Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
The OCD Soapbox
Laurie:
Oh, I didn't mean to sound as if OCD identified intelligent people-- my observations say that the intelligent people exhibit OCD tendencies.
I'd have to agree with you about me, though. I usually stick with the term "anal retentive."
Of course, even that is a psychologically unsound diagnosis-- ah, what vernacular does to the English language.
Heh. Sorry, I like big words. And shiny things.
honest abe:
--- Quote from: AntiEntropy ---Obsession plus compulsion that interferes with your daily life is about all the diagnoses you need.
--- End quote ---
It's been some years now, but I seem to remember that after the publication of the DSM IV, that "interferes with daily life" observation became critical to the diagnosis. My memory, as a nonprofessional, was that previous editions (I think it was the DSM II) didn't stress that at all and many things now considered to be within "the normal spectrum of human personality" were being diagnosed as personality disorders. I specifically remember the diagnosis decision tree in the older edition. It didn't allow for any evaluation of "no disorder". Back in the late 90's, if you walked into a therapist's or psychologist's office, it was almost as if you couldn't walk out without a diagnosis of some disorder.
So, how do you think that OCD may have interfered with this girl's life as she was growing up?
Laurie:
I feel bad for posting so much, but... yeah. Oh DSM-IVR, with your wacky ideas about PMS. You don't cater to the insurance and medication companies at all, do you, lovely.
I imagine she was terrible at math. Excellent at counting, yes, but bored or maybe irritated at anything that included irrational numbers. She probably had 200 digits of pi memorized.
In the style of the early Jews, she probably counted every step she took, and not only on Sundays. Depending on if she had an odd- or even-number fixation, or any at all, that would have led to some odd leaps or stumbles.
She probably got dizzy from staring at the ceiling fan, trying to count the blades while it was turned on. And if she had a brother, you can bet he made her life hell.
AntiEntropy:
Well, she also has a hand-washing complusion, so she's probably obssesed with germs on he hands. A normal person gets something icky on their hands, wahses, and feels pretty much normal. Maybe a little "yuck". An OCD person can't get that "I'm clean" feeling so they keep washing. (I say OCD person but that's just one of many complussions.) What would it be to grow up having to count everything and wash your hands constantly? Not too fun. She's extreamly well adjusted, considering.
(BTW, I know a guy who memorized pi to 100 places. When I was five I wrote every Roman numeral from one to 500. I still "doodle" by writing out the prime numbers or factoring every natural number. I don't count "1, 2, 3, 4, 5...", I say 0 is zero, 1 is one, two is prime, three is prime, four is two squared, five is prime, six is two time three... etc.)
Laurie:
Heh. When I got bored during standardized tests, I would play word games, one example being:
S_A_E
or
_I_E
And make a list of every word that fit that particular pattern, alphabetically. I would have hated to be the person looking through some of that stuff. Or I'd tear the edges of the practice book in even fringes while the other kids finished up.
But yeah, I'm surprised a germaphobe (even a minor one) would go to a bar with someone like Jimbo roosting there. She's definitely dealing. Could be the sleep-deprivation, though.
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