Are we all a little bit OCD?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (220127)
Walnut Creek, California
October 10, 2016 6:55pm CST
I'm pretty sure I've brought this up before, but I was just laughing at myself, so I thought I'd bring it up again.
Obsessive-compulsive-disorder (OCD) is characterized by obsessive thoughts about something, which lead to ritualized behaviors that reduce anxiety cause by those obsessive thoughts.
It might be obsessions about germs that lead to compulsive hand washing. It might be obsessions about having ones home damaged, that lead to checking ones toaster oven and stove three times before leaving. In some cases the ritualized behavior has to be a precise number of times (e.g., checking you front door lock exactly twice). There's also an overarching perfectionism involved in many OCD people.
I'm pretty casual about most things. My clothes have to look decent, but I don't worry about color-matching. My house looks like an absent-minded professor lives in it, with papers and handouts everywhere.
But my speakers and my guitars--that's another matter. The speakers I refinish must look as close to perfect as they can. And certain "character marks" on my guitars drive me crazy. If there's a ding in your precious car, do you HAVE to get it fixed?
Can you see the tragic flaw in the back of my Collings OM-1? It's my working guitar, but it's also my fanciest guitar. The retail price on these is now something like $3500. As you can see, it has a lovely mahogany back. But a little ding appeared that showed up as light in color. I had to fix it.
In the picture you can see the super-fine strips of sandpaper I'm using. The stain marker isn't in the picture. I'm almost there, but not quite. I will not quit until I can hardly notice the mark.
You can't see the mark in the picture? Neither can I. That's why I'm laughing at myself. Are you OCD about certain things? Does it make you better or worse at what you do?
26 people like this
28 responses
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
11 Oct 16
I do wash my hands far more often than most people and am a little nuts about food and cleanliness.
6 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40317)
• Laguna Woods, California
11 Oct 16
Yes, I'm OCD about the way the house looks. No matter where I live, I like things to be neat and put away.
5 people like this
@DeborahDiane (40317)
• Laguna Woods, California
12 Oct 16
@TheHorse - Ha Ha! Are you suggesting that you would like me to pick things up at your house? Sorry ... not happening! 
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220127)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Oct 16
@DeborahDiane My toilet is...um...pretty incredible looking. Like a science experiment. Perhaps you could...um...you know...think of a way to make it look...nice. And then there's my stove...
1 person likes this
@marguicha (223720)
• Chile
11 Oct 16
I have always had OCD in some ways, only the term wasn´t in use then.
I check several times in my purse whether the keys are there before I go out.
And I will HAVE to wash my hands immediatly after I have touched money. And I wash and wash my hands while I cook.
So what! I say. It is not a disorder that will hurt anyone. Hoorray for it!
5 people like this
@marguicha (223720)
• Chile
11 Oct 16
@sharon6345 Now that all money is plastic it must be more difficult.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220127)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Oct 16
@sharon6345 Yikes strikes! Did she have a creepy clown experience as a child?
@Marilynda1225 (83074)
• United States
11 Oct 16
I guess we are all a little bit OCD about certain things. Even though I can't see the mark on your guitar I can understand your drive to have it look perfect
5 people like this
@VivaLaDani13 (60794)
• Perth, Australia
11 Oct 16
@TheHorse I have OCD only it's not the washing the hands multiple times kind. Checking locks or if I've left anything on....sometimes.
Mine is more the "I have to do this or something bad will happen" kind. Which is very exhausting. I am doing better nowadays but it's still there and does get worse when I'm worried about something. Sometimes strange and unnecessary worries will pop in my head and I feel I have to do something to prevent it from happening even though I know deep down I have no control.
I know I'm not the only one but I don't know anyone else personally who has that sort of OCD. Not sure if there's levels of it but when I told a counsellor about it, she said I had the more traumatised kind. I don't really remember what else she said about it or what she meant and I don't know how to find out now. ( was 16 at the time )
I'm also not really fond of odd numbers. I like things to be even. Not all the time but just most of the time and again, when I'm really stressed / worried. I used to be a major hoarder which I am thankfully getting better at.
There's so much more involved and it's very exhausting even just thinking about it actually. I feel bad for anyone who has it. And I hate when people who don't understand it mock it.
As for having to have things fixed....I don't think so...but I do get bothered for quite some time if something is broken or even scratched. Like last night I was going through my CDs, and my Michael Jackson CD cover is broken like it wont stay together. The CD is fine but knowing it's damaged like that bothers me. I like my things to be in good condition.
Your guitar looks so lovely too! Beautiful colour!
5 people like this
@TheHorse (220127)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 Oct 16
Thanks. It really is a lovely guitar. And I think I will be able to fix that HORRIBLE DIVOT to the point where I'm satisfied with it. I can understand the thing about odd numbers. They're...unsettled. Even numbers are more symmetrical. You can divide them by two. Odd numbers make me feel slightly unbalanced.
5 people like this
@celticeagle (168171)
• Boise, Idaho
11 Oct 16
Nope, I don't see any 'tragic flaw'. I would be particular about my equipment too. I am my computer. That is like your guitar is to you.
I used to be a lot more OCD than I am now. I used to have to get up and check the doors to be sure they were locked again after already doing it. Then I would have to check my alarm. I find that when I am depressed or after having an anxiety attack I seem to be more prone to be a bit OCD now days.
4 people like this
@celticeagle (168171)
• Boise, Idaho
12 Oct 16
@TheHorse ......Sure they are. Make us who we are. Individuals.
@FourWalls (68918)
• United States
11 Oct 16
My house is usually a mess, but my record collection (the 78s, 45s, LPs, and CDs) are alphabetized by artist, and stored in chronological order. And that is the ONLY thing I'm extremely OCD about, but it makes up for everything else I'm not OCD about. 
4 people like this
@WorDazza (15830)
• Manchester, England
11 Oct 16
I think I'm a little OCD with my writing. I find myself writing, re-writing and re-writing individual sentences until I get them 'perfect'. Of course, when I read them back after a day or so they are no longer perfect!!
It's something I'm trying to curb as it seriously affects my productivity!!
3 people like this
@shivamani10 (11035)
• Hyderabad, India
11 Oct 16
Checking twice or thrice may not be called o.c.d. But time and again asking and inquiring about it is called o.c.d. We not only feel insecure but also annoy others time and again by our behaviour. We irritate them. We displease them and finally they get angry and shout on us.
3 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
11 Oct 16
I wash my hands a lot. That's about the extent of it.
3 people like this
@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
11 Oct 16
We are all OCD in our own quirky ways!
2 people like this
@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
11 Oct 16
@TheHorse I'm sure everyone has one or two 'invisible guitar tragedies' of their own.
I think mine is with the clothes I wear to work as well as with some of the shoes that I wear.
I think mine is with the clothes I wear to work as well as with some of the shoes that I wear.2 people like this
@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
11 Oct 16
@TheHorse I turned a blind eye!
Now that you mentioned the scuff, I do see the ding in your guitar and it is a lot bigger than you initially thought.
Now that you mentioned the scuff, I do see the ding in your guitar and it is a lot bigger than you initially thought. 1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220127)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 Oct 16
@allen0187 I noticed that scuff on your shoe. How can you go out in public like that???
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (100545)
• India
11 Oct 16
I won't deny ...I love cleaning house..but I also realize it is one of the most non-productive things...so I am basically the small house ..but neat and WELL PLANNED house person...it forces us to think whether we need something that they keep blaring at us on TV..and where we will accommodate it..lol. Dad is entirely opposite...everything has to be on large scale, and everything has to be messy...our house is a huge collection of junk with only my room habitable...I have no say in anything...so I have learned to be quiet about it all. As long as I can keep my immediate environment alright and dad alive without raising his BP, I guess I should consider myself blessed.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
11 Oct 16
I would bet the farm most people are a little OCD with certain things. Me, yes. I have a place for everything and when my husband puts things back in the 'wrong' place it drives me up a wall. Oh, nice to see the Horse is back, I don't care for mules much.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
12 Oct 16
@TheHorse I know a lot of cocky people who are adults LOL
@jennyjoy (1957)
• Bangalore, India
12 Oct 16
@TheHorse I hate clutter.Everything should be neat and tidy. Curtains drawn just so,bed sheets tucked in a particular way, check if the gas has been turned off,get the children to check if the gas has been turned off ...... the list is long....
I hate clutter.Everything should be neat and tidy. Curtains drawn just so,bed sheets tucked in a particular way, check if the gas has been turned off,get the children to check if the gas has been turned off ...... the list is long....1 person likes this
@nikitashroff (22)
•
11 Oct 16
I'm always prancing around declaring how OCD I am because of a few of my habits that tend to drive both, me and others crazy. However, OCD is a far more complex disorder. It is more intricate and serious and mainstream .
I think it is more apt to say we all have Obsessive-compulsive tendencies and it fits our traits better.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (220127)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Oct 16
Agreed. I point that out when I teach about OCD in class. We all have some tendencies that are OCD-ish and give us a sense of control. But for someone with OCD, it's more pervasive, and can sometimes get in the way of adaptive functioning.
1 person likes this
