'I clean too much all the time. I am such an OCD.' I'd be running a chocolate factory if I had a dollar every time I heard this statement. This term is often used casually in a conversation, causing it to lose its true meaning eventually. So without any further ado, let's find out what it's all about.
Along with casually throwing disorders around, self-diagnosing mental disorders has become another common source of misinformation. So to take a step toward reducing the spread of such false trails, it is essential to clarify the foundations of the two terms.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, as defined by the International OCD Foundation, is a mental health disorder in which an individual gets caught in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions. Particular obsessions like the need for aesthetics, your favorite dish, and your high school crush cannot all be classified as OCD. However, when obsessions become unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges, it is then when it becomes a disorder. Such obsessions trigger or compel the individual to perform behaviors to decrease the distress caused. This also means that although Monica from FRIENDS wanted things to be a certain way, such qualities exhibit perfectionism and not necessarily OCD.
So how do we differentiate between the two terms? When the compulsion to perform specific tasks starts affecting a person's social and work life, it directs more towards developing OCD. The central concept to be emphasized here is that orderliness alone is not the only characteristic that defines the disorder, but rather the obsessive nature of the habit, making it intrusive to an individual's life.
However, it needs also to be understood that if one feels they might have OCD, irrespective of how mild the symptoms might be, it is never wrong to approach a psychologist with your concern. It is also vital that when encountering such a situation where a disorder is being thrown around casually, we can be informed enough to correct them.
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References
Greenstein, L. (2015, October 14). OMG, I’m So OCD. NAMI. Retrieved August 21, 2022, from
https://nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/October-2015/OMG,-I%E2%80%99m-So-OCD
Guide, S. (2019, December 4). Does Being a “Neat Freak” Mean You Have OCD? Florida Behavioral Health. Retrieved August 21, 2022, from https://www.behavioralhealthflorida.com/blog/being-neat-freak-vs-ocd/
Why We Should Stop Saying 'I'm So OCD' – PureWow. (2021, May 20). PureWow. Retrieved August 21, 2022, from https://www.purewow.com/wellness/im-so-ocd
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