OCD Stuff

[ML]

Manstser was telling me this week that he's had some issues with OCD which were kind of a surprise. We heard something about it on a TV show and he started telling me "I used to do that"; for instance when he walked he would make sure to only take even steps. He told me he doesn't do it so much any more. But when I put it together with some of his issues with food textures when he was younger (wouldn't eat spag for a long time because of the worm factor lol), I realize that the OCD component of his condition truly is a factor.

Do any others deal with OCD components? I believe it's fairly common with kids on the spectrum.

ML

[jal]

I have seen slight tendencies in my gfg - who they are now thinking may be on the spectrum. Food can't touch on his plate is a big one, but DH is another story. He is a counter and a checker. Constantly obsessed with light switches or the stove before we leave the house. If he doesn't step on the stairs the right way he has to re-do them. The more anxiety and pressure that is going on in our lives the more it comes out. He also is a hand washer, but not to an extreme, but voives concerns over touching public doors and grocery carts. Also, we leave at the same time for work in the am and if he is not out the door before me he cannot leave. He compulsively checks EVERYTHING! UGH! It is frustrating for him (and me!). He trialed meds a few years ago, but could not stand the side effects, so he goes without.

[SearchingForRainbows]

Both of my GsFG are Aspies and have OCD tendencies. GFG1 is also bipolar and like klmno's son, his OCD tendencies seem to be related to his cycling.

GFG2 has strange habits. For instance, when walking in the upstairs hallway, he has to touch everyone's bedroom door on the way to the bathroom. He has to kiss his monkey puppet twice before leaving his room, etc. GFG2's strange behaviors change over time. The only thing that never changes is his kissing his monkey puppet twice before leaving his room.

So far, none of my GsFG's OCD tendencies have gotten in the way of them being able to function. It is something we watch though. WFEN

[Star*]

I can relate. I don't EVEN want to know how difficult life can become when you are COMPELLED....ugh.

I don't count anymore (much) but my ears still listen and can count like if a bell rings or a fan hits a shroud my brain counts the numbers.
I am a sock snob. I have issues with clothes and change sometimes eight or nine times until it feels right.
I have hearing sensitivity issues - sometimes to the point of earplugs. A rustling potato chip bag or someone whistling makes me unnerved.
I can't do germs. I've been wiping stuff with anti germ wipes.
I have food texture issues - have been known to throw away samiches because of smell or texture.
I'm an organizational freak.
Public bathrooms - OMG let's just not go there. mkkkk?

and yet - no one EVER told me I was OCD. It was just part of my personality.

-So maybe he's not OCD - he's just unique like me - because I have a girlfriend that has to do the handwashing and the light switches and when I was in a heightened state of stress I did a LOT more repetitive things - like check the doors and window locks three or four times....I made myself nuts. I like having an OCD bookkeeper because they are spot on about finding even a penny to balance.

There are jobs where this is helpful too so dont' fret too much.....

[Wiped Out]

The one we see the most ocd tendencies is with pc. Her tdoc even thinks she has ocd tendencies based on things she has told her.

[Jena]

oh yea we have the ocd tendencies as well. She's been dx with ocd along with all the other stuff. her's comes out in different ways, routine rigid, schedules, times of things, what time everyone comes home, what time they leave, her hw, collecting garbage in her closet (which i have happily put an end to LOL) a whole lot of stuff.

[gcvmom]

I found out recently that DH counts things. A LOT more than I realized. It's like his head is always trying to analyze or order things. He can't just look at something for the sake of looking at it. And this permeates his life on many, many levels.

[ML]

Thanks so much for all the great responses! Hugs and Happy Thanksgiving xo ML

[Nancy]

I believe most people are a bit OCD at some point in their lives. Many of us outgrow it or learn how to compensate, but then some go on to more serious OCD tendencies. When I was young I use to count everything. It had to be an even number, so if I walked 9 steps I had to walk another to make it ten. If I touched something once I had to touch it again. I would repeat things I read or heard on tv over and over in my head. I finally decided I had to stop doing that and so everytime that started to happen I forced myself to say something else or get up and move so I would change my brains path. I couldn;t even step omn a crack in the sidewalk. Besides breaking my mother's back (l0l) I just couldn;t do it. Then I stopped looking at the cracks in the sidewalk.

My pc has stronger OCD tendencies than I ever did. She has read the book "Brain Lock" and that has helped a little.

Nancy

[susiestar]

I have a lot of the same issues Star has, but possibly quite a bit stronger.

I simply can NOT be around someone crackling plastic. It just freaks me out.

I have to have the germX type wipes in my purse. I keep the packages of 10 or so wet wipes (or a ziploc with babywipes), the individual germX type handwipes, a container of the germX gel, eyeglasses wipes (they are just alcohol wipes so i clean with them if needed), AND I have a nifty little pump spray bottle of cleaner. It is about the size of a sharpie and I refill it with alcohol.

I am forever passing the hand gel to a kid, or a wipe. Or I need more than 1 or 2 and so I use the babywipes.

Public bathrooms? I have hte pump spray bottle that started life as hand sanitizer but smelled like alcohol so I refill it with alcohol. It is AWESOME for spraying toilet seats and then wiping them with toilet paper. But I also have to spray the handle on the stall AND the bar that is for the handicapped. And I don't EVER touch the door handle after I have washed my hands. Either someone else has to open the door or I have to use a paper towel. I HATE HATE HATE HATE mcdonald's bathrooms b/c they never have paper towels here. I end up either taking napkins IN, or using toilet paper to open the door. But the toilet paper is a last resort. I have waited for up to 5 minutes for someone to come in and open the door b/c I didn't bring in a napkin and they were out of toilet paper. (That is usually a sign I need to go back on prozac.)

I am a counter. Steps, chimes, bells, telephone rings,(it is one reason why the custom phone ringtones bug me - how do you count them?).

I count the number of whatever on my plate. Carrots, ratio of peas to carrots, number of pieces of chicken, whatever. It doesn't have to be an even or odd number, I just have to count them.

I think the counting is one reason I like cross stitch. All those little squares to count and reproduce with thread.

Wiz, Jess and Ty all have various counting things and tehy each had long stretches of time where food could NOT touch or be combined. I can remember making soup by serving broth, meat, veggies, rice, etc each in a separate serving dish so they could combine it however it suited them. It was actually easier than the fight over "my food touched".

I tihnk a lot mor eof the population deals with this than will admit it.

I do know that for many people SSRI type antidepressants are a big help. The maufacturers actually promote it for this, and at least for paxil it generally needs to be given at a higher dose amount to be effective for OCD issues.