I’m “obsessive-compulsive,” and I like it!
It calms me to keep things in order!
It feels good when people say I have the cleanest house!
It relaxes me when I take meticulous care of my hygiene!
Is it bad to be “obsessive-compulsive”?
The answer is NO!
There is nothing wrong with being obsessive-compulsive when this trait does not make everyday life harder for us or for the people around us. It isn’t bad to be obsessive-compulsive if it doesn’t affect our decisions, our peace of mind, our schedule, or our sleep. For more on quality sleep (read the article: Tips for better and restorative sleep). On the contrary, one could say it’s perfectly reasonable to take care of our personal hygiene and keep our space clean, it’s effective to keep our notes organized so we can do well on exams, and it’s sensible to check that we locked the house properly. Even being slightly superstitious about 'black cats' or a 'lucky T-shirt' doesn’t make someone obsessive-compulsive; it’s perfectly normal and often shaped by culture and upbringing.
But what about those times when we HAVE to do the things above because we’re afraid something bad will happen to someone, or because if we don’t do them we can’t calm down?
In that case, it’s important to pay closer attention to your 'obsessive-compulsive' tendencies, because it’s no longer just a preference for tidiness, cleanliness, or safety. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that can significantly affect your ability to handle even the simplest daily tasks. For example, it may keep us from sleeping unless we make sure that every item in the refrigerator is in the right place; it may prevent us from eating unless we wash our hands a specific number of times; it may stop us from going to work via the shortest route because there is a cemetery along the way, and much more.
A core feature of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is “obsessions.” By obsessions we mean all those negative ideas, thoughts, impulses, and doubts that enter our mind automatically, without our intention. These thoughts can create intense confusion, fear, and anxiety, because we believe they have the power to harm another person or lead us to the wrong decisions. Often, we experience these thoughts as inappropriate or offensive toward people close to us or toward the Divine, which can bring overwhelming shame and guilt. Whatever form obsessions take, they can make us feel intense anxiety and fear, guilt, worry, and a general sense of distress and confusion. It makes sense to feel this way, given the strong sense of responsibility we carry, because we believe that our thoughts alone are enough to cause something bad to happen.
In reality, our fears do not come from a real danger, but are products of our thinking. If you have similar thoughts, you’re not alone. Reach out to a licensed therapist for help.
This is where “compulsions” develop. These are behaviors aimed at neutralizing the thoughts described above. They are the actions we take to make sure none of our “problematic” ideas will come true, and to feel relief. Compulsions can take two forms: overt and covert. In the overt form, we see visible rituals, such as washing my hands 15 times before eating or making sure everything is in its place before leaving the house. The second form includes mental acts that no one else can observe, such as needing to count silently to 12 before crossing the street. It’s also possible to have compulsions without the corresponding obsessions. For example, I must place objects at right angles on my desk, otherwise I can’t calm down and I feel anxious. In that case, compulsions are not functioning as mechanisms to neutralize an unwanted thought, but they still create discomfort and pressure if they are not carried out.
“Yes, but I’ve had them for as long as I can remember, and I’ve learned not to let them affect me.
Also, who can guarantee that if I stop, something bad won’t happen?”
In reality, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is not simply an unwanted thought that disappears with a specific action. It can disrupt our effectiveness in even the simplest things, because our decisions and behaviors are controlled by our negative ideas. Both automatic thoughts and our actions can become repetitive and obsessive, leaving you under intense pressure and anxiety throughout the day. We can’t enjoy even the simplest moments, we are critical of ourselves, we try to do everything perfectly, and we constantly feel responsible for everything. In fact, it has been shown that Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, especially when chronic, is linked to and often co-occurs with: Anxiety Disorders, Eating Disorders, and Depressive Disorders. If you’re interested in learning more about the symptoms of depression, see the article: What is depression.
Trust the therapeutic process and let mental health professionals help you identify the causes and learn strategies for managing OCD.
Bibliography
- Bienvenu, O. J., Samuels, J. F., Wuyek, L. A., Liang, K.-Y., Wang, Y., Grados, M. A., ... Nestadt, G. (2011). Is obsessive-compulsive disorder an anxiety disorder, and what, if any, are spectrum conditions? A family study perspective. Psychological Medicine, 42(01), 1.
- Bloch, M. H., Landeros-Weisenberger, A., Rosario, M. C., Pittenger, C., & Leckman, J. F. (2008). Meta-Analysis of the Symptom Structure of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165(12), 1532-1542.
- Goodman, W. K., Grice, D. E., Lapidus, K. A. B., & Coffey, B. J. (2014). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 37(3), 257-267. doi:10.1016/j.psc.2014.06.004
- Stein, D. J., Costa, D. L. C., Lochner, C., Miguel, E. C., Reddy, Y. C. J., Shavitt, R. G., ... Simpson, H. B. (2019). Obsessive-compulsive disorder. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 5(1). doi:10.1038/s41572-019-0102-3
- Richter, P. M. A., & Ramos, R. T. (2018). Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. CONTINUUM: Lifelong Learning in Neurology, 24, 828-844. doi:10.1212/con.0000000000000603
- Romero-Sanchiz, P., Nogueira-Arjona, R., Godoy-Ávila, A., Gavino-Lázaro, A., & Freeston, M. H. (2017). Differences in clinical intrusive thoughts between obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and hypochondria.Clinical
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