Not O.C.D., but.........

Ha! Many lampshades have a seam. The seam must be AWAY from you as you enter the room, preferably so it is not visible from any point in the room. I have to restrain myself in friends' houses and public places where lampshade seams may be visible. Just looks DREADFUL. Otherwise I'm fairly normal. And if most people have it, then it can't be a disorder.

Good grief, wiping your nose when you have a cold isn't either

Just have to always double check that the water taps are turned fully off after one disaster when I had left one on and all hot water was cold.
Lever taps so easy to use with dodgy hands.

I do the same littlegran and for the same reason, that's not OCD it's common sense

Surely quirks are what makes us human?

My Dad kept a huge well fed spider in a fish tank at the door of his shed to stop my cleaning mad Mum from going in in to tidy his domain.

My sweet sister in law who won't allow anyone near her dishwasher in case they upset her special arrangement is famous for tidying round people. She would constantly shift her husband's ash tray to the centre of the coffee table as he tried to enjoy his after dinner pipe.

My husband once asked my best friend where she did the cooking because it obviously wasn't in the kitchen, it being just like an unused showroom.

Personally I don't have any quirks - as I watch my washing on the line today I think it just looks better colour matched and size coded.

Belladonna, someone once accused me of having ocd as I still put matching socks in pairs in the clothes line, then underwear in order of whose it belongs to. Fact is I had to do this as a little girl before I went to school as it then meant mum (who was blind) could get the washing in and it was ready sorted. The habit is still there though ?

That just sounds like good sense izabella

I'm actually quite a relaxed house-keeper, but I too match my clothes pegs and of course they mustn't clash with the clothes they're on!!! Thought I was the only one!

I have to have the volume on the tv on an even number. When I've finished my crisps I have to tie the bag in a knot before placing in the bin. I constantly tidy around my hubby as he likes to throw things on the coffee table. It drives me nuts. When hanging tea towels on the line I make sure the pictures are the right way up. This isn't OCD, it's just a little quirkiness.

I get angry when people say "oh, I'm OCD" as a source of pride, when they're clearly not. I feel it belittles an horrendous mental health problem.

Ha Ha! Somebody else ties empty packets in a knot.

I do this with all packets that go in the recycling bin. Even really small ones.

Thank you Anniebach, I think you get it. Actually a bit of ritual and habit, as long as it is recognised and not debilitating, can be something of a comfort in a chaotic world. I completely respect my children's right to have their rooms as they wish. You can't sit on my son's small sofa for Games Workshop boxes and Patisserie Valerie containers!

I have noticed, however, that my daughter, the chaos queen, has turned into a mini-me of tidiness now she has her own place. Still messy when she comes home though.

Luckily for me I married a man as tidy as I am.

My husband once asked my best friend where she did the cooking because it obviously wasn't in the kitchen, it being just like an unused showroom.

We were looking at a house to buy and it was absolutely spotless, showroom condition. My OH asked if she ever cooked and the owner said 'of course'. Then OH, to my great embarrassment lifted up the centre of the gas ring and said 'no you don't, there are no burn marks'. I really think that she was worried about making a mess and only had take outs or went to her sister's.

Well said Bubbe.

I have to have everything tidy and minimal and have nothing on show that is either white or cream, including carpets. I am not ocd, which is actually quite a serious condition to have, but probably boarderline and certainly anal! I just can't stand clutter or mess it disturbes me greatly. I do like being tidy, and don't mind others mess in their houses, but no way could I live in it.

Reading these posts, I do think it is the "unless you have experienced this you cannot understand" topic.
Myself I have habits peculiar to me. I cannot say they seriously affect my life.
I do have a close relative who suffers from OCD. It completely controls their life. They don't wish for it and want to understand it because their life is miserable, and so restricted due to this.
It certainly isn't concern about the same colour pegs or keeping items organised, checking door locks or cooker turned off. It is the inability to live a 'normal' life.
To any here who suffer from OCD, you have my utmost sympathies.

I am too tired to do any of the above.

We have a young friend with OCD and it restricts his life immensely.
Wanting things straight and tidy and in order is not OCD.

I have really enjoyed reading the posts today. It always makes you feel better when you realise you are not alone with your quirks!

Teacher11 Just wondering if you are a teacher? I am and I can associate with all you have said.

I have many of these quirks. Cloth nappies forty years ago had to have white pegs,laddered tights are tied in a knot,counters clear before I can think about cooking ,towels just so ,tea towels ditto but they are not definitely not OCD. It's an overused expression these days to denote finicky people.

Thank you Teacher11, yes I do understand it , I have OCD, it doesn't make me unhappy because I don't have a severe form, I think it is rather like a comfort blanket - again not speaking of severe OCD, it slots into my daily life and I don't intend to take on the battle to overcome it, it doesn't affect anyone , no one knows, and i suppose it eases stress and tension. Enough of that in life so why add to it. I help run a mental health drop in centre we open 365 days in the year, some of our visitors struggle with it , quite severe too.

I spoke out about it because I feel strongly about the stigma still attached to mental health illnesses and problems, one word we do not use at the centre is 'normal' so call it a quirk, a habit what ever, if one feels compelled to do something and feels relief after or decides not to do it and feels so stressed it is OCD. What is important is anyone with a quirk/habit which causes them distress , affects daily life or causes upset in a family do get help, it can be overcome. My niece had it quite severely, it took quite some time but she is now free of it.

Anniebach your post is really interesting to me. I've never considered that I have a mild form of ocd but things you mention are so true for me. I feel relief and contentment once I've done all my cleaning and tidying up, I can't have anything not in the right place. I even do this if I'm very late home, unwell or short of time. If I dont I can't settle and feel very anxious. If the house is a mess because the Grandchildren are here after a while I get very stressed waiting to clean up. I do manage it, but it's made me think reading your post if I do actually have a mild form of ocd. Thank you.

Christingle, please don't be alarmed , I said in my first post on this thread that most people have , there are worse things to relieve stress, hitting the wine bottle is one.

Thank you

Anxiety, in its many forms results in us trying to make order out of chaos. For some people it's arranging clothes pegs, for others it's the inability to get out of the house because they are held hostage by demanding rituals.
We all have anxieties; as a psychiatrist colleague of mine says, if you have no anxiety, you're probably dead.