what does "OCD" mean?

[Ribosome]

I know it's obsessive-compulsive disorder, but what are obsessions and what are compulsions?

One common symptom of mine is that I organize my computer to ridiculous perfection. I spend days and days organizing the file names of documents and placing them in a hierarchy of appropriate folders. What forces me to do this is the uncontrollable thought that my files need to be organized perfectly. I wish I did not care about these stupid photos and music and document files, just like I didn't care about them before I got OCD, but now its different, now the thought of my files not being organized causes me a lot of anxiety, so much anxiety that I cannot do or think anything else other than thinking about organizing them.

Can someone explain to me what the obsessive and compulsive parts are in my example?

 

[PraiseToAslan]

If the repetitiveness or intensity goes past being useful, it's probably OCD, but I'm not professional.

See Howard Hughes in this clip of The Aviator for an example

The Aviator ending scene , the way of the future. - YouTube

 

[goodasitgets]

I know it's obsessive-compulsive disorder, but what are obsessions and what are compulsions?

One common symptom of mine is that I organize my computer to ridiculous perfection. I spend days and days organizing the file names of documents and placing them in a hierarchy of appropriate folders. What forces me to do this is the uncontrollable thought that my files need to be organized perfectly. I wish I did not care about these stupid photos and music and document files, just like I didn't care about them before I got OCD, but now its different, now the thought of my files not being organized causes me a lot of anxiety, so much anxiety that I cannot do or think anything else other than thinking about organizing them.

Can someone explain to me what the obsessive and compulsive parts are in my example?

Probably just like you said. It's a example of your OCD (what you are doing with your PC). There are many different rituals that go through your head with OCD and perfection is one of them. Seems most of us have something in common from reading these posts so know you are not by yourself and remember it is a medical condition. Drs. will tell you that. Sometimes it's worse than other times. Our brain is just not working right chemically. We are sick not crazy. I can't help but think it is a birth defect since most notice it at a early age.

 

[Ribosome]

My question was about what are obsessions and what are compulsions.

Is the anxiety of my files not being organized perfectly the obsession part? And the part where I feel an urge to go organize them the compulsion part?

 

[strelok0017]

I have a question. What is the best way to find out if a person has OCD?

It doesn't excuse my sin, I know and that is not what I meant, but my thought life is killing me. My only two options are that either I'm a reprobate or am suffering from OCD.

 

[ivanthegood]

I know it's obsessive-compulsive disorder, but what are obsessions and what are compulsions?

One common symptom of mine is that I organize my computer to ridiculous perfection. I spend days and days organizing the file names of documents and placing them in a hierarchy of appropriate folders. What forces me to do this is the uncontrollable thought that my files need to be organized perfectly. I wish I did not care about these stupid photos and music and document files, just like I didn't care about them before I got OCD, but now its different, now the thought of my files not being organized causes me a lot of anxiety, so much anxiety that I cannot do or think anything else other than thinking about organizing them.

Can someone explain to me what the obsessive and compulsive parts are in my example?

sounds like loss of self control to me and allowing feelings to control what you do, this is quite possibly the same thing many people experience in all sorts of different ways, the homosexual feels drawn to the same sex, the anorexic feels fat, the germ a phobe feels germs are going to get them, the agoraphobe feels they cant leave their house.......its all based on feelings, anxiety is a feeling, lust are feelings......feelings are about the most untrustworthy emotion

 

[strelok0017]

sounds like loss of self control to me and allowing feelings to control what you do, this is quite possibly the same thing many people experience in all sorts of different ways, the homosexual feels drawn to the same sex, the anorexic feels fat, the germ a phobe feels germs are going to get them, the agoraphobe feels they cant leave their house.......its all based on feelings, anxiety is a feeling, lust are feelings......feelings are about the most untrustworthy emotion

Happens to me sometimes. Go to sleep full of joy in Jesus and hope only to wake up depressed. Can it be OCD symptom?

 

[Ribosome]

Is the part where i feel the urge to organize the compulsion part of OCD?

 

[Ribosome]

I have a question. What is the best way to find out if a person has OCD?

It doesn't excuse my sin, I know and that is not what I meant, but my thought life is killing me. My only two options are that either I'm a reprobate or am suffering from OCD.

you should research online for explanations of ocd and examples of it, and if you can relate to them then you might have ocd. different people have ocd to different levels. for some it is a minor thing that is hardly intrusive in their lives, but for others it consumes their lives.

normal people also have miniscule symptoms of OCD, and that is normal, but for an OCD sufferer, those symptoms are severe and interfere with their lives where they cant do many things that normal people can.

 

[gracealone]

First off, it's a very good thing that you are trying to categorize the components of an OCD cycle. It shows that you are taking a clinical approach to it and trying to understand how it gets a foot hold with you.
1.The obsession: " I feel compelled to organize my computer or else___________." You fill in the blank. What will happen if you don't keep your computer organized? This is the obsession.
2. The Anxiety response. This will happen if you refuse to keep your computer organizes. So then....
3. The compulsion: Organizing your computer over and over to try and shove down or quell the anxiety response.
To treat this OCD cycle properly you must apply the brakes just before you begin to engage in step 3, which is the compulsion. If you continue to perform the compulsion you validate the obsession that something bad will happen if you don't keep your computer organized. This perpetuates the cycle and if you continue on this path you will have to organize it more and more in order to alleviate the anxiety response. The more we engage in the compulsions the more valid and frightening the obsession seems to us.
If you force yourself to let it be and ride out the anxiety then over time the anxiety will die out. You have to do this in small steps. Set goals for yourself to leave off organzing it for longer and longer periods of time and even though it makes you anxious just allow the anxiety to be there without giving in to the compulsion.
Hope this helps.
Mitzi

I know it's obsessive-compulsive disorder, but what are obsessions and what are compulsions?

One common symptom of mine is that I organize my computer to ridiculous perfection. I spend days and days organizing the file names of documents and placing them in a hierarchy of appropriate folders. What forces me to do this is the uncontrollable thought that my files need to be organized perfectly. I wish I did not care about these stupid photos and music and document files, just like I didn't care about them before I got OCD, but now its different, now the thought of my files not being organized causes me a lot of anxiety, so much anxiety that I cannot do or think anything else other than thinking about organizing them.

Can someone explain to me what the obsessive and compulsive parts are in my example?

 

[gracealone]

Is the part where i feel the urge to organize the compulsion part of OCD?

Yes, but it's OK to feel the urge. If you actually organize it in response to that compelling feeling in order to assuage the anxiety that is the compulsion.
Mitzi

 

[Ribosome]

First off, it's a very good thing that you are trying to categorize the components of an OCD cycle. It shows that you are taking a clinical approach to it and trying to understand how it gets a foot hold with you.
1.The obsession: " I feel compelled to organize my computer or else___________." You fill in the blank. What will happen if you don't keep your computer organized? This is the obsession.
2. The Anxiety response. This will happen if you refuse to keep your computer organizes. So then....
3. The compulsion: Organizing your computer over and over to try and shove down or quell the anxiety response.
To treat this OCD cycle properly you must apply the brakes just before you begin to engage in step 3, which is the compulsion. If you continue to perform the compulsion you validate the obsession that something bad will happen if you don't keep your computer organized. This perpetuates the cycle and if you continue on this path you will have to organize it more and more in order to alleviate the anxiety response. The more we engage in the compulsions the more valid and frightening the obsession seems to us.
If you force yourself to let it be and ride out the anxiety then over time the anxiety will die out. You have to do this in small steps. Set goals for yourself to leave off organzing it for longer and longer periods of time and even though it makes you anxious just allow the anxiety to be there without giving in to the compulsion.
Hope this helps.
Mitzi

Thank you soooo much Mitzi, you answered my question!

 

[gracealone]

You are very welcome and I am praying that it helps you. As a fellow OCD'er I feel called to offer of help and hope in any way I can. This disorder is so painful and unless you live with it you just can't begin to understand that.
God Bless... I'm praying for you.
Mitzi

Thank you soooo much Mitzi, you answered my question!