Neat freak???

[Mysterious Gurl]

Hello everyone,

 

I was just wondering if there is something wrong with been overly tidy? I have always had this thing (even since I was a really young girl) about having everything in a specific order and in line.

 

For example, under my bed I had 12 pairs of foot wear and I have them all in order: best wear, casual wear and general wear. I also have all my books in size order on my book case.

 

Is it normal? A few friends of mine have picked up that I can be a little up tight when it comes to tidying my possessions. I'm only freakishly neat with my own property in my own environment like my bedroom, college work area and office when I'm at work.

 

I also have to have everything spotlessly clean and in line. When I dust I have to have everything in line with the rest of my stuff, if it isn't I get really irritated by it. I can't have an odd number either. If I have 9 magazines for example I will round it off to 10 magazines.

 

If anyone disturbs something in my room I have to tidy my ENTIRE room to put my mind at rest then I have to clean myself to make sure everything is perfect.

 

I'm just concerned because my other close friends are really sloppy!

 

Thanks for reading! Take care all!

 

Miya xx

[dazedandconfusedbydestiny]

sounds like o.c.d. My 2 daughters have it. Obessive Compulsive Disorder.

[Mysterious Gurl]

Yeah I have read about that. Okay a stupid question, but is it something that has to be cured? I mean can it get any worse? What should I do? It's really annoying, it started earlier this year.

 

Miya xx

[dazedandconfusedbydestiny]

You can try counceling but I wouldn't worry over much about it. You could be as bad as that tv character Monk. But with just the few perks you have, I wouldn't worry about it unless you start getting obsessive about things being so far apart, certain numbers, having to wash your hands continously etc.

[dazedandconfusedbydestiny]

WAs there anything around that time that was really traumatic. I find that alot of my o.c.d I have is because of witnessing a murder when i was 16.

[AwdreeHpburn]

Mysteriousgurl -

 

Yes. I do think you should get help with that. There is nothing wrong with being clean. It's actually a good thing. But this OCD will most likely spill over into other areas.

 

If you don't mind, I'd like to share my experience. I'll be brief.

 

My mother-in-law suffers from the very same ocd. She loves it. She knows its an ocd but loves it. She has actually said, "if this is wrong, I don't want to be right."

 

But actually, it gets in the way of her being able to enjoy herself for the very same reasons you've mentioned. If anyone touches something, she has to clean everything.

 

It distracts her from having fun at the lake say, because all she is really thinking about is how much cleaning she has to do.

 

I do think its a serious issue for her and could complicate matters in a way for you that you may not care for later.

 

Not to mention that for me, and I'm talking about me here, it drives me nuts because I'm a regualr house cleaner. Meaning, I hardly ever do and she can't stand to be here cuz I'm too dirty. But I may have an ocd to the opposite extreme....

[agent1607307371]

It doesn't have to be cured but if it's annoying now then it could become very distressing.

OCD can get to the point that it overtakes your life. But I'm guessing that cases that extreme are not very common.

 

Relaxation exercises and exercise can help alleviate some of the symptoms but it's best to talk to a professional. It is mainly controlled with behavioral and cognitive therapies or drugs that fix serotonin levels in the brain.

[SxcLady]

Go to a doctor and ask them if there is a specific drug that you can use. If there is ask if you can get it or something. Simple. My friend became worse than this, but she was living in a caravan at the time. and OMG she loved throwing parties and when she did she would be running around cleaning the whole night and no one could stop her. Then the ocd turned to her and she was having 4-6 showers a day. Because she felt that she was "dirty". It turns out that the ocd was a result of her upbringing. From the age of about 9 (when her sister was born) she was pushed to the back of the house (her room i mean) and her parents really didnt show any attention to her. She figured it was because she was too messy but as she got older it got worse i didnt know her then, and when she was 11 they put her in the caravan out the back of their house and barely paid attention to her the only thing they done for her was feed her, she had to walk to school, make her own lunch, get a job as soon as she was old enough, and at 14 she was paying rent to live in a caravan at the back of her parents house! She went to a doctor and he put her in a special hospital (redbank) if anyone has heard of it. Its in sydney australia. They helped her "rid her body of ocd" but she is still neat and stuff. The doctor said he wouldve prescribed medication if it wasnt so bad. not tryin to scare you but just letting you know it can get alot worse than how far you are now, and lots of ocd is curable in most ways.

[Unmotivated]

I have OCD. When I was in High School it was pretty bad. My biggest thing was obsession with germs and contamination, and thus a great deal of hand-washing. Since I've been to college it has diminished a great deal. Today I don't consider it to be too much of a problem.

 

I don't know if this will work for you, but it's something to try at least: Next time you get the urge to do something, to put something in order or whatever, try to resist it. Tell yourself that there's no reason and it will be okay if you just leave it. If you can keep yourself from acting on the urge, then congratulate yourself. Be happy that you have control.

 

This worked for me fairly well. Whenever I would feel the obsessions, I would put my foot down and say no. Little by little, the urges died down. It made me more confident to see results and realize that I had control over the matter.

 

I hope this helps!

[Mysterious Gurl]

Thanks for your replies!

 

Well I had was at hospital today to see a specialist about a heart condition I have, I mentioned the fact that I'm quite obsessive about keeping my own surroundings (bedroom, office ect ..) extremely immaculate and he said this could have been triggered off by the murmur I have.

 

I have always been a neat and tidy person, but just recently it's really bothered me if somethings out of line or uneven.

 

Thanks for sharing your stories, much appreciated. I just felt weird because I had this unusual annoying habit.

 

Thanks again, take care all!!

 

Miya xx

[Mysterious Gurl]

Heya,

 

Okay, I am starting to panic a little more about my actions. I have spent a full hour and 15 minutes scrubbing my wooden floor on my hands and knees.

 

My dad came in earlier to bring up my washing and at first it didn't bother me, but then after a while I was sat on my bed reading a book and started to feel a bit frustrated. My heart began to race a little more and I was feeling very insecure.

 

I pulled out a cloth and some spray and started cleaning my floor scrubbing every inch and putting all my effort into it.

 

Then I wasn't satisfied so I began dusting and polishing everything in my room, I am now exhausted.

 

I feel like I have lost every bit of strength in my body.

 

I am only this obsessed in my own surroundings like my room or my work area at college. If the rest of the house is looking messy it doesn't bother me!

 

I don't understand it! I aren't sure what triggered it either.

Can anyone suggest what I should do? Where do I look for a councilor, I am sorry if this is stupid thing to ask but I don't know where to start!

 

thanks,

 

Miya xx

[SxcLady]

You say everything needs to be in a specific place. If you move something out of place and ito another place ... how long can it stay out of place? Or do you get frustrated about it not being in its place?? Attempt to move one thing, as if it now has a new place and see how long you can leave it there. If its like max 5mins. just try to put something different out of place ad try to extend it. So the first time it may be 5mins, the next time try to make it 10mins. Change the object each time. It may take awhile, but its just an idea.

 

GoodLuck.

[Mysterious Gurl]

Thanks,

 

I wasn't worried at first, I mean like I said I have always wanted items in a certain order and everything in my room or in my college work space or even the office I work in at college has a specific order.

 

I mean I have everything in line and if there is a particular object that is on a slant I HAVE to make it straight! I can't explain how much it irritates me!

 

It's not just that, I have been very clean as well. I have kept myself immaculate and I have to spend at least an hour in the shower scrubbing myself. Or when I'm working as a member of staff at my college, I go in to the staff room and I can't use anyone else mug. It makes me feel sick. I can't use a tea towel even at home, I have to use kitchen role to clean my mugs.

 

The worst bit is, sometimes my job requires me working in a science lab touching chemicals and organs ect .. and EVERYTHING is out of place in there so I go mental even at my boss (which lands me in nothing but ****)

 

I have gone through this phase before .. I go through it a lot but I don't know what triggers it off to begin with.

 

I will try and calm down and try and leave things alone.

 

Miya xx

[SxcLady]

Any upsets before you go through these phases? arguments?? Feelings of loneliness??? (I say the loneliness one because with ocd comes a feeling of being alone sometimes) Anything happen as a child, any deaths in the family? You say you have a heart condition and your specialist said that this could be part of the cause of the ocd... It may very well be this, but i think something else has set it off aswell. Believe it or not, I had ocd from the age of 6months until i was 4years old. It sunds odd but I would continuously scream if i was dirty. I had to have 3 baths a day, and if i was laid on the floor, i had to have another one. I refused to crawl, but started walking by 8months. Just after i turned one, I broke my arm, running down the hallway. And when the cast came off i was worse than i had ever been. I went through an odd stage. I would be sitting in the bath and it used to take my mum like a hour to bath me because she didnt know what to do about it. Finally she took me to my doctor and he said that she would need to do it slowly. He said my mother needed to take me out to the farm or out to my brothers dirt track(go-kart track) and go have some fun. Something that will focus my thoughts on what i was doing not the fact that i was dirty. Eventually it blew over. I still find that i do wash my hands quite alot and I do shower for long times scrubbing myself, but this is no where near as bad as it was when i was little!

 

Did the specialist ask if you wanted to go on medication for the ocd???

[Lady Luck]

Well for present and future references, make sure you don't try to force other people to be as tidy as yourself. This turns into nagging, and no one likes to be annoyed. It's ok if you keep everything spotless, just don't try to boss other people around, lol.

[Mysterious Gurl]

I know! lol

 

I was at work, and I work in a science lab sometimes. So EVERYTHING is so untidy messy!!

 

So I started complaining .. at my boss (of all people) and got a damn good telling off in return! I wont be doing that again in a hurry, bit I can't control my feelings about it!

 

I freak! at my work areas! I HAVE to clean and tidy then clean myself!

 

So annoying. Going to try to ease it a little, Wish me luck,

 

Miya xx

[iamteddybearfeelmecuddle]

MG, it sounds a little ocd to me. i've heard that ssri's can help with that, but i'm not really sure.

 

from what i understand it's a spectrum thing and a lot of people have tendencies that are somewhat ocd. for instance, i can't stand having my fingernails long, i have to clip them short about everyweek, because they drive me nuts. also, i can't bear to have fingernail polish on, or if i wear it, i really really want it off within about a day if not right away. but that alone doesn't quite qualify as a disorder.

 

but with the tendencies though that you are describing, it sounds like a bit more than just that, especially with the need for even numbers, and also lining things up. also you mentioned that this runs in your family and from what i know (i have a coworker who has dealt with similar issues) it does have a strong tendency to run in families. perhaps you could try counseling with a trained therapist who specializes in ocd. they really may be able to help you.

 

yes and MG, i freak, too, when my work space gets untidy, lol, i think a lot of people do, so don't be too hard on yourself.

[Mysterious Gurl]

Hello

 

It's not so much that I am hard on myself, just annoyed. My actions appear to be so repetitive that I'm in a constant routine.

 

The upside is, my room has never been clean and tidier however the downside is, I have better things to do with my time other than clean, clean things

 

It's mainly at college that I need to be careful. I mean working in a lab where theres blood, chemicals, people and lots of mess really sets me off! It's not my mess but I have this constant urge to clean and tidy, but I'm exhausted.

 

Another annoying part of this situation is my class mates are starting to pick up on my problem and it can makes life difficult when their teasing me (in a friendly manner of course) about it. They move my stuff or catch my attention to their mess.

 

I have work tomorrow, I'm dreading it seeing as I'm in the lab and I'm in the staff room. The kitchen ware is filthy and don't get me started on the tea towel!

 

My doctor did say it's not a serious case of OCD, it's pretty common and it's not like I have trouble sleeping or breathing or eating so I'm good.

 

Thanks for your advice,

 

Miya xx

[iamteddybearfeelmecuddle]

and don't get me started on the tea towel!

 

lol...yep...i'm afraid i do understand...

[Mysterious Gurl]

I know! it's just gross! I hate it, but I hate it if I have a drink like a bottle/can of coke and people drink out of it!

 

The thought of someone elses lips been on my drink makes my stomach turn!

 

I guess most things like this is common to people, but I just tend to get a little irritated by it. Like I said, it's mild OCD so I guess it isn't too bad. I just wanted some opinions to put my mind at rest.

 

Enjoy the rest of your day,

 

Miya xx

[AwdreeHpburn]

MG - where are you? In the US??

 

Pick up a phone book - or better yet, do an on-line search for psychologists in your area and then call one and make an appointment.

 

An initial meeting can be very telling. They should be able to tell you, prolly right away, whether or not you have an ocd, what you can do about it, if you should continue with therapy, etc.

 

Just do it. You could be heading down a very long road, you don't need to go it alone.

 

I think you're in a good place in your mind right now, a perfect time to take advantage of the willingness to explore it. But I tihnk you should act on it before the willingness slips away and you can't see the negatives anymore.

[iamteddybearfeelmecuddle]

again ta ree saw has a very good point!

 

MG, that reminded me, i was at this wine festival and standing in line for more wine, and one of the servers kept grabbing all these people's glasses with all five fingers cupping down around the rim, then fill it up. i had to tell her not to grab mine by the rim. (i'd prefer not to catch a bunch of stranger-germs thank you).... man that was gross.. why??

[Mysterious Gurl]

Hey,

 

I'm from the UK, so I don't know if it will cost quite a bit to see a professional about this kind of problem. Or if I can get some kind of help but at a cheaper rate seeing as I'm a college student.

 

I wasn't planning to see anyone but you now mention it, I will.

 

I get pretty finicky with people who do things that I see are fairly unhygienic. I couldn't bare anyone touching the rim of my wine glass!

 

Miya xx

[SxcLady]

The thought of someone elses lips been on my drink makes my stomach turn!

I totally agree with you. My stomach turns and keeps turning at even the thought of it!