Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

[Alfieri]

Why do so many people think they have OCD? It annoys me because someone like me who seriously has pesky thoughts, unwanted compulsions, and just general anxiety hates when someone throws around the term OCD whenever they want something to be neat or if they notice a small detail. You're just being finicky and clean, you don't have OCD so please stop throwing that term around.

 

[Omicron]

What troubles me about people using the term so loosely is that they are undermining the seriousness of the disorder. The term is commonplace nowadays and most people are gravely misinformed about the disorder. People start taking it less seriously and it can hurt the ones that do live with it.

Also, not all people with OCD are germophobes or have contamination thoughts.

I have been diagnosed with OCD. Arithmomaniac right here.

 

[Sydian]

I really dislike when people start rearranging something and they say, "Oh I have to fix this, I'm so OCD!" Like...no you're not. You just want to arrange something a certain way, which is fine, but don't go saying you have OCD. That's usually not the case. And even then, people with it don't announce it like that. I don't know about y'all, but I don't go around announcing that I have anxiety. If it comes up in conversation or if I need to tell someone because it's starting to get to me and I need to remove myself from a situation, then that's appropriate. But if I just said "Oh I have anxiety!" because there's a large group of people near by, that's not really accurate. The same applies with people who claim they have depression or really any other disorder.

 

[Corvus of the Black Night]

I have OCD and I think its funny that people use it in a silly way. Chillax, people. People just say that because it reminds them of the disorder and frankly those "OCD things" bug the **** out of me too! Maybe there is a minor bit of OCD in all of us and maybe we need to not judge people so quickly on the dime. Honestly people hurt more if they're unwilling to accept your problems or not work around your own coping strategies than anything, just using it out of context doesn't really do anything "bad" so to speak. The people I work with have no idea that I have OCD other than they're aware of my quirks and sometimes stress that comes from it, but they handle it pretty well, and in my opinion that's the way it should be.

Anyways its a pain in the ass and it fires up sometimes. Some days its more manageable than others. I think for the most part I'm able to manage it though very well. Honestly its far more manageable than my generalized anxiety or depression.

 

[Omicron]

I have OCD and I think its funny that people use it in a silly way. Chillax, people. People just say that because it reminds them of the disorder and frankly those "OCD things" bug the **** out of me too! Maybe there is a minor bit of OCD in all of us and maybe we need to not judge people so quickly on the dime. Honestly people hurt more if they're unwilling to accept your problems or not work around your own coping strategies than anything, just using it out of context doesn't really do anything "bad" so to speak. The people I work with have no idea that I have OCD other than they're aware of my quirks and sometimes stress that comes from it, but they handle it pretty well, and in my opinion that's the way it should be.

Anyways its a pain in the ass and it fires up sometimes. Some days its more manageable than others. I think for the most part I'm able to manage it though very well. Honestly its far more manageable than my generalized anxiety or depression.

Yes, it is silly and can be funny, I agree. And you're on point, it hurts the most when people are unwilling to accept your problems. My problem is not with them doing it per se. My problem is that people use the term so much nowadays that they are starting to think it is just a quirk and isn't a real problem or that it can't be a real problem. They brush off your struggle, they tell you it isn't a real problem, that you should stop crying for attention and so on. Pretty much what you said.

But the problem IS fueled by those comments. Ignorance is the cause, not the comments by themselves, but they certainly fuel the problem. People not making those kind of comments won't solve the problem either, education will. But in the meanwhile, refraining may help a little.

 

[Corvus of the Black Night]

Eh, I think ignorance isn't a good thing but those comments aren't necessarily rooted in it. Ignorance manifests itself more in people's actions than just from using something out of a professional context. Sure, they can be concurrent but correlation doesn't imply causation.

 

[Flushed]

I always give a disclaimer when talking about ocd, because while I felt I had symptoms that resembled it, it was entirely self diagnosed and they eventually went away. However at the time it seemed to be a perfect match to me, I had responses to germophobia that were quite compulsive, despite them being socially unacceptable, and I had daily rituals that were so mundane, but that I couldn't move on or go to sleep with out doing them perfectly. My parents did express concern at one point, and I definitely would've sought professional help had these compulsions persisted.

And ocd has grown to become a colloquially-used term, which I haven't taken to using lightly because of my experiences. And to basically mirror what's already been said, I agree that the term being thrown out there often really isn't an issue, as long as those people don't undermine the severity of the condition. Similar to the usage of "gay", most people definitely don't intend to be harmful.

 

[Omicron]

Eh, I think ignorance isn't a good thing but those comments aren't necessarily rooted in it. Ignorance manifests itself more in people's actions than just from using something out of a professional context. Sure, they can be concurrent but correlation doesn't imply causation.

Sorry, I may have worded that badly. No, ignorance is not the cause of the comments. What I was trying to say is that the unwillingness to accept the problems, brushing them off, is originated in ignorance. With those comments fueling it.

EDIT: With that being said, not all people underestimate the problem. And if you don't underestimate the problem, there's absolutely no harm in the remarks.

 

[adameastment]

What troubles me about people using the term so loosely is that they are undermining the seriousness of the disorder. The term is commonplace nowadays and most people are gravely misinformed about the disorder. People start taking it less seriously and it can hurt the ones that do live with it.

Also, not all people with OCD are germophobes or have contamination thoughts.

I have been diagnosed with OCD. Arithmomaniac right here.

That annoys me about Mental Illnesses in general. Rhett and Link ("Internetainers") made a song called "It's my OCD", which in my opinion lessened the seriousness of the disorder like you said.

It's the same with depression, people say "Oh, I'm so depressed today", I just want to tell them they aren't, they're just a little sad because they didn't get their morning coffee or something.

 

[Alfieri]

That annoys me about Mental Illnesses in general. Rhett and Link ("Internetainers") made a song called "It's my OCD", which in my opinion lessened the seriousness of the disorder like you said.

It's the same with depression, people say "Oh, I'm so depressed today", I just want to tell them they aren't, they're just a little sad because they didn't get their morning coffee or something.

However Rhett and Link made a follow-up video in their other channel where they talk randomly about stuff behind a desk. They spoke about how the song was aimed for the people who misuse the term and go on to explain what really makes a person have OCD or not.

 

[adameastment]

However Rhett and Link made a follow-up video in their other channel where they talk randomly about stuff behind a desk. They spoke about how the song was aimed for the people who misuse the term and go on to explain what really makes a person have OCD or not.

Did they? I'll check that out.

At least they did that, but the song didn't come across that way in all honesty. It's a catchy song though...

 

[Sydian]

It's the same with depression, people say "Oh, I'm so depressed today", I just want to tell them they aren't, they're just a little sad because they didn't get their morning coffee or something.

I feel like there is a difference in being depressed and full on depression, but that being said, maybe I only think that because of how loosely the term is thrown. I don't know. Kind of like how you can be anxious, but not have anxiety disorder in a way? But yeah, as I mentioned before, depression is also thrown around willy nilly and to those that have it or have dealt with some form of it before, it just makes it seem less serious than what it is. And it's something that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy (not that I have any, but you know). It's painfully hard to deal with. No one should ever have to feel that way.

 

[Alexander Nicholi]

I think the better term for the generalized feelings people get would be obsessive compulsive. It gets your point across, rolls off the tongue easier, and isn't as demeaning to those with OCD.

As far as depression goes, adameastment has a very good point. Those with depression or manic depressive disorder will agree with me when I say that the pain you feel in and out or just all around is hard for others without to imagine.

 

[adameastment]

I feel like there is a difference in being depressed and full on depression, but that being said, maybe I only think that because of how loosely the term is thrown. I don't know. Kind of like how you can be anxious, but not have anxiety disorder in a way? But yeah, as I mentioned before, depression is also thrown around willy nilly and to those that have it or have dealt with some form of it before, it just makes it seem less serious than what it is. And it's something that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy (not that I have any, but you know). It's painfully hard to deal with. No one should ever have to feel that way.

I don't mean like... If something genuinely bad happens lets say a family member dies and it hits you hard. Because that may put you in quite a depressed state of mine.

But I mean when it is trivialised to the extent of how kids use it these days. I've seen kids say they were depressed because they might have missed out on their favourite drink or something, it doesn't help their attitude towards it when they're older and they actually experience people with depression. Exactly like you said, it makes it less serious.

 

[Corvus of the Black Night]

Well the difference between the word "depression" and "OCD" is that the word depression is very commonly used as a synonym to "sad" and has been for quite some time. The term "Clinical Depression" is the technical term for depression in psychology. Someone saying that they're depressed without claiming a clinical diagnosis is almost always interpreted as the more casual sense of the word for this reason.

OCD hasn't really reached that status yet. It appears to be evolving in this direction though as more people become aware of it.

Both can be used in an exaggerated manner to explain someone's condition, for example, some people may say "I'm clinically depressed" about something if they're extremely disappointed about it. Does that make it wrong? Eh, nah. As long as those people don't act like depression isn't an actual illness. Mind you, the use of this language is so casual that sufferers of the condition use it to describe their problems as well.

As I say, just let it flow it's course and remember that context speaks far greater than words. Someone saying that they're OCD when they get annoyed by a lack of consistency is honestly negligible in comparison to individuals who refuse to work around OCD's irritating habits and disables the ability for sufferers to work around these problems.

 

[Auticorn]

People do the same with Autism. They think it's cool to have these disorders without realizing that it's actually not fun at all. I hate it because I struggle day in and day out with Autism, and I don't like people who self-diagnose unless they have an honest reason for it.

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

You need to tell me that demanding type diversity in ORAS in order for it to look good is NOT the result of OCD? Well at least I have other behavioral symptoms to make me believe I have it (ex: constant pacing in order to think), but I was unaware there's others abusing the term similar to Autism being thrown out in 4chan or other troll-infested areas.

 

[Guardian]

Guys maybe you haven't noticed but some of you haven't noticed, but, again, some of you, are generalizing as well.
Not everyone use these terms to offend those with serious problems, or to make fun of it in this or another way.

Being "depressed" is somewhere in the middle of being down and sad. So what, am I supposed to say, "Oh you know, Im so, between sad and down right now"? No, I'll say, Im a bit depressed today.
And OCD, seriously? Am I supposed to tell people "Oh, I do this several times cos I have tendency to do things more times cos Im just abit obsessive but not really OCD kind of obsessive."? Come on, seriously. Why wouldn't people be able to say they are a bit OCD without being attacked for not knowing how serious those illnesses are.

How many of you say "Ugh I have such a headache." when its only a dull one? Are those with strong migraines supposed to tell you "OMG you have NO IDEA what headache feels like, you are just a bit lightheaded!"

I guess where its coming from, but I think its coming for the wrong reason.
Idk, just my two cents.

 

[Corvus of the Black Night]

People do the same with Autism. They think it's cool to have these disorders without realizing that it's actually not fun at all. I hate it because I struggle day in and day out with Autism, and I don't like people who self-diagnose unless they have an honest reason for it.

Self diagnosis should be used as a coping tool and nothing more. Unfortunately people think it's oppression points. If you think you have a problem, GO SEE A DOCTOR

 

[adameastment]

Guys maybe you haven't noticed but some of you haven't noticed, but, again, some of you, are generalizing as well.
Not everyone use these terms to offend those with serious problems, or to make fun of it in this or another way.

Being "depressed" is somewhere in the middle of being down and sad. So what, am I supposed to say, "Oh you know, Im so, between sad and down right now"? No, I'll say, Im a bit depressed today.
And OCD, seriously? Am I supposed to tell people "Oh, I do this several times cos I have tendency to do things more times cos Im just abit obsessive but not really OCD kind of obsessive."? Come on, seriously. Why wouldn't people be able to say they are a bit OCD without being attacked for not knowing how serious those illnesses are.

How many of you say "Ugh I have such a headache." when its only a dull one? Are those with strong migraines supposed to tell you "OMG you have NO IDEA what headache feels like, you are just a bit lightheaded!"

I guess where its coming from, but I think its coming for the wrong reason.
Idk, just my two cents.

I see what you mean, I know I might have generalised people in my post. I know that unless you absolutely know someone's situation you aren't really in the right position to judge someone.

I think what I want is people to almost respect what people who have those mental illnesses are going through, it's not that I don't want them to stop saying it at all.

I think now that the terms are banded around more and more people use them as descriptions for what they're going through. For instance "I've got an OCD about that", I know that's a common term now. Or people say they're depressed when they're sad, when for many people with depression it's more about the lack of any emotion at all.

It's difficult, having people in my direct family who have suffered/are suffering with a mental illness it gives you a different opinion on things. I guess it's more of a bugbear than anything, I wouldn't tell someone that what they're saying annoys me. EDIT: That might well be my problem though, I don't have any personal experience of it therefore have a skewed opinion.

Like it's been said before, self diagnosis should be as a coping mechanism so you can go to a doctor and say all the different things that you are suffering from as opposed to the things you think you have.