Can someone please help me understand?

[newsuse]

I don't really know if I have OCD or not or even if it would be helpful to know but i've been worrying about it for years ever since I started noticing weird things that I feel like I have to do. My dad has OCD and I think that was one of the reasons that I started thinking that maybe I do as well. I have a huge obsession with even numbers it's not like odd numbers scare me but I just really hate the thought of anything being odd, when I get stressed it becomes more extreme to the point of me counting anything that I deem is countable especially with food. Things have to be done in a certain order like when I get dressed in the morning, mostly if I get it wrong I can shake it off and just get on with whatever else I have to do but on bad days I have to start again and make sure it's right. There are so many little things that I do that I know other people probably don't even notice but it bugs me that I do it and how much I think about it.

I guess what I'm asking is can someone explain to me what OCD is exactly and when it becomes a problem because if I can do all the things I have to do without it affecting other people then maybe it's not really a big deal and I'm just overeacting because I don't want to end up like my dad.

 

[kaykay9.0]

You should really speak with a psychiatrist or professional counselor for a diagnosis. When I was seeing a psychiatrist myself, the way he explained it was this~~ He said that in his opinion OCD was on kind of a "continuum" from very, very mild struggles with it all the way to very severe struggles and everywhere in between. What I would say to you is this, if the thoughts are affecting your life in a negative way, it's probably time to look into it. Wishing you the best!

 

[stacii]

If things you obsess about are affecting you negatively, it's time to see a psychiatrist. Kaykay is absolutely right!

Everyone is a little Obsessive and Compulsive about something, but the Disorder part comes into play when those Obsessions and Compulsions are negatively affecting your daily life. And that can come and go. OCD does wax and wane for many sufferers.

 

[hisbloodformysins]

I don't really know if I have OCD or not or even if it would be helpful to know but i've been worrying about it for years ever since I started noticing weird things that I feel like I have to do. My dad has OCD and I think that was one of the reasons that I started thinking that maybe I do as well. I have a huge obsession with even numbers it's not like odd numbers scare me but I just really hate the thought of anything being odd, when I get stressed it becomes more extreme to the point of me counting anything that I deem is countable especially with food. Things have to be done in a certain order like when I get dressed in the morning, mostly if I get it wrong I can shake it off and just get on with whatever else I have to do but on bad days I have to start again and make sure it's right. There are so many little things that I do that I know other people probably don't even notice but it bugs me that I do it and how much I think about it.

I guess what I'm asking is can someone explain to me what OCD is exactly and when it becomes a problem because if I can do all the things I have to do without it affecting other people then maybe it's not really a big deal and I'm just overeacting because I don't want to end up like my dad.

Well, you can still operate normally in life.... does it cause you a lot of stress.... do you realize it's irrational?

I have bipolar DO but I'm not off the wall like the classic picture and people who know me don't believe the diagnosis.... even my husband... well, sometimes he agrees.... but it causes me a lot of emotional and mental distress to the point of wanting to take medication for it....


My point is that it doesn't have to completely interfere with your life inorder for it to be a disorder... it also fits the criteria of being a disorder if it causes you distress.

There is also OCD and there is obsessive compulsive personality disorder which the two are a little different... you ought to google it.

HB