None of us has anything so major as to cause undue stress; you're more likely to find us laughing at our little neuroses or poking fun when we see it in one another.
* Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
* Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
Here's a a list of some of my more common, uh, eccentricities:
- Movie Middle Madness
When I see a movie in the theater, I always try to sit exactly in the center of whatever row I'm in. I check this by looking up at the movie screen; if it's not split equally in half to either side - I move 'til it is. (This drives Paula crazy.) - Buttons - All or Nothing
When I button my coat or jacket, I like all the buttons done up - or none of them. If the top one isn't buttoned, I'll unbutton the bottom one too. (It's symmetrical that way.) - Five is the One
When I listen to music or watch TV - anything involving a volume control - I set the volume in increments of 5 (20, 25, etc.). If 23 is the right volume for the show I'm watching, I'll set it to either 20 (a bit too soft) or 25 (a bit too loud). This also drives Paula crazy (as I yell over a really loud TV: "IS THAT TOO LOUD FOR YOU, HONEY?!"). - Cruise CONTROL
When I use my car's cruise control on the freeway, I set it to exactly the speed I want to go (usually an increment of 5). The speed limit is 65mph? Then 64... or 66... won't do. (But if it drifts between 64 and 66 and averages 65; that's okay.) - Ease on Down the Road
And speaking of freeways, I usually choose the middle lane to drive in - it's symmetrical. A 5 lane freeway = Dan in lane number 3, with 2 lanes on either side of him. If the freeway has an even number of lanes (no middle), I drive on either the far left or far right. - Car MagicOne of my favorite little daydreams is that I have the ability to make my old, beat-up car brand new again - wave my wand and watch as it "grows" newer. It's the idea of making something that's imperfect into something that's perfect I like. (Maybe the fact that every car I've owned has been old and/or beat up has something to do with this.)
- Stack Attack
I have a stacking thing. Can't help but straighten little piles of magazines or mail or... you get the idea. If I can't have it clean, I'll at least have it organized and stacked into little four-cornered piles.... - Photo Fives
Whenever I'm using my photo editing software, I set things by 5s. Maybe the picture looks best at 17% saturation, it's going to get set at either 15% or 20%.... What can I say? - Rinse and Repeat
I have a need to rinse my hands after eating, to get the (sometimes imaginary) grease off. Notice I don't say "wash", as in soap and water. While I generally wash with soap as needed, the rinse and repeat is a non-needed thing. It just makes me feel better. - The Ties that Bind
I own seven neckties. They are arranged, in order, on a hanger in my closet. I wear the one on the end closest to me. When I'm done, it goes around to the back of the line, and the other ties get slid forward. So a new one is ready for next time. I pretty much wear these ties in their "hanger order", regardless of whether the "scheduled" tie matches that day's outfit.... Paula just loves me anyway.
Joking about mental illness disclaimer: While I poke fun at my own oddities, I know that OCD (and other mental illnesses) can really impact a person's life, and I take the subject seriously. In fact, I've dealt with my own Major Depressive Disorder for much of my life, and it's only in the last few years that I've begun to really discover joy in living.
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