OCD - They Say Everyone Has It To Some Extent...
@SassyKittyKat (2135)
Australia
May 12, 2008 6:27pm CST
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, they say everyone has it to some extent or to some degree. What do you think about this statement?
Sometimes I wonder if I don't have it just a tad bit because I notice things that I do that could fall into the OCD catagory. I sometimes find myself obsessing over what position something is in in my house and sometimes I even change it til it stands or sits a certain way. Also, when I brush my teeth I notice that somtimes I will go over the same spots that I know I have brushed already but it's like I have to make sure because it bothers me until I do. The same with washing in the shower. Granted none of this is done in excess but these are just a few things that I find myself obsessing over. There are others as well but none pose a major problem.
Do any of you find yourself doing things such as this and wondering if you're a little OCD? Or is it just normal to be this way and it's not OCD at all? What is your opinion on this? I'm just curious...
2 people like this
11 responses
@ruthinian (2309)
• United States
14 May 08
I guess so. I had to fold my laundry in a certain way. And I can't put any clothes in my closet if they are not folded in that way. Boxes in the cupboard should be arranged in order from highest to lowest. And food should be placed in the same kind of containers. I just want everything organized, so I always claim.
1 person likes this
@bitoffun (203)
• United States
24 May 08
I definitly have OCD. it drives me nuts. some things I was able to stop but others I just can`t stop. I always squeeze my eyes shut constantly and for so many times until the bad feeling goes away. if I dn`t do it then I think something bad will happen. what I don`t know just something bad, i used to have to pray for every single person I saw on a motorcyle or a stray dog or someone elderly walking alone. I have to touch sonmething sometimes with each finger the same ammount of times ahhhhhhhhhhhhh it really drives me nuts but I can`t help it. I take meds but its not helping. my doc says that the stress in my life is whats keeping it from helping. I also have to read a sentence in a book I happen to be reading 2 or 3 times until the feeling goes away. its nuts!!
@Bizziebod (3497)
•
14 May 08
I think maybe it's more a quirk than OCD. I work in the psychiatry field and people who suffer from this have their lives ruined by the condition. I think most of us are just probably picky and like things just so rather than OCD.
1 person likes this
@chertsy (3798)
• United States
13 May 08
I think everyone has it, just at small amounts that doesn't require medical treatment. I will check something 3 or 4 times, just to make sure it's right. I do this with basically everything it's not even funny sometimes. It sometimes irritates my family when I do this, because they are like you have already did or checked it so many times, leave it alone. Everything has to be perfect according to my standards. My books on the bookshelf has to be in order of height and author. I'm not like the guy off the show Monk, thank goodness, or I would really go nuts.
1 person likes this
@SassyKittyKat (2135)
• Australia
13 May 08
Yeah, I also have to check things several times before I'm satisfied with it. It sometimes drives the hubby crazy 
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@DiorelleBabe (226)
• Philippines
13 May 08
I also believe that every one each has his or her own OCD habits or behavior. Mine would be saving documents in my laptop. Whenever I write something I save it from time to time as in every few seconds---it freaks out some of my friends but I'd rather have documents that are saved than finding out I just closed the window without saving my work and then I would have to retype everything LOL
1 person likes this
@SassyKittyKat (2135)
• Australia
14 May 08
Actually, I can understand your reasonings on this because it's happened to me before that I have spent hours typing something or working on something, only to have it lost by mistake. So, I can understand you making sure to save it as often as you can...
@jimbomuso (950)
•
13 May 08
hi sassykittykat! yeah i think people have the potential for ocd. I mean nearly everyone I know has some form of relaxing routine or something that they do to enable coping strategies like quietly counting to ten.some people actually create routines unconsciously when bored or stressed. everyone on the planet is obsessed about something ! If the routines start to affect normal life, like not being able to go out until all the light swithces have been turned off in a certain order, then it would be time to seek help ! dont worry though everybody relies on certain types of routine!
1 person likes this
@SassyKittyKat (2135)
• Australia
13 May 08
Yeah, this makes a lot of sense because almost everyone I come across does something like I mentioned above. This was a great responce, thanks!
@momalisa65 (1971)
• United States
13 May 08
I tend to get OCD symptoms whenever I'm stressed and I haven't been eating and/or sleeping right.
If I'm doing good, no stress, eating right and taking my vities, it goes away.
A relative of mine has it bad, and he never eats right etc.
However, one could look at it the other way, maybe HAVING OCD CAUSES you to not eat right, sleep right and be stressed.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Lol.
I wish I had the time to research those kinds of things.
(not the chicken/egg thing, the OCD thing! Lol.)
1 person likes this
@SassyKittyKat (2135)
• Australia
14 May 08
LOL...You know, now that you mentioned it, I notice I get the symptoms when I haven't eaten all day and I'm exhausted and I'm not thinking clearly. It makes sense because when you eat it provides nourishment and refreshment. That's why they always tell you to have a well balanced breakfast before a big test. So, it definitely makes sense that not eating can cause these symptoms to occur. Thanks for the great responce!
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
13 May 08
Good one! Probably when I first read a description of how people can obsess and then learned the clinical term I subconsciously made some adjustments in my own behavior. I know that I stopped chewing on the end of my pen when we read a chapter in our psychology book about things people do to take the place of getting mum's milk. Man, that was an eye-opener and I stopped chewing gum that day, too! I don't think I have any habits that could truly be defined as OCD, but who knows, others might say I do. It is probably easier to identify this kind of behavior in others than in ourselves.
1 person likes this
@SassyKittyKat (2135)
• Australia
13 May 08
I'm sorry but that's too funny about why you stopped chewing on your pen and on gum, hilarious .
Yeah, I think it's definitely easier to identify habits like this in other rather than ourselves but I have taken notice of certain patterns that I have and it's definitely an eye opener...Thanks!
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Yeah, I think it's definitely easier to identify habits like this in other rather than ourselves but I have taken notice of certain patterns that I have and it's definitely an eye opener...Thanks! @zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
13 May 08
Tell me about it. A few hours earlier, I have just rant and rave in my blog because this person just refuses to take an apology from me. I did admit that I have indirectly made this person mad but the person just won't take an apology from me, and the sad part is that I have known this person for quite long. Usually this person ain't like this and it makes me mad to know that perhaps it is the period of OCD for this person.
I have felt like I'm having OCD before, but usually it's just for a few, short moments of outbursts and I don't make it a point to feel that way for long. I think OCD can also be for anger. Obsessive anger over a small mole.
1 person likes this
@SassyKittyKat (2135)
• Australia
13 May 08
It could be part of it. Sorry that your friend won't take your appology. You must have really made them mad . Was it a women because then I would understand?
. Was it a women because then I would understand? 
@shymurl (2765)
• United States
13 May 08
Yes I think so. Some have it worse than others. I have a friend that takes medicine for her OCD. I have some of it to. Certain things in the house has to done just so or i'm not satisfied. Theres a lot of things, probably to many to go into. It seems like its getting worse as I get older too.
1 person likes this
@SassyKittyKat (2135)
• Australia
13 May 08
I'm finding that more people than not have a problem with this than I thought. However, some people have it much worse than others. I would hate it if I did because I hate the little that I do have and it's not even much...
@above31rubies (1863)
• United States
13 May 08
Oh...I don't know that it's necessarily ocd. I do have some things that have to be a certain way. Clothes all hanging in the same direction, books lined up spine out highest to lowest and depending on the depth of the shelf, not pushes all the way in (though they all have to be even!), a spot on my hand feels dirty and it bugs the daylights out of me until I wash them. I certainly don't need a label...lol. Maybe I have it "to some degree"...maybe it's just normal behavior that most people don't see in themselves or don't want to admit...maybe I am just weird (that would mean you are too...lol).
LOL...in other words...to answer your question...I don't know. 
1 person likes this
@SassyKittyKat (2135)
• Australia
13 May 08
I am wierd . I'm not sure either but to me these little things we do, so seem slightly OCD but you're right, today they have to put a label on everything and every action lol...
. I'm not sure either but to me these little things we do, so seem slightly OCD but you're right, today they have to put a label on everything and every action lol...
@dandj929 (423)
• United States
13 May 08
I think that everyone has their "kwirks".
Mine are that if a cabinet is open anywhere and I see it, I have to close it. If I don't it bothers me. Even if I'm going into the same cabinet over and over again to get stuff out, I keep opening and closing each time.
Also the fringe on my oriental carpets have to be straight. I'm constantly fixing it.
I don't consider these "kwirks" to be OCD. I have a friend who's ex-wife was diagnosed with OCD and takes medication for it. She's really bad and will spend all day cleaning her house top to bottom every day. Needless to say her OCD put a damper on their marriage.
1 person likes this
@SassyKittyKat (2135)
• Australia
13 May 08
Oh yeah, I do that as well, the thing with the cabinets. I do a similiar thing with my rugs as well but not all the time. Yeah, I guess they could be considered quirks. I bet it would effect a marriage because I know it must be frustrating to live with it on a daily basis. However, if the spouse loves the other, they would stand by them and understand and love them despite this. You do get married for better or for worse, if someone just stuck around for better, is that really showing unconditional love?
