Do I have OCD?
A lot of people who think they have OCD say that they like things in order, or things that are clean. People that actually have OCD have excessive overflowing impulses and thoughts that are uncontrollable. When I was a kid, I would have to step on an exact tile on the floor or else a monster would kill me. I would have to check the clock every minute at night . Nowadays it's different. I grind my teeth and bite my tongue so much I forget I'm doing it. Sometimes I have to touch something 3-12 times, even if it means getting hurt; such as touching my dogs nose even if it means he bites me. Sometimes I have the impulse to through my phone into the highway, or if i turn off a light upstairs, I immediately have to run downstairs in 10 seconds or else I die. Sometimes I'll blink obsessively and clench my muscles. I've even walked the exact same path home after school for four years. If I stop doing that, who knows what could happen! So I'm not expecting a diagnosis, I haven't officially been diagnosed and my therapist doesn't believe I have it, but is it possible I might have it?
Could I have OCD?
When I'm watching TV I CONSTANTLY have to rewind to hear what somebody said, or see what somebody did. If i don't it will aggravate me sooo bad, until i rewind it. And it's not that i have a problem hearing. I hear just fine, it's just if i'm up getting a drink, or paying attention to my son, and i miss one word, i have to rewind it back to hear or see what i missed. I'll go crazy if i don't. Does this sound crazy to anyone? I know it's not normal, cuz i'll ask my boyfriend "what did she just say" and he'll go "i don't know" and it wont bother him. But it bother's me. And I'll have to rewind it back. It's getting to the point where he doesn't want to watch tv with me anymore cuz i rewind so much. It literally takes us an hour to watch a 30 minute show with all my rewinding. lol...well maybe i'm exaggerating a little, but it's bad!! Is this a sign of OCD? And is this normal?
How can I tell if I have OCD?
People misunderstand OCD.Take me, for example.I have certain, uh, idiosyncrasies.Every time I look at my profile picture, I feel like banging my head on the wall. Why?This asymmetry gets to me.I stare at it and wonder if it is worth downloading Photoshop and fixing it right now.It's a momentary thought or urge that doesn't disrupt my life. There are several other things like this that bother me, most of them related to asymmetry.Another example:You see the slight asymmetry? Yeah, that bothers me.But do you know what I do?Nothing.I move on to other things. I don't have OCD. I am just weird.But if you or anyone else has OCD, they can't just move on.They are slaves to these thoughts.OCD stands for obsessive compulsive disorder.They have Obsessions. These are instrusive thoughts that simply do not go away - you can not reason with these thoughts. They are persistent.And these thoughts compel you to do things repeatedly to reduce the anxiety from your obsessions. These acts are Compulsions.Imagine you are convinced that you have germs on your hands. And you have to keep washing them. Over and over again just to get temporary relief.This scene from The Aviator shows how Leo washes his hands so violently that he ends up bleeding.OCD is a serious condition that needs treatment.If you ever feel forced to do something because of a persistent thought and if you do this even if it means disrupting your life, you may have OCD.Please consult a Psychiatrist.
How do you know you have OCD?
There are different types of OCD, and it can be very mild and almost unnoticed to so severe you can't leave your own home because of your drive to do certain activities. You can also have things that are considered in the OCD spectrum, and times of stress or change can make them show up more. One of the things that you can use to tell is if you have ritualized behavior, and if you don't follow the ritual you feel uneasy or anxious. It can be something little, like not have your food in the "right spot" on your plate, or it can be repetative thoughts like making lists of things. Freaking out over little things from time to time could be more anxiety, but it can overlap with OCD, too. However, you don't want to self diagnose, and the internet is a great place to learn and get ideas but you don't want to be diagnosed on here, either! If you are really worried you might want to seek a professional opinion :)
Why do people like to say they have OCD or ADHD when it's not true?
My @Quora post: Causes Of Depression Causes Of Depression by Sejal on Causes of Depression
How do I tell my friends I have OCD?
First decide if it's necessary.If it explains some things that has been affecting, or may affect the relationship, it might be worth sharing. Otherwise it shouldn't really matter.But if you do tell them, I would suggest you don't tell them it's something big and huge. Granted, this depends on where you are in your life, but when I told people about it seriously, they either didn't know how to react (rarely badly, they just didn't know what to say) or they just didn't seem too shaken at all. It was a bit like saying, I have to go get a root canal.Now I hardly ever bring it up, and if I do it's only when it's somehow relevant to the discussion (which is almost never). I say it nonchalantly, because it is nonchalant to me now, and I get nonchalant answers.Also, OCD sufferers tend to want to spill everything, I've heard. That's how it was for me. You do *not* have to do this. It will be ok if you don't. You aren't being deceptive by being discreet. And, depending on what some of your symptoms may be, it might be better that you keep any non-relevant details to yourself until they come up organically. OCD is misunderstood, but you don't need to appoint yourself as a crusader to explain it unless you really think it is something beneficial to you personally.