8.13.2007

Tics

not sure what categorizes some of us under the definition of obsessive compulsive:

A psychiatric disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive actions, such as cleaning, checking, counting, or hoarding. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), one of the anxiety disorders, is a potentially disabling condition that can persist throughout a person's life. The individual who suffers from OCD becomes trapped in a pattern of repetitive thoughts and behaviors that are senseless and distressing but extremely difficult to overcome.

or is your definition of ocd jack nicholson as Melvin in "as good as it gets?"

the definition is a bit serious but i do think we all have our own OCD tendencies that we deal with on a daily basis. i know i have mine. i know that i sadly have several. i know i have several that probably don't even realize i have. i wonder how we define the difference between that which is routine, that which annoys us to no end, and that which is of the true ocd definition?

for instance, order of actions done in the shower. i wash my hair while brushing my teeth, i condition while soaping up, shave last if i shave at all! is that just routine or is it more than that because i feel strangely incomplete if my shower order is not followed. how about the fact that i can't go to bed without having wiped down all the kitchen counters? again, does that just fall under things that would annoy me if i didn't do it or am i a bit ocd about my kitchen counters.i know my husband leaving his sweet n low wrappers on the microwave oven is definitely in the annoying category. oh how he burns me!

the days that i take 400 to work and go through the toll booth, i have to go through the cashier lane for fear of the regular lane not working properly. i am always afraid that arm will not go up once i toss my change into the basket, then i will hold up the line and have to encounter endless, grueling minutes of complete strangers honking their horns at me for not completing the toll booth pass in 10 second or less. the mere thought of it scares me. is it fear or a compulsion since i choose that same lane every time?

what are yours? i know i am not alone here. so what that I don't like any toys out at night or that i have to wipe down sweet cheeks table every night. who cares that i often find myself typing in my head every day while talking. what does it matter that i can't read ahead in a magazine, that i must read strictly from the beginning to the end! do you really care that when i put sweet cheek's zillions of spoons away in the silverware drawer that they absolutely must face the same direction if i want to sleep well at night.

did you really want to know all of this about me? share yours, please! make me feel normal or let me know a bit crazy is the new normal.

1 comment:

aka Molly said...

Yeah, I think your a bit OC!!! Ha, I'm just messing with you. Of course we all have our "pet peeves" as I've always thought to call them. Mine aren't much different from yours ranging from my world feeling in total chaos if the children's toys are inter-mixed in their labeled bins (boy do I have fun with my label maker!) to our beds needing to be made each day to me ALWAYS ordering the exact same thing at every restaurant. Can I mention the fact that I always use my foot to flush a public toilet and my paper towel/sleeve to open the door? There are times I feel alittle obsessive about the way I like the house to run and have difficulty letting things go, but as long as I'm a SAHM, then nobody will be none the wiser. Except for you.

By the way, is Bill Murray in What about Bob supposed to be OC? That character always annoyed me!