When we clean... We mean business. I came home and cleaned my entire fridge last night. Like 11PM. Walked in the door, looked in the fridge and just started going to town. Now, I've had a lot on my mind lately and have been feeling like I might be on the verge of a nervous breakdown or mental breakthrough? Just a lot going on in life and the people around me getting older as I myself age as well. I felt a little shaky the whole time I was cleaning, and I mean to tell you I cleaned that fridge like I was getting paid for it! I also kept wondering if what I was doing was normal behavior for a person. I even thought about sitting down and thinking about my actions because the chain of events seemed kind of profound from my own perspective. Instead, out of my own free will, I kept cleaning at a strenuous pace. I even knocked off one of the ledge thingies from the door trying to get one of the drawers out. Bottles of dressing went everywhere. Luckily, I didn't break anything. I mean, does this sound 'normal' though? I know normal is only what one perceives is normal, but generally or socially? I think if anyone was here at the time, they'd think I was nuts. Is it possibly some sort of subconscious coping mechanism? A way of my body *physically* dealing with stress? Metaphysically even? Just wondering aloud. EDIT: I didn't get the top shelf done due to pain, but I did get 2/3rd's of it cleaned. Bottom shelf and drawers. And bottom door shelf. Post whatever you want about OCD here.
yes the door is locked im sure its locked im sure i locked it yes it has to be locked because im pretty sure i checked it and locked it it must be locked because i alway lock it and i just walked by it im pretty sure i checked it when i walked by maybe i forgot to check it but im almost sure its locked
Being meticulous about work is not in itself a problem. The issue seems to be whether or not you are deciding to do these things, or a compulsion is deciding for you. Also how much it interferes with you life. Meditating could help. Unplugging from your sources of stress, if possible, might help too. Cognitive behavioral therapy might be particularly useful for you. I also recommend TCM for just about everything (chronic conditions, at least).
Thanks for your response and some ideas. That's something I've been wondering about lately. 'Auto-pilot.' I've been trying to listen to myself and kind of go with the flow of things. It seems like everything is a sort of oxymoron sometimes. Go with the flow = Auto-pilot = Compulsion? There are thin lines there, which sometimes I cannot tell apart. I have, however, been trying to dedicate more time towards meditation and clearing my mind of negativity and impulsive actions. It seems to help a lot, but it seemed to have more of a prominent effect when I started meditating again. Perhaps solely because I'm 'trying' to dedicate more time. Though, I'm not trying to force myself to meditate. Just whenever I have the time or if it pops in my head when I'm feeling anxious or agitated. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy does seem to have a certain ring to it. I'll have to look into these things.
gf does that ocd shit sometimes. I snap her out of it reminding her that shes the same person that puts her hands in filthy slimy beer cooler water, that has been outside for a week, to get a warm beer.. wasting paper towels and water, washing her hands like shes getting ready for surgery..
That doesn't really sound like OCD to me. When I am stressing, worried, whatever...I organize and clean like that. Not normal housecleaning...but things I don't do daily or weekly, like the fridge or closets. I believe it's a coping mechanism, busying yourself.
I WISH I had an ocd roomie who felt the need to clean the fridge. I'd love to have a bit of OCD, personally too. It'd be much better than being so scattered. I'll have five different projects going at once and then not get any of them completed. I think the only thing I'm about OCD about is making sure the paintings on the wall are level. It'll make me wackaloon if they are even a fraction off. Of course, even here.. the lazies have chosen an OCD twitch that requires very little time and effort to deal with. You're just going thru shit right now... so you cleaned some shit.
Sounds a lot like what I go through. It's not a constant thing, but it seems to happen at somewhat regular intervals. I used to be REALLY bad about washing my hands. Till they cracked and bled in the winter season. Wasting paper towels too. A lot of times, when I go to do the dishes, I'll scrub the sink out with Ajax and a brush, then scrub it with dish soap to remove the residue left over. The sink and counter is usually full for a while tho, so it needs a good cleaning. Can't have clean dishes with a dirt sink. I take it needs cleaning?? Just have me over and play some groovy tunes. It'll get clean I like that. The way you put it at least. Sounds like you've got a bit of ADHD? I have that too! I've always got a million things I'm trying to do at one time, always getting sidetracked. My house is usually a bit of a mess (and it drives me crazy!), but things get done... eventually. And that is a trait of OCD with the picture frames. I used to have this pet peeve with open cabinets. It would drive me nuts if a cabinet or drawer was left half-open. Not so much now, since the cabinets we have here are all wooden and warped. I even like leaving some open so they don't go 'click!' every time I go to get some chex mix lol
hello I'm trying to understand if your problem is really a problem or not; putting it in a few words, the thing is that it is totally normal to have bad periods in life, and it is totally normal that different people answer to them in a different way. For istance, if I'm anxious or frustrated I go running at the nearest park for an hour and it totally relax myself. Maybe, and only maybe, cleaning other things is a way that your brain is using in order to clean his thoughts in this period of anxieting... It can be consider normal whatever isn't considerably creating difficoult for you in relationship with other people or in work, this is written on every psichiatric book. So at least, try to find different way to relax yourself (someone has suggest meditation and I think it can be perfect), if this way (of cleaning everything around you) creates you some problem. But be sure that it will pass , there is no point to be preoccupated if it remains only a "period of time"
I don't think I have OCD per se, but I started using cleaning as a coping mechanism about 10 year ago when I was in a bad relationship. Every time we fought I would come home and clean, then after we broke up and I was looking to be more zen and centered I started developing daily cleaning rituals. Then when I had a baby I think I actually did develop post partum OCD in the same way some develop post partum depression. My first year post partum was kind of hellish, I was always trapped in this fog where I noticed every little piece of dirt and everything about my house bothered me. I wanted to clean and rearrange constantly but couldn't because I had a demanding baby and never had a free hand. I've gotten past that but I still like things very neat, I still have daily cleaning rituals and I still clean when I am stressed. I've wondered before if it is healthy but I think it is definitely better than some other coping mechanisms.
I go through cycles of intense anxiety, and there are certain behaviors that, for some reason, alleviate the anxiety temporarily. Similar to OCD, but it toed the line between obsessive compulsive and generalized anxiety. Cleaning was never my obsession of choice, but I do find it difficult to relax once I see some mess that I deem gross enough. Your fridge example seemed like something I would do, but for some reason I never saw that as odd behavior.
It is nice to have a clean fridge, but when something is going on inside of yourself, you will avoid facing it one way or the other, people's whole lives are nothing but an avoidance, that's why their lives a superficial boring and dead, they are avoiding facing the conflict and turmoil inside themselves, you can pick out any person you like and keep an eye on them, it won't be long before you see some sort of neurotic behaviour. And in the last 20 years we've given so many names to neurotic behaviour this syndrome, that syndrome. Forget all these new labels just keep it simple you're neurotic, because you have not resolved the conflict and turmoil inside of yourself.
