i make the rules, part ii: the definition.
Allow me to take a moment to properly – and not so angerly – educate you on OCD.
OCD stands for Obsessive-compulsive Disorder.
Believe it or not, one of the best explanations I have found (which also covers my previous entry on the misinterpretation of the name) is on Wikipedia.
Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce anxiety, by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing anxiety, or by combinations of such thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions). The symptoms of this anxiety disorder range from repetitive hand-washing and extensive hoarding to preoccupation with sexual, religious, or aggressive impulses. These symptoms can be alienating and time-consuming, and often cause severe emotional and economic loss. Although the acts of those who have OCD may appear paranoid and come across to others as psychotic, OCD sufferers often recognize their thoughts and subsequent actions as irrational, and they may become further distressed by this realization.
OCD is the fourth most common mental disorder and is diagnosed nearly as often as asthma and diabetes mellitus.[1] In the United States, one in 50 adults has OCD.[2] The phrase “obsessive–compulsive” has become part of the English lexicon, and is often used in an informal or caricatured manner to describe someone who is meticulous, perfectionistic, absorbed in a cause, or otherwise fixated on something or someone.[3] Although these signs may be present in OCD, a person who exhibits them does not necessarily have OCD
OCD can be very detrimental to every day life. As the article and I have both mentioned, being meticulous or perfectionistic is not the same thing and is often misconstrued as such. They can certainly be symptoms, but it’s when you spend far too much time fixing and refixing until you feel this crawling feeling under your skin and have to freak out. Not to mention, you just might die. And those words just don’t seem to do it justice.
LouLou said:
Jan 28, 10 at 7:55 pmTreatment in NZ is non-existent. we get shipped to Aussie if its bad enough by the governemt.. no prizes for guessing that the waiting list is really long.
I have just read your blurbs and the “why frozenoranges”
hope you haven’t lost all your posts.
lou
The Guy in the Suburbs said:
Jan 29, 10 at 6:15 pmThe fact is, also, that OCD goes beyond obsession to the point where the anxiety that arises from a sitatuion CANNOT be controlled. For, example, I love to drive, but I have to constantly check my gas gauge (even when I have a full tank) and consider whether or not I’ll make it to my destination, where I need to stop, and what if I do run out of gas?
Perfectionists, if you feel anxious about a project and doing your best that’s great. OCD rules your life. It is a disorder that one needs to learn to live with, and many do need medication because it can also lead to different forms of anxiety, heart problems, and depression. Nothing funny about that.
Emmy said:
Jan 31, 10 at 9:01 pmFirst of all, you are not Ben Folds
Second, I was unaware you also suffered from OCD. How has this never come up between us?
The Guy in the Suburbs said:
Jan 31, 10 at 9:45 pmYou just haven’t been listening, that’s all.
Emmy said:
Feb 02, 10 at 11:23 amOh, hey now. This information is incorrect. I would definitely remember a conversation about that.
The Guy in the Suburbs said:
Feb 04, 10 at 12:44 amI wonder if you should start an offshoot of this blog related to mental health instead of eating disorders.
Emmy said:
Feb 06, 10 at 10:50 pmI’ve considered this taking a new direction. Here’s the thing, though.. my blog is not strictly about my eating disorder (recovery) anymore. It’s about everything combined. And the OCD is very much related to the eating disorder for me as well as many others. I feel it’s important to address all together. Most people with eating disorders have multiple mental disorders/diseases that all feed each other and cause different behaviors.