Hey, I just wanted to add, everyone has some kind of OCD. Every person in the universe has some kind of an obsession for something. But everyone has it in a different level - sure, sometimes it gets to the point when a person has to go through therapy but mainly those obsessions for perfection is a common thing. Not something you need to worry about, washing your hands 20 times a day is not that crazy and neither arranging your books by size order.
I think the big problems begin when you have OCD for something really negative, or when the OCD really interrupts your way of life, like, sleepless nights, or lack of concentration with the important activities like studying or working.
The ultimate solution is to talk about it. You might just realize it's not that bad as you think.
I haven't been diagnosed with OCD because I've never been to a psychologist (but I am willing to do that sometime in the future) or to any therapy, so no one actually oficially said "You have OCD" but I know I have it. Too bad I only recently realized it. I know it cause I've been obsessed with things all my life.
Between the ages 13-17, I was kind of miserable cause I was obsessed with this scary movie I saw one night, after I saw it, I just stopped sleeping like a normal human being. for 4 years, I couldn't watch any horror movie, I couldn't sleep, no matter what, I was afraid of being alone with myself or with anyone I cared about cause I was afraid I might hurt them or myself, I won't continue describing it any more than this, cause it might sound too bizarre. It was 4 years of misery. BUT I'm glad to say that I'm over it, I don't know exactly how, but concentrating things you like to do, trying to distract yourself from thinking about this issue, it took me 4 years, but I did it. Maybe if I would have talked about it with someone, I would have gotten rid of it a long time ago. I just couldn't tell anyone about it. It was my big bizarre secret, I actually thought I'll carry it myself for the rest of my life, cause I thought I was some kind of a maniac, but now when I realized it was a big obsessive cumpolsive disorder, I feel more sane, I think.
Now I have all kinds of OCD symptoms, but it seems so natural to me, having some obsessions for certain things, I won't even list them, cause I know every 2nd person has them.
I used to wash my hands every 5 minutes when I was a little younger, and when people told me it's a kind of OCD I would say "Are you serious? It seems I only worry about my health and cleanliness", it looked too obviously normal to me, I dunno... And I also cant go to pablic restrooms, I read this article which said that you can get infected with HIV if an HIV carrier peed there or something, never mind, I just don't go to pablic restrooms, no matter what.

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I have a family member who has it. You might look into reading Stop Obessing! How to Overcome Your Obessions and Compulsions. I think it helped her.

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ok advice : ive seen people with OCD (including the MTV True Life thing) and just to say.. the pills.... ya they dont really work i've seen people take it for years and it didnt improve their condition. so really i suggest that if there is something that you normally do like as part of your "ritual" like touching something for example, DONT DO IT. i know it will cause alot of anxiety or it wont feel right but thats good for you, its the only way you can help your OCD. just think, nothing is going to happen if you dont do your "ritual" nothing bad will happen, you wont dissapoint anyone, etc. i used to have a little OCD, like i have posters in my room and sometimes i would go in and touch a poster, but then i would have to go and touch all of them or else it wouldnt feel right, or like if i did something to one of my hands or whatever i would have to do the same to the other in order to balance things out. so i know where your coming from but then i just stopped caring all of a sudden and just said this is so stupid and my OCD i dont think was really severe or anything but still i was able to over come the little bit of OCD that i had by just not doing whatever it is i thought "i had" to do. so just try it. and i think that it will really help!! i wish all the best of luck to you!! ~anna~

There are alot of people with OCD. Like the name says, Obsessive Cumpulsive Disorder. Which i think in some cases gives it a negative conditation.

There are different levels of it. I for one was somebody that, i would go to the barthroom, i would flush. I would come in the bathroom, 5 or six times to see if i flushed the toilet, even though i KNEW i had already done it.

Another thing was. If i would go out, and my parents were not home. I would walk out the front door. I knew i had locked the door, but i would walk right back up to it, and move the thing 8 times to make sure it was locked, again, even though i knew i had already done so.

What really changed everythign was when i got a job. Because i really didn't have time to check the toilet or the door to my house, i really had to trust my instincs, i would tell myself, "I locked the door" "I locked the door"

So, now i dont do it. Because my mind was occupied doing something else.

I still do it, but is not as bad as before, in fact is rare.

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It's not the fear forgeting...but the fear of being forgotten

That sounds horrible about the kids making fun of you.I'm glad things have gotten better for you over time.

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www.myspace.com/lexiwonder
YES. but not with you.

I am actually also an obsessive-compulsive. I'm currently going bald *grimace* because I'm a trichotilomaniac. Trichotilomania makes people pull their hair out. I'm on some medications and I have been in hypnotherapy for four months now. The hypnosis is a GREAT way to treat stress associated with OCD. It's not like it is in the movies...if you are interested in hearing more, PM me and I'll give you more info. It's worked for me.

Actually your advice did help. I'll take allt the advice I can get so if u have you can PM it to me. Thanks

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It's not the fear forgeting...but the fear of being forgotten

I have it! I get picked on a lot by my friends for pushing all the crumbs off of the lunch room table and eraser shards off of my desk! And other things like, I have to do stuff in an even number and capitalizing and spacing after each period. I know how you feel! I hate it when people label me as a "neat freak." It's so annoying! But yeah, you're not alone!

I'm a bit late here, but I'm exactly the same way (except for my roomO_o). The only real problem it gives me is at work. I work at Target, and we have to do this thing called "zoning" basically making the store look nice. Depending on the isle it make take me half an hour-a full hour on one isle, because I need it to be straight, and I really prefer even. For example, Shampoo, All the Shampoo and conditioner and stuff HAVE to be in two rows, and I feel much better if it were even, if there are any uneven, than the first row (often on the left) must have the extra one. Or another example. Stacking. I.HATE.STACKING. Anything that is stacked I MUST unstack if possible, if theres no way to unstack it, than i will stack from the back. I really hate it. Sometimes I feel bad because people have to come help me, and i dont thinkthey fully understand, i'll tell them, but they sorta just laugh it off:-P
If you do go to a therapist, just make surethey treat you as an equal and take you seriously. My former therapist refused to believe that I had anything wrong with me. She wouldn't believe me when I said I had ADD. Now I told her it wasn't serious, but Hi, EVERYONE in my family has it, and prety sure I do, and I dont give a shit if you dont believe me. lol. Just make sure they will honestly listen to you.

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