Do I have OCD?

[mrscardero]

I have been wondering if I have a disorder. When I am at work,
I have to do things in order. When I was younger, I would constantly
switch furniture in my room 2-3 times a week. When I moved out,
I would constantly move furnitures around. When cardero and I
moved in to our house, I moved the living furniture around and I had
to move them back because of cardero. I can't move a lot of things
around in our house so I constantly move my clothes around.
When cardero does laundry he would have to tell me to put my clothes
away. The only reason why I leave them out is because I know I
will be rearranging my drawers around again. A lot of the times,
I would rearrange the inside of my locker.

cardero does a lot of the cleaning in the house but when it comes
to my work environment, I am a total neat freak. I had to tell my
supervisor that if an overtime occurs for one of our toll barrier
called Tappanzee Bridge, don't ask me. I freaked because the toll
booth I worked in was dirty. They didn't have paper towels or cleaning
stuff. They didn't even have a broom. When I go to work, I clean my
booth as soon as I get in my booth. I also have to make sure that all
my paper works and other items are placed in order on the counter.
I had to retype all the memo's we have in each booth to make sure
everything is in order and lined up straight on the walls. If someone
writes anything on the papers, I will take them down and re-do
the typing. There's a place for everything and everything has
to be organized and neat.

When I mow the lawn, I have to make sure I go on a straight line.
If some things aren't positioned the way I think they should be,
I start to feel anxious and position them the way I think they should be
positioned. I also have a problem with timing. If I am
to be somewhere at a certain time, I have to be there at a certain
time. I tend to get antsy when I am not somewhere on time. When
someone I get together with is late, I get frustrated and angry.

I also have this thing about someone else cooking in my kitchen.
I am the only one to use the grill or to cook. I don't like anyone
helping me in the kitchen. It's nice to have help, but I feel more
comfortable doing things on my own. If someone tries to help,
I start to feel anger like someone is invading my territory.

Our cat "Baby" is on a feeding schedule. If cardero feeds her
when it's not time for her feeding, I get angry with him. I know
he is only doing it so that Baby doesn't cry while I am sleeping
but it's not time for her to be fed yet. She can't be fed out of
her schedule.

Is this a condition? My co-worker says that I might have OCD.

 

[YmirGF]

I feel for ya Mrs. C, but you should really be consulting qualified doctors for the answer to this.

 

[mrscardero]

I feel for ya Mrs. C, but you should really be consulting qualified doctors for the answer to this.

cardero thinks I should go see someone but not for these.
He doens't really know about some of these because they
occur at work. I should go see someone but I have a feeling
that they will put me on meds. I don't like meds.

 

[YmirGF]

cardero thinks I should go see someone but not for these.
He doens't really know about some of these because they
occur at work. I should go see someone but I have a feeling
that they will put me on meds. I don't like meds.

I understand, but as I found from diagnosing my headaches for years... my diagnosis was quite wrong and after working with my doctor I took a prescription for two weeks and have been problem free since. So .... please... at least go see. If they prescribe pretty little pills - take them - but look around for a second opinion or even third.

 

[monta]

Here is some info from the Mayo Clinic on OCD, I would be hesitant to let a co-worker diagnose me unless he was a doctor

For OCD to be diagnosed, you must first meet these general criteria:

• You must have either obsessions or compulsions.
• You must realize that your obsessions and compulsions are excessive or unreasonable.
• Obsessions and compulsions significantly interfere with your daily routine.

Your obsessions must meet these specific criteria:

• Recurrent and persistent thoughts, impulses or images that are intrusive and cause distress.
• The thoughts aren't simply excessive worries about real problems in your life.
• You try to ignore or suppress these thoughts, images or impulses.
• You know that these thoughts, images and impulses are a product of your own mind.

Compulsions must meet these specific criteria:

• Repetitive behavior that you feel driven to perform, such as hand washing, or repetitive mental acts, such as counting silently.
• These behaviors or mental acts are meant to prevent or reduce distress about unrealistic obsessions.

 

[rojse]

cardero thinks I should go see someone but not for these.
He doens't really know about some of these because they
occur at work.

You would tell all of us before Cardero? I'm touched.

 

[mrscardero]

I understand, but as I found from diagnosing my headaches for years... my diagnosis was quite wrong and after working with my doctor I took a prescription for two weeks and have been problem free since. So .... please... at least go see. If they prescribe pretty little pills - take them - but look around for a second opinion or even third.

I will look into seeing someone. I always try to make excuses of why I don't go see someone. I use to see someone a long time ago when I was younger for another problem. It didn't really help. The doctor just kept bringing up my new family who had nothing to do with the problem I was having at the time. The stress went away when the person became deceased. Like the weight was lifted off of me because I knew he will not be coming for me any more.

 

[Scott C.]

Is this a condition? My co-worker says that I might have OCD.

I suggest that if your situation disrupts your life enough that you want help, that you go see a doctor. One point with OCD is that a person usually recgnizes that they are spending a lot of time worrying about things and doing things that their rational mind says are irrational. Yet, there is an anxious feeling that they need to do these things. Some people will check the stove 30 times in the morning to make sure that it's turned off. Rationally, they know that they they DID already check it and it is OFF. Yet, there's a nagging "WHAT IF" question and if they don't check it again, somehow the entire house might burn down. They might drive off to work worrying about it and then turn around and come home just to be sure. Now, that can disrupt your life, being late to work because you just had to go back and check ONE more time. But, "checking" is just one symptom, which may or may not be present in one person's OCD. The excessive need for order and symmetry MIGHT be a symptom also. So, if you feel your situation is negatively affecting your life or the lives of others enough that you want help, then go to a professional. On the other hand, we're all a little weird and that doesn't mean that we all need therapy or meds.