I think that OCD is more often than not is a result of lack of self control and coping skills.

a reply to: incoserv

I have partial OCD and I describe my actions as idiosyncrasies, not something derived from an affliction.

I have to have the volume on the TV set on a even number, If my coffee table or rugs are misaligned with the lounge I have to realign them, I triple check the lock on the front door before I leave home, those sorts of things. But that nothing compared to major cases where people wash their hands sixty times a day or have to comb their hair with a specified number of strokes or they'll have a panic attack.

Sometimes I think OCD can be overdiagnosed and misdiagnosed, If I told a shrink I have to have my books, CD's and video games in alphabetical and chronological order you can't call that OCD-you call that common sense as you know just exactly where to look when you want to retrieve something. Yeah sure I have a compulsion to sing, hum or hambone the theme song to a sitcom but that's what I would call an idiosyncrasy and not a crippling disorder as it doesn't affect my ability to maintain my life, but for severe sufferers it is a debilitating disorder.

originally posted by: TinySickTears
a reply to: strongfp

i have a diagnosis and it is not just a sense of urgency

did you read the entire post?

i did not mention everything...

so, you used your time in a traffic jam to record a video that uses a magnifying glass that was handy...

quite the Avatar TST, inventive & artsy-zaney

I had OCD as a child I was always worrying about everything my mind was always racing. I think as a child I felt very lonely, I didn't have friends I was a loner most if not all of my elementary years.( very quiet, infj personality type, social anxiety)

My parents I felt never gave me enough attention, my mother is one of those narcissistic moms, and was always yelling about everything, and my father was a passive man not very affectionate verbally or psychically.My parents would cuss each other out in front of us or argue as if we weren't there.
We lived with our mother's grandparents in one room not much privacy at all.
When my dad was around, most of the time he would watch T.V. we would watch cops which isn't something children should be watching.
They would watch the Spanish news, and let me tell you something you think the English news is bad they would show you everything for example, a man setting himself on fire.(this effects adults what do you think it does to children)
Religion is added to the mix to make us more irrational if we didn't behave the devil was going to punish us. All these things ,and more started to add up I think that I picked up that the world was not safe on a subconscious level.

It's almost as if at that time you can say that OCD was my friend as I didn't have any perhaps all the cleaning rituals, delusional thinking gave me a purpose. It actually gave me structure at least that's what it felt like that I had a little bit of control. I felt like I had no control over any facet of my life, I didn't feel truly loved, low self-esteem, no friends to talk to, very fearful.

So I created a life that had meaning within I was very imaginative,but at the same time these rituals I had gave me what I needed the comfort, reassurance, and safety that I felt those around me didn't give me. OCD people weren't catered to enough, and that's why we learned to cope by ourselves with these weird compulsive behavior .
We weren't given enough, and the mind being so fragile begins to give itself exactly what it needs. It seems like a survival mechanism if you really think about it.

What would I have done if I didn't feel this security, but at the same time it sadly becomes your own prison.

a reply to: TinySickTears

My obsession with time is weird...I don't wear a watch because I feel like I should always be able to tell the time from the sun's position. I used to be amazing at it...like within 5 minutes always. Now I'm down to 15 minutes...and it bugs the hell out of me if I'm wrong. I also need to know which cardinal direction I'm facing at any given time. These are silly, and I forget about them because I'm so used to them.

a reply to: Kandinsky

I don't disagree at all.

I will preface this response by saying that my examples are NOT how I feel, they're an example of what OCD can convince you of, also my upbringing was a stable one and I was loved as a child, and taught to value what little I had. I wasn't abused and never had a traumatic childhood.

As someone who suffers with extremely intrusive OCD (pure O is the 'label) I can tell you that you're dead wrong.

My 'urges' are not my own, they're the result of my brain chemistry, it's as simple as that. I spend, sometimes, over 3 hours in my head feeling guilt over an action I didn't even take - because I've been ruminating about outcomes to situations that have already happened.

My 'urges' are the result of a repetitive pattern in my brain that I can't stop and seemingly has no cause. It's just random. I never, as do other OCD people, act on my urges. I'd be dead, in prison or hated if I did. People with OCD have BETTER impulse control than none OCD people - we live with the guilt of the consequences of actions without even committing them.

Do you know what it's like to constantly think you're a pedophile when you have ZERO sexual attraction to children?
DO you know what it feels like to feel guilty for muder when you've killed no one, simply because you keep getting an intrusive image of you with a bloody knife in your hand?
Do you know what it's like to think you're gay when you have never had an attraction to the opposite sex? And still don't?
Do you know how it feels to think that you're being judged by God for every word that runs through your mind, only to try and 'ritually' cleanse yourself through repeated actions?

No one understands what OCD is until they've spoken to someone who ACTUALLY suffers with it. I've spoken to many Councillors and psychiatrists and none helped. My OCD has abated for now, but it will probably resurface the next time I'm majorly stressed. The last time was when I moved house.

Btw, it's the responses to the intrusive thoughts that perpetuate the cycle.
When the intrusive thoughts are about being a pedo, you do everything you can to AVOID children - do you know how that feels when your family have kids who you love? You can't see them because you're racked with guilt for something you DON'T EVEN FEEL.
When the murder intrusive images come you hide knives around the house and avoid violent movies and games.
When HOCD striked you cut off contact with all gay people and act overly masculine, checking your actions and voice tone too see if you're 'turning gay' all of a sudden.
When the religious OCD strikes you continually watch end times material and convince yourself that the world urgently needs you to repent.

The outside rituals you see (touching lightswitches and washing hands) is stopping the true evil of OCD, the intrusive thoughts. The rituals prevent them. Often times, the most common is "if I don't do this a loved one will die". I've thought this since I was 7 years old.

DO NOT TELL ME I have poor control over my urges. You have literally no idea.

a reply to: Joneselius

Powerful post Joneselius. That actually shames me for thinking my little obsessions are worthy of consideration. Thank you for putting it into words. I really hope it gets better for you.

And I think that you are retarded... No sht people with ocd lack control duhh!? The problem with ocd is that you CAN'T control it! They can't help it! I have ocd in many stupid ways and I can't seem to help myself for whatever weird reason. It's a very complicated subject.