Addictions, OCD, etc

I read up on OCD sometime ago and realized many of the behaviors matched my own. All OCD sufferers are not germophobes or obsessive cleaners. And just because you like the toilet paper over instead of under does not make you OCD. It's such a complex mix of symptoms and behaviors that define true sufferers. Thank you for your blog - it's great to know that there are others out there going through similar situations!

The key to any psychological diagnosis is the 4 Ds:

Deviance: Deviant behavior is that which differs greatly to the behavior of a particular society at a particular time. Individual circumstances can sometimes justify abnormal behavior, but in the absence of these circumstances, the particular behavior is considered deviant.

Distress: When thoughts, actions or emotions cause an individual to become distressed, those functions can be considered abnormal. As an example; a person who collects red, plastic milk crates by the dozens may be considered abnormal, but unless his or her actions cause them to become distressed, he or she may simply be a happy eccentric. People who are eccentric do not necessarily have mental disorders which cause them to behave abnormally.

Dysfunction: When a person is behaving abnormally due to mental illness, they cannot cope with day to day life in a successful manner, or one which is acceptable to the society they live in. Dysfunctional behavior may manifest itself as a lack of personal hygiene, malnutrition or substance abuse. A person who lives a dysfunctional life may not be able to manage taking care of themselves or their families, and is possibly unable to get, or keep a job.

Danger: Abnormal behavior can also involve an element of danger. A person may be a threat to themselves or others, and intervention may become necessary before injuries occur, or the person is incarcerated. Some mental disorders can cause people to behave in a manner that puts society or themselves at risk, although typically, most abnormal behaviors do not. For example; delusions can cause a person to have irrational thoughts and become defensive if they feel they need to protect themselves from impending dangers. Paranoia is another cause for becoming defensive and possibly suicidal.

Now, keep in mind that these are all taken into consideration in order to confirm a diagnosis, but you do not have to have all 4 Ds in order to be diagnosed. I am diagnosed with OCD and, for me, it does cause distress and dysfunction. I hide it well though. So, be weary diagnosing yourself. When I was taking abnormal psych during my undergrad, we were warned that you, or someone you know, will have every disorder discussed in the class. If you are concerned and it's causing disruption in your normal routine and sleep, go see a professional.