East Midlands, England, UK on February 09, 2019:
Thanks for that. I'm glad you're making progress and managing your OCD.
Regards, Bob.
Patricia Scott from North Central Florida on February 09, 2019:
O my I am not sure knowing others who are OCD makes me feel any better At one time in my life it was almost paralyzing but over time I have gotten it pretty much under control Thanks for sharing so that others may have a glimpse inside this disorder Angels are on the way this evening ps
Ezri on November 25, 2016:
You don't have OCD, you have OCDP and you should probably classify yourself as such.
You only have OCD when it genuinely interferes with your daily life, and when the obsessions and compulsions are unwanted.
People with OCPD on the other hand, don't see any real negatives to their behavior, partly because they don't really get anxious when certain tasks aren't done in a certain way.
OCPD is way more "usefull" then OCD, in just the exact way you describe.
OCD just gets in the way and leads to extreme frustration and anxiety.
You got so close to properly educating people, but you have nearly all the symptoms of OCPD, not OCD.
Linda Jo Martin from Post Falls, Idaho, USA on January 04, 2015:
I'm definitely OCD in many ways. I guess the worst thing is that I don't like to touch dogs or let them touch me. A lot of my neighbors have dogs so this is something I have a hard time hiding. I love to look at dogs, and talk to them, but if they get close I move away. Kind of sad... since they love so much to be petted.
anonymous on June 02, 2013:
Yes I have mild case like you.. I recognized myself on many things here.My family thinks I am faking it all and that I should just stop doing things I have to do. And I have germophobia so I can't stay neae sick people . anyway I live somewhat normal.
rattie lm on March 06, 2013:
Sadly no! what is the opposite of OCD? My husband is like you, and so, her gathers things like my keys, mobile phone, and puts them where they should be. And like you, he makes lists. I, on the other hand, list in my head. He's a mathematician and I am, let's say, creative! But you know what? We rely on each other. It's not so bad being one or the other! 'All the world is queer save thee and me and......'
MomwithAHook LM on January 14, 2013:
OCD is always tossed around like it's a joke. When I obsessively 'prepare' for things by making lists I will hear 'Your OCD is acting up'. I agree that many people have mild forms of OCD and it can be managed with care and thought. For those who have severe OCD is is not a joking matter.
Pastor Cher from United States on August 07, 2012:
I think everyone has some quirky things they do but won't admit. I have a relative with OCD so I know what you speak of. This information is very helpful and I'm glad I found it.
BestRatedStuff on April 25, 2012:
I think my mother has a mild form of OCD or maybe more correctly that OCPD you bring up, never heard of it before either. She has all the symptoms, except for the hording. She regularly, I think at least once a month, sometimes more goes through her things and either passes them on or throws them away.
Ram Ramakrishnan on March 27, 2012:
Providence is parsimonious; never do
we see individuals with pleasures rife.
To get the best with whatever has been
bestowed, is after all the essence of life.
anonymous on March 26, 2012:
I found this lens very interesting. Thank you for talking openly and candidly about OCD and putting a positive spin on it. God bless!
Namymartyn on March 01, 2012:
nice lens created by you really appreciable..........
Sue Dixon from Grasmere, Cumbria, UK on February 27, 2012:
I have a son with mild OCD. He's very neat and tidy, and never loses anything!
Ben Reed from Redcar on February 26, 2012:
I am with you on the lists thing... people often comment on it, but I think I am just being prepared. Great lense.
Susan300 on February 13, 2012:
I recently stumbled into someone shopping from an ordered-list whilst grocery shopping. I was thrilled to find that I wasn't the only one that did so! :)
kateclough lm on February 13, 2012:
I thought I was probably the only one on the planet that organizes a shopping list in the same way the aisles in the stores are laid out! lol! I do it because I hate to shop and it gets me in and out faster! I just don't have a pre printed list! :)
purpleclouds on January 27, 2012:
This is an interesting lens, I too have a mild OCD, but only people who live with me notice it.. but I must say that it's becoming quite annoying to me.. i guess i should buy a book about it. :)
writerkath on January 23, 2012:
Ok... now you've made me think. I probably have a mild case of OCD myself! I actually have a Christmas card list, and put a check mark next to the names of people I've actually received cards from. I began to notice that I would send people a card, and then long after they would have received MY card, I might get a quick card with a hastily scribbled signature in return. And I do more-or-less what YOU do, and don't send that person a card any more. Ha ha ha!
I'm also a list-maker - but have noticed that while I make lots of lists, not all the items get checked off!
My grocery list is DEFINITELY made in order of the store aisles! :) Produce at the top of the list (since the produce aisle comes first), then meats, then dairy...
I also am the type to check to ensure lights are off or things are unplugged several times.
But, somehow I've made it this far. :)
Sandra from Belfast on November 25, 2011:
Your pre-printed shopping list is a fab idea.. I'm off to make one now! Thanks
DebMartin on November 21, 2011:
Yup. Me too. Not in everything but I count things that don't need to be counted a lot. And if I'm feeling down, picking up around the house always helps me feel better. Your OCD or OCPD is serving you well in your lens writing. You lenses are clean, clear, orderly and well written.
Zut Moon on November 21, 2011:
I have it to some extent ... checking locked doors several times.. Squidoo is another ....
Paula7928 on November 19, 2011:
I used to lose my keys all the time until my husband (who I just diagnosed with OCD thanks to your lens) started making me do what he does. And that is to hang my kens on a hook in the cupboard immediately after walking into the house. Thanks - great lens!
Rantsand on November 18, 2011:
LOL great lens. Good therapy your mild ocpd I imagine. I do the same thing with the trash bin, wash my hands after moving it out to the curb. Isn't it obvious that it's covered in germs!
April Wier on November 18, 2011:
You might not be OCD. You might just be organized. That is such a dwindling skill, you are becoming odder by the day.
NevermoreShirts on October 05, 2011:
Nothing in particular that I can think of offhand - great lens, though! :)
TheHealthGuy LM from U.S.A. on October 03, 2011:
I suppose I have as many odd behaviors as the next person. I know there are folks who think I have enough loose screws to open my own hardware store.
Bob Black (author) from East Midlands, England, UK on September 23, 2011:
@PurplePansy LM: Thanks for your comment. My pseudo-perfectionism is balanced somewhat by my hoarding, but I'm glad to say all (most) of the junk I keep is neatly boxed, labeled, and stacked away in cupboards, loft and sheds. I have three sheds!
PurplePansy LM on September 23, 2011:
I've always thought that I might have mild OCD too. However because I'm so hung up on perfectionism, my home is quite the opposite. If I can't get things perfectly clean then I just give up and let it become a giant disaster. Someday I hope to have a home as nice and orderly as yours.
