#OCD

In my last blog I wrote about decision making and stress. For some reason I am still on the stress theme and thought I would set down my layman's observation of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) particularly as seen around the home.

OCD is very common - maybe we all have it to some degree! For most people it might be described as habit - for most people it might be described as a foible - but for some people it is a huge issue in their lives - affects them and the people they share their lives with in a stressful and therefore negative way.

The type of OCD I have seen and observed particularly - is obsessive tidiness. Everything in the room has to be perfect. The sufferer sits ill at ease, "keeping an eye" on everything and everyone and cannot contain themselves from tidying and worrying that something might be marginally put out of place or a crumb dropped on the work surface! This is no way to live - can be corrosive and destructive - and certainly creates stress for all those involved.

My observation is OCD is often treated as something funny - when in reality the true feeling is the absolute opposite. I also think it is often progressive with the sufferer becoming more and more neurotic unless something changes to break the cycle. I have seen people become anti social because they cannot cope with the potential of someone else "spoiling" their perfect environment.

So what to be done. My solution!

• Acknowledge you have OCD.
• Accept that unless you do something to break the cycle it is likely to get worse and ultimately has the potential to be totally debilitating.
• Want to break the cycle.

How?

1. Rationalise OCD. Look at it objectively. It is illogical. It is silly. It is materialistic. It is pointless. Give yourself a severe talking to and telling off. What a stupid way to spend your life!
2. Force yourself to be untidy (or slightly less tidy). Resist tidying. In the same way you can eventually get used to not having sugar in your coffee you can get used to your environment not being perfect (as the sufferer sees it).
3. Get out more. Spending too much time in a particular place often leads to or encourages OCD. Your world becomes too small.

I am not saying this will be easy but your life will be better if you can lighten up!