OCD Misunderstood

It's not uncommon to hear someone state that they're "so OCD" about something, often to follow up with an example of being particular or having rigid preferences.

"Oh, I just have to have all my shirts facing the same direction in my closet. I'm a bit OCD about that."

"I'm OCD about my car, please don't get it dirty."

No, you're not OCD. I mean, you might be, but you don't know the difference between being OCD and being particular. Being particular might be annoying, but OCD is often crippling and nothing to laugh at.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), as defined in the DSM V, consists of the following criteria:

1. An obsession, compulsion, or both. An obsession is a recurrent, distressing thought that the experiencing person tries to suppress or neutralize. A compulsion is a behavior that one engages in to try and calm or eliminate the obsession.
2. These obsessions and/or compulsions take up a lot of time and energy.
3. This is not due to the use of another drug.
4. This is not due to another mental health condition.

The most common example of OCD that we probably see in the media is hand-washing. This is not necessarily the actual most common case, but we'll go with it for our example. The cycle generally follows the same pattern: A person feels an intrusive or obsessive worry that their hands are somehow dirty or tainted. As an attempt to deal with the obsession and be sure that their hands are clean, they engage in a compulsion. This compulsion can be excessive hand washing, hand sanitizing, or any combination. Often, there is a specific ritual or number of times that a person needs to engage in this compulsion in order to feel clean "enough." The obsession is lessened... until next time.

This cycle is often compared to being a prisoner of one's own mind. It is often excruciating. Those stuck in the cycle know that what they are doing is anxiety-driven and excessive, but they simply can't muster the will to stop. Someone who is particular may really want their shirts to be color-coordinated, but they won't experience major anxiety if they aren't. They don't tend to have an irrational fear that a loved one will get into a car accident if their shirts aren't aligned properly. If they do have that fear, then they probably do have OCD.

It's fine to say you're obsessive or rigid, but try to take special care not to overuse the term "OCD." It takes the seriousness away from the individuals who are truly struggling with it. These days, when someone says they have OCD, it's not uncommon for people to think they are just particular or very opinionated. While that may be true, that is not what makes someone a person with OCD. OCD is real and brutal. The term should be reserved for those who genuinely struggle with it.