Is it normal to have ocd but also have a messy room?

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10 Comments

A little background info: I was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder when I was 13, though I have actually been struggling with symptoms since the age of 7. I have been on medication for it for several years. The meds have worked wonders and for the most part I only do a little extra/more vigorous handwashing due to heightened anxiety when I accidentally skip a dose or when I'm having my period (I'm a woman).

Anyway, here's what doesn't make sense: despite a crippling fear of germs that pretty much ruined a good portion of my childhood and teen years, my living space has always been horribly messy.

Papers (several trashbags worth at a given time), piles of clothes, empty food containers, pencil shavings, they're all strewn about my room.

And even without all that stuff, my room feels cramped anyway because of all of my "starter kits" of collections - that is, stuff I started collecting but lost interest in quickly. Examples of my "starter kits" include magazine clippings of my favorite celebrities, Harlequin Romance novels, and DVDs.

Also, I can remember that when I was in elementary school, the teachers made me stay after class to clean my desk because it would get so cluttered that I couldn't fit any more papers in there.

Is this normal? Or could I possibly be a hoarder?

Voting Results
83% Normal
Based on 63 votes (52 yes)
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Comments ( 10 )
  • Dizzee
    12 years ago

    I have OCD too and my room is somewhat messy. However, if something in my room is out of place, I notice it and fix it. Though technically me 'fixing' it is actually messing it up.

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  • putsonsinfear
    12 years ago

    ill show you a messy ocd

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  • The_White_Spirit
    12 years ago

    Asdfg

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  • KatieLiz
    12 years ago

    Totally normaln:)

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  • Shackleford96
    12 years ago

    Well, I was about to start bitching about another OCD misconception, but then you said you were actually diagnosed with it and that shut me up pretty quick...

    You sound normal to me, you are just not a perfectionist is all. You might be a hoarder though. Try to work on that if you can.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      12 years ago

      Yeah, I figured someone might question whether or not I actually had it, what with it being so common to hear people go "I like to sort M&Ms by color I'm so OCD!!" But yeah, I was diagnosed. I was the classic germaphobe person with OCD - washing my hands until they cracked and bled, spitting out my saliva instead of swallowing it for fear that particles in the air contaminated it, among other several other things.

      Anyway, yeah, my mom says that I could very easily become a hoarder and that my hoarding tendencies are why she says she keeps an eye on me. She cleans my room sometimes when I go out for a run. I don't ask her to, she just does. Probably because she worries that I'll never get around to it and just let the clutter accumulate.

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      • 1000yrVampireKing
        11 years ago

        People with OCD are sometimes only ocd in certien areas. So if someone is very neat they might not mind fighting but hate being you moving their things. Also ocd is obsessive compulsive disorder. So maybe you hoard things obsessively.

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      • Shackleford96
        12 years ago

        Lol at the M&Ms thing. At least you are aware of your hoarding capabilities. If it worries you though then start trying to do something about it. Maybe start really small and only try to get one thing sorted per day. If you do that, then I think you are doing good.

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  • FocoUS
    12 years ago

    OCD doesn't necessarily mean you're a neat freak. Some people hate open doors and cannot stand it when cabinets aren't closed perfectly but don't care if the trash fell over.

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  • spongerobert
    12 years ago

    OCD but bone bastard idle.

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