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Can we talk about OCD?
I often see people saying 'Oh, I'm a bit OCD about..'.
OCD isn't about being tidy. Or about liking something done in a certain way. It's a mental health condition which blights the lives of sufferers and often, those around them.
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I often see people saying 'Oh, I'm a bit OCD about..'.
OCD isn't about being tidy. Or about liking something done in a certain way. It's a mental health condition which blights the lives of sufferers and often, those around them.
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It can occur alongside depression and anxiety. Saying that you're a bit OCD about something trivialises the condition and is insulting to sufferers.
OCD is broadly about obsessions (fear that bad stuff will happen) and compulsions (repetitive behaviours).
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OCD is broadly about obsessions (fear that bad stuff will happen) and compulsions (repetitive behaviours).
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For many of us, fear of what will happen post 01/01/2021 is making our OCD significantly worse. I am able to keep my obsessive side under control using coping strategies learned over many years but my compulsions are overwhelming me.
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4/8
Leaving the house for any reason requires me to do 5 circuits, each time checking that the same windows are closed and switching plugs and lights on and off repeatedly to make sure that they are actually off.
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5/8
I lock and unlock the front door repeatedly to make sure it's locked and then arm and disarm the security system for the same reason. Before getting Long Covid, I would keep this anxiety under control by counting - multiples of 3, prime numbers, complex mental arithmetic.
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6/8
Confusion and 'brain fog' from Covid means I can't do this at the moment so I'm back to my repetitive behaviours for now. It's exhausting, both physically and mentally.
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7/8
If you are still reading, thank you.
And next time you are tempted to say 'Oh, I am a bit OCD about...', please don't, because you can't be a bit OCD about anything. You've either got OCD or you haven't. It's really not about making the cushions on your sofa look nice.
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And next time you are tempted to say 'Oh, I am a bit OCD about...', please don't, because you can't be a bit OCD about anything. You've either got OCD or you haven't. It's really not about making the cushions on your sofa look nice.
8/8
