Topic: Hannelore's OCD (Read 38821 times)

alexsc12 · « **on:** 23 Dec 2008, 15:13 »

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArJFhEu5vJABrlYB3m4d4RjkxQt.;_ylv=3?qid=20081223111336AAKXT8Y

Quote

One example is Questionable Content (http://www.questionablecontent.net/) which has a character with severe OCD which never shows it as serious, but instead as cute, endearing and almost fun.

Do you know, he has a point.

MissLiza · « **Reply #1 on:** 23 Dec 2008, 18:55 »

Hmm, not really.

As a psych student, something I love about QC is that the depiction of Hanners' OCD is better than a lot of other attempts. Most attempts to create an OCD character focus only on the cleaning obsessiong. Well, no, that's not what OCD is all about. While there are elements of OCD which aren't obvious in Hanners' behaviour, the random compulsions sufferers experience (such as the strange compulsion to stab someone, kill all their friends and family) have been mentioned, and I give Jeph kudos for this.

No one is an expert on everything, and personality disorders and abnormal psychology are just an area where a lot of people tend to think they know more than they do. In every subject area there will be elitists triyng to prove that they know more about a topic than anyone else by telling someone else they're 'doing it wrong' and proceed to point out why.

In the same way, people think people with diabetes just can't eat sugar, kidney failure means you can't drink alcohol and depression makes you feel a little bit sad sometimes.

At the end of the day, Hanners is just a cute character - not an education on psychological disorders. And anyone who takes her as such should probably not be much of a concern to anyone.

jtheory · « **Reply #2 on:** 24 Dec 2008, 17:28 »

Hanners' OCD interferes with her life and causes her significant distress, all the time.
The other characters in the comic react sometimes with concern, sometimes with humor; it depends on the situation.

In this strip, Marten is sitting outside the bathroom door because he dragged himself over there to try to reassure her (in spite of having been smacked in the face...). It just so happens that sitting outside a bathroom door when someone hugely self-conscious is inside carries its own dangers (and the main joke in the strip comes from that).

I should admit it's been a while since I studied psych... but I'm sure there are situations that arise with real-life OCD sufferers that can be humorous (and which they themselves may find humorous, though possibly only in retrospect...) and hey, it's like a lot of things in life that can be sometimes pretty shitty but sometimes pretty funny.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #3 on:** 24 Dec 2008, 19:58 »

Older related thread including perspectives from OCD sufferers

psion · « **Reply #4 on:** 24 Dec 2008, 20:06 »

Quote from: jtheory on 24 Dec 2008, 17:28

Hanners' OCD interferes with her life and causes her significant distress, all the time.
The other characters in the comic react sometimes with concern, sometimes with humor; it depends on the situation.

In this strip, Marten is sitting outside the bathroom door because he dragged himself over there to try to reassure her (in spite of having been smacked in the face...). It just so happens that sitting outside a bathroom door when someone hugely self-conscious is inside carries its own dangers (and the main joke in the strip comes from that).

I should admit it's been a while since I studied psych... but I'm sure there are situations that arise with real-life OCD sufferers that can be humorous (and which they themselves may find humorous, though possibly only in retrospect...) and hey, it's like a lot of things in life that can be sometimes pretty shitty but sometimes pretty funny.

I can't exactly say for OCD, but I can say for ADD and ADHD. There are times that it is completly hilarious. I was talking with a friend about some chick I liked, and I stopped in mid-sentence to think about something completly different. I think it was laundry. Either way, once my buddy got me back on track, we both laughed for quite some time over this.

Evander · « **Reply #5 on:** 24 Dec 2008, 20:30 »

Not every discussion of a thing that is serious needs to be a serious discussion.

I thought of more to say, but really, I think that just about sums it all up re: Hanners.

MrBlu · « **Reply #6 on:** 25 Dec 2008, 22:37 »

=\

I have severe OCD...

Not like Hannelore, which I've never seen someone actually that bad, but then again, have you ever actually heard someone have an exchange about random imaginary topics and alcohol like the other characters do?

alexsc12 · « **Reply #7 on:** 26 Dec 2008, 06:37 »

Quote from: MrBlu on 25 Dec 2008, 22:37

=\

I have severe OCD...

Tell me about it.

eddie · « **Reply #8 on:** 26 Dec 2008, 08:21 »

Quote from: alexsc12 on 23 Dec 2008, 15:13

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArJFhEu5vJABrlYB3m4d4RjkxQt.;_ylv=3?qid=20081223111336AAKXT8Y

Quote
One example is Questionable Content (http://www.questionablecontent.net/) which has a character with severe OCD which never shows it as serious, but instead as cute, endearing and almost fun.

Do you know, he has a point.

I thought it was Hanners who was cute, endearing and almost fun not the OCD.

eronsynth · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 Dec 2008, 03:20 »

I have not-severe OCD (it's technically not OCD only because for it to truly be considered an OCD diagnosis it has to eat up at least two hours per day of my time dealing with tics, and all of mine are ones that don't eat any time, like having to have everything in pairs and not letting my food touch on the plate.. but if it weren't for that I'd be considered OCD) and I have to say - at times it CAN be funny. Not every person who is mental is "suffering", and while mine IS annoying a decent chunk of the time (more for the people around me than me, although it is pretty inconvenient a lot of the time) I hardly sit around depressed about it. Having been around a number of OCD people, I can say that the behavior that Hanners exhibits is well within "acceptable" parameters when you consider that the "reality" of the comic is skewed somewhat to make it funny. I think Jeph approaches the subject with pretty good style and grace - both in Hanners' portrayal and the characters around her. The characters react to her pretty realistically - a lot of her behavior IS cute/endearing/funny and the characters react appropriately, but they show concern and DO take care of her in a sympathetic way when her less cute and more debilitating symptoms happen (which is itself timed for comedic effect most of the time, but it IS a comic...). I'm fortunate in that I don't have any of the tics that make me want to lock myself in my room crying all the time (like her recent panels) and my friends mostly approach mine with a sense of humor (mixed with a bit of frustration), but if I did I hope my friends would react about the same way as Marten & co.

You have to laugh about it, or you get depressed. Seeing the brighter side is a Good Thing(tm), and having people to help you through the particularly bad spots is a Good Thing(tm) as well. Kudos to Jeph for an excellent presentation of a complicated issue (whether he meant to or not). I actually think Hanners is one of the main reasons I read this strip... the marten/faye thing got me started but Hanners is what keeps me coming back.

Astroasis · « **Reply #10 on:** 31 Dec 2008, 04:30 »

I agree with what's already been said here.

I'm new on this forum and I have moderate-to-severe OCD. And you know what? It's funny. I mean, it's horrible and severely limits my life... but come on. The insane and ludicrous things I find myself doing ARE funny. And being able to step back and laugh at some of it is actually what helps keep me sane. And that's why I love Hannelore.

And my best friends, God help them, are so understanding and wonderful. They never hesitate to help me whenever I need it, but they're also not afraid to laugh at me when I get silly. The other day my friend came over to drop something off and I opened my front door with rubber gloves on so I wouldn't have to touch it. My friend handed me the item he was dropping off and said, "You are a vision of mental health right now, you know that?" and it totally made me laugh. 'Cos come on, that was totally worth laughing at.

OCD is horrible to live with. No one's saying it isn't. But so are a lot of things. If you lose the ability to laugh at yourself, that's when you're screwed.

Although I will say that it's a shame guys don't find real-life crazy girls half as attractive as they find Hannelore. XD Maybe she can start a new trend and I'll have boys lined up around the block to be decontaminated by me.

Tonsil washings are extra.

mishy · « **Reply #11 on:** 31 Dec 2008, 08:43 »

i would like to see Hannelore get a man, a guy who can handle the OCD craziness.

i would like to say that i think Jeph has done a very good job with Hannelore and her OCD. sure, sometimes her antics are funny, but if it's something caused by her OCD, Hannelore is always depicted as suffering. i don't think he underemphasizes the negative effect of it on her life. and i don't think he *uses* her OCD to make fun of her or it or anyone. i think Hannelore would still be great even if she got magically cured, which means he's done well with her characterization beyond the OCD - she's not just the OCD girl. but also, no one's trying to magically cure her, which is also an important point to make - it's something people live with, it's not like some state of mind people can just "get over". he doesn't depict it as a disability, just as a characteristic that causes her suffering and makes her react differently to situations than others would. certainly not an educational source on OCD, but it's a freaking webcomic, not wikipedia or webMD...

i don't have OCD, but i have depression that can get somewhat... obsessive... and i'm starting to realize when i fixate on things and it actually interferes with my life, or at least with work. and it annoys the shit out of my bf, but he's stuck with me through a lot of terrible shit, and he has ways of laughing at me without making me feel laughed at, and he has helped me learn when i should let things go (which i can do, unlike poor hanners!) and well... i just think it would be really great if Hannelore could find a sweet guy who gets a kick out of her, all of her quirks, and helps her get over some of her fears...

but then maybe that would be too nice and wonderful, and not exactly comical content...

Mr. Skawronska · « **Reply #12 on:** 31 Dec 2008, 10:01 »

Quote

Although I will say that it's a shame guys don't find real-life crazy girls half as attractive as they find Hannelore.

Some of us do; Wasn't it Davan of Something Positive who said, "Stickin' it in the Crazy is sort of a hobby of mine..."

It's an exciting hobby.

Expensive on car acoutrements, tires, paint jobs, windows, clothing, and reputation, but there are upsides to loving someone who's on a first-name basis with the intake folks at the local Cackle Factory.

Too bad I can't discuss them here.

{edited to add} Having gone through the archives, I found where Marten also says, "Crazy chicks are awesome in bed." I can vouch for that firsthand. Makes the rest of the consequences almost worth it.{edit ends}

S

MrMonk · « **Reply #13 on:** 31 Dec 2008, 20:08 »

Quote from: mishy on 31 Dec 2008, 08:43

i would like to say that i think Jeph has done a very good job with Hannelore and her OCD. sure, sometimes her antics are funny, but if it's something caused by her OCD, Hannelore is always depicted as suffering.

. . .

i don't have OCD, but i have depression that can get somewhat... obsessive... and i'm starting to realize when i fixate on things and it actually interferes with my life, or at least with work. and it annoys the shit out of my bf . . .

. . .

I also appreciate the way that Jeph has handled Hannelore. I'm bipolar, heavy on the depressive end, and often anxious and somewhat obsessive/compulsive. Hannelore helps tickle my humor about my own condition.

Zingoleb · « **Reply #14 on:** 01 Jan 2009, 00:57 »

I was going to post about my problems, but, really, does anyone even care?

MrMonk · « **Reply #15 on:** 01 Jan 2009, 10:53 »

That could be said of any post. We're posting about how we related to Hannelore.

Astroasis · « **Reply #16 on:** 03 Jan 2009, 23:14 »

Yeah, it's really no different than people comparing themselves to how "curvy" Faye is or the kinds of bands Dora likes.

People see parts of themselves in different characters and it's those parts that touch us and make the characters endearing.

And I don't know, but an "I have mental disorders and can totally relate to this character" post seem just as worthwhile as an "OMG, Faye has a big butt and so do I!" post...

JD · « **Reply #17 on:** 04 Jan 2009, 11:21 »

OMG I have brown hair just like faye!

I heard somewhere that jeph has mild OCD

Puki · « **Reply #18 on:** 04 Jan 2009, 17:27 »

Actually, everyone has mild OCD.

Spluff · « **Reply #19 on:** 04 Jan 2009, 17:29 »

I'm pretty sure he meant real mild OCD.

Surgoshan · « **Reply #20 on:** 04 Jan 2009, 18:06 »

Quote from: Puki on 04 Jan 2009, 17:27

Actually, everyone has mild OCD.

Everyone has, on average, one testicle and one ovary.

Puki · « **Reply #21 on:** 04 Jan 2009, 18:07 »

Oh... ok. Sorry about that.

Mr. Skawronska · « **Reply #22 on:** 06 Jan 2009, 07:48 »

Quote

Everyone has, on average, one testicle and one ovary.

Wow. It's nice to be above average in SOMETHING.

Quote

I was going to post about my problems, but, really, does anyone even care?

I probably do from a purely detached, clinical standpoint, but if your problems allow you to relate to Hanners, then sure, I'm interested. I can't speak for anyone else, but I DO count as "anyone" in your question.

So if you feel up to it...how does the disability of a beloved QC character allow you with a disability to relate to her? What is it about her, and about you, that makes you love her the way many of us do?

S

HappyGrar · « **Reply #23 on:** 06 Jan 2009, 09:33 »

Hanners makes me feel normal. Which sounds sort of generic, unless you know me.

I've got OCD, but it only kicks in when I start thinking about stuff. Unfortunately, I can't NOT think about stuff, because then I'll be pissed with myself for not thinking. This (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1276) is pretty much what I'm talking about.

That aside, I'm just kind of weird and awkward. It's the best I can hope for that everyone just smiles and nods. So after a long day of avoiding people and trying not to get caught in any awkward, human-interacty situations, it's nice to come home to Hanners-Antics^TM, which are generally far more distressing (and hilarious) than mine ever could be.

drudge · « **Reply #24 on:** 08 Jan 2009, 22:01 »

I don't have OCD...

I've got CDO.

It's just like OCD, except the letters are in alphabetical order.

Like they should be.

Shadowood · « **Reply #25 on:** 09 Jan 2009, 01:31 »

Quote from: Surgoshan on 04 Jan 2009, 18:06

Quote from: Puki on 04 Jan 2009, 17:27
Actually, everyone has mild OCD.

Everyone has, on average, one testicle and one ovary.

You are amazing. XD

I doubt I truly have OCD, but I've probably mildly got something related. Flickering lights distract me to the extent that I can't have a conversation in a room with one nine times out of ten, and tiling patterns that are truly random annoy the hell out of me, because everything needs to work in patterns with me. I'm even typing to the beat of the song that I'm listening to right now.

Of course, at the same time, it could easily be that I'm just too musical/mathematical and analytical.

Though yes, that Hannelore strip is me, as well. Especially if I'm not sober. My friends have wondered a couple times how I managed to pass out with my eyes open.

SayWhat · « **Reply #26 on:** 10 Jan 2009, 06:48 »

Quote from: HappyGrar on 06 Jan 2009, 09:33

Hanners makes me feel normal. Which sounds sort of generic, unless you know me.

I've got OCD, but it only kicks in when I start thinking about stuff. Unfortunately, I can't NOT think about stuff, because then I'll be pissed with myself for not thinking. This (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1276) is pretty much what I'm talking about.

That aside, I'm just kind of weird and awkward. It's the best I can hope for that everyone just smiles and nods. So after a long day of avoiding people and trying not to get caught in any awkward, human-interacty situations, it's nice to come home to Hanners-Antics^TM, which are generally far more distressing (and hilarious) than mine ever could be.

I had that happen to me the other day, and it resulted in a traffic ticket because my mind was so busy going and going. It started out with a simple "Hm, my gas gauge is a little low, and the weather is getting cold, I ought to put some gas in so my car will be sure to start tomorrow" to a full fledged internal freakout about whether "should I take the highway home to use the gas station by my house or the backroads and use the station that is closer, about which gas station would have cheaper gas, whether the highway would be safer at night, if I should swing by walmart and pick up some rock salt in case the colder weather led to snow, while I'm at walmart I should get some chips because I'm hungry I wonder how they make rocksalt I should google that when I get home I wonder if Zak wants to stop at a drive through and get anything cause if I'm hungry he probably is too why am I hungry I just ate a large slurpee and a pretzel with cheese....."

And I was so busy mentally that I sort of zoned out and didn't notice the flashing red traffic light, so I didn't stop for it, so a cop car pulled out behind me and started flashing its lights, which I didn't notice until Zak pointed them out, and by then the cop had called for backup since I didn't pull over right away, so when I found a well lit parking lot to pull into, there were five cars surrounding me, all with lights flashing and those really BRIGHT lights blinding me, and I was freaking out because "omg a ticket I can't have a ticket what if he arrests me for not pulling over oh my god I ruined the date zak's going to hate me" and you probably get the picture.

Like the comic, if you were just looking at me you wouldn't have thought anything was going on, unless you knew me and noticed my knuckles were white and my lips were twitching, and that sort of thing happens to me all the time (which is why I try not to drive unless necessary).
Went to the doc about it, but all he did was toss some zoloft at me and tell me to 'try deep breathing', and that I was bipolar.
The pills didn't help very much, they sort of killed the wildly racing trains'o'thought, but I zoned out just as bad, and slept far too much, and was still just as anxious, but I couldn't focus the anxiety on anything like, say, getting gas, so I just felt horrible all the time. Nnngh.

FriendlyFireIsnt · « **Reply #27 on:** 10 Jan 2009, 08:31 »

I think I'd like Hannelore more if I were less jealous of her.

I have a condition called Irlen Syndrome. No, unfortunately, it's not behavioral. Just run of the mill effed up brain wiring, involving visual input and the inability of my suppressive neural pathway to short the subordinate neural pathway when I shift focus. So basically, while regular people can look at one thing and see, say, a hippo, then look at another thing and see, say, a giraffe, I would see an image where they both overlap. And, wierdly, would be able to describe in detail their textures, but have difficulty telling exactly how tall or wide each animal was. I could explain the science, but I'm probably boring you to tears already.

I have difficulty with repeating patterns, and reading big blocks of text reduces me to heights of frustration usually reserved for hungry, angry babies. There are a lot of times I feel stupid when I struggle with things that anyone with half a brain wouldn't think twice about. To hide my shame, I often isolate myself from others.

Then I see Hannelore (fictional though she may be) embracing the company of others in spite of all the idiosyncracies of her disorder. No one writes her off or judges her harshly for it. Everyone seems to just accept the slightly skewed as par for the course and lives around it as best as can be managed. She doesn't isolate. She allows herself to just be herself.

Maybe if I were braver, I could do that too. Then again, life ain't no comic book.

Mr. Skawronska · « **Reply #28 on:** 10 Jan 2009, 17:06 »

Quote

Then I see Hannelore (fictional though she may be) embracing the company of others in spite of all the idiosyncracies of her disorder. No one writes her off or judges her harshly for it. Everyone seems to just accept the slightly skewed as par for the course and lives around it as best as can be managed. She doesn't isolate. She allows herself to just be herself.

Keep in mind that Hannelore's parents are dirty rotten stinking filthy rich, which is one of the reasons why her affliction doesn't affect her quality of life as much. If she actually had to WORK for a living (Like the rest of us wage slaves) I suspect the story would be much different.

Just an observation.

S

alexsc12 · « **Reply #29 on:** 11 Jan 2009, 00:02 »

Quote

Keep in mind that Hannelore's parents are dirty rotten stinking filthy rich, which is one of the reasons why her affliction doesn't affect her quality of life as much. If she actually had to WORK for a living (Like the rest of us wage slaves) I suspect the story would be much different.

You make it sound like she's a spoilt, rich bitch. She probably wouldn't be able to work. I've met people with less serious disabilities who don't work, and Hanners' OCD is very severe. If that's how she acts when she's on medication, she'd never hold down a job.

HappyGrar · « **Reply #30 on:** 11 Jan 2009, 07:05 »

I had a job at a curry joint a few months back, my first job. I'll admit it was AMAZINGLY difficult to concentrate on everything at once, because I was busy with thoughts like "I wonder why the soda machine isn't working is it the CO₂ is it leaking am I going to die from it no it takes massive quantities of CO₂ to kill a human I read it on Wikipedia but that's not always accurate but a collectively-accessible knowledge database is pretty cool" and so forth. Customers would often wonder why I was staring off into space when I was supposed to be taking their orders.

I think that if Hannelore did have to work, she probably wouldn't be able to. It kind of scares me a little, actually, because she'd probably end up being the world's cleanest hobo or something.

EDIT: I just remembered she had that internet gig tabulating things. But that's not exactly a traditional job.

Mr. Skawronska · « **Reply #31 on:** 11 Jan 2009, 13:31 »

Quote

You make it sound like she's a spoilt, rich bitch. She probably wouldn't be able to work. I've met people with less serious disabilities who don't work, and Hanners' OCD is very severe. If that's how she acts when she's on medication, she'd never hold down a job.

Spoiled and rich I'll go with, but she's not a bitch...at least not in the traditional sense of the word.

And that was my point, she couldn't hold down a job, and so if her parents weren't supporting her, her OCD might be more detrimental and desperate, making her less lovable and cute to us on the outside.

There's suffering that's contained and there's suffering that is rampant; One is endearing (See TV Tropes: Woobie) and one is just...well, suffering (See TV Tropes: Butt Monkey or Chew Toy)

I'm saying that if Hanners' parents weren't rich, she'd be in much more desperate straits because of her OCD, instead of merely amusing.

S

SayWhat · « **Reply #32 on:** 11 Jan 2009, 15:06 »

Just out of curiosity, but does anyone know the strip where we were told that Hanner's parents are the one's supporting her? I think I must have missed it, because I don't remember anything about Hanners being supported by her parents, so I'm a bit confused by the way the conversation is going.

Surgoshan · « **Reply #33 on:** 11 Jan 2009, 15:21 »

I'm pretty sure it's never been stated, but I can't imagine that counting things is very lucrative.

JD · « **Reply #34 on:** 11 Jan 2009, 15:47 »

It's never really been explicitly mentioned that she stopped counting things for a living.

SayWhat · « **Reply #35 on:** 11 Jan 2009, 16:16 »

Well, I guess it depends on how much she charges, plus she does side jobs for her mother occasionally, not to mention she doesn't buy very much...I always just thought she got by on her own, y'know? Maybe I'm wrong, because I'm finding out that living on your own is expensive.

Edit: I deleted a lot of my original post because I realized a lot of it was really, really off topic, and was probably the pain killers makin' me chatty. Sorry about that. <3

AngelofShadows · « **Reply #36 on:** 12 Jan 2009, 21:06 »

Quote from: drudge on 08 Jan 2009, 22:01

I don't have OCD...

I've got CDO.

It's just like OCD, except the letters are in alphabetical order.

Like they should be.

I'm not sure how wrong it is of me for finding this hilarious.

Surgoshan · « **Reply #37 on:** 12 Jan 2009, 22:12 »

My students have been quoting that since August. Meaning it's been around since 1982.

alexsc12 · « **Reply #38 on:** 12 Jan 2009, 23:16 »

Quote from: Surgoshan on 12 Jan 2009, 22:12

My students have been quoting that since August. Meaning it's been around since 1982.

Quoting what?

Surgoshan · « **Reply #39 on:** 13 Jan 2009, 18:50 »

"I'm 'CDO'. It's OCD but in alphabetical order."

Mr. Skawronska · « **Reply #40 on:** 14 Jan 2009, 11:10 »

Quote

I always just thought she got by on her own, y'know? Maybe I'm wrong, because I'm finding out that living on your own is expensive.

You know, you are right. I went back through the archives and yes, her parents are both dirty rotten filthy stinking rich, but earlier Hannelore points out that she does make a living counting obscure things and runs a website. And she did say she doesn't buy very much.

So...guess what...

I was wrong.

*crickets chirping*

S

FriendlyFireIsnt · « **Reply #41 on:** 15 Jan 2009, 20:16 »

Nothing kills a thread faster than sincere and frank humility.

Thank you for sharing Mr.S.

Astroasis · « **Reply #42 on:** 15 Jan 2009, 21:43 »

My OCD is bad enough that I'm unable to hold down a job. Or do much of anything. My parents support me and I do a little bit of work on the internet.

It dismays me that conversations about OCD always tend to veer off into Ridiculous Land. People quoting that awful CDO thing and thinking they can relate to OCD because they're a little scatter-brained or worry sometimes.

The internet is full of people who like to say, "I think I have a little bit of OCD, because I can't stand wearing socks that don't match! Tee hee!" And I always want to smack them upside the head.

To someone with actual OCD... It can be compared to walking up to a quadriplegic and saying, "I think I'm a bit crippled too, because I can't reach the jar of peanut butter we keep on the highest shelf. Tee hee!"

Unfortunately, my disability doesn't require a wheelchair, so I can't run the stupidheads over with it.

Woe is me.

And I'm aware that characters like Hannelore only further this phenomenon, by making OCD seem "fun" and "quirky" and "unique". But she's also a bit inspiring to people with real OCD, because she's living life and having an impact on others, socializing and having friends, in spite of her illness. So I guess it's a double-edged sword. There are plusses and minuses to these kinds of characters.

The world would be better off with fewer idiots, I think.

Mr. Skawronska · « **Reply #43 on:** 15 Jan 2009, 23:20 »

Quote

The world would be better off with fewer idiots, I think.

Noooooooo! Then I'd have to PAY for my entertainment instead of getting it every day for free!!

S

ladydraykona · « **Reply #44 on:** 16 Jan 2009, 20:22 »

Quote from: SayWhat on 10 Jan 2009, 06:48

Like the comic, if you were just looking at me you wouldn't have thought anything was going on, unless you knew me and noticed my knuckles were white and my lips were twitching, and that sort of thing happens to me all the time (which is why I try not to drive unless necessary).
Went to the doc about it, but all he did was toss some zoloft at me and tell me to 'try deep breathing', and that I was bipolar.
The pills didn't help very much, they sort of killed the wildly racing trains'o'thought, but I zoned out just as bad, and slept far too much, and was still just as anxious, but I couldn't focus the anxiety on anything like, say, getting gas, so I just felt horrible all the time. Nnngh.

I HATE zoloft. I stopped taking it after 6 months because I decided I'd rather feel bad some of the time than feel nothing all the time.

HappyGrar · « **Reply #45 on:** 17 Jan 2009, 01:18 »

Quote from: Astroasis on 15 Jan 2009, 21:43

My OCD is bad enough that I'm unable to hold down a job. Or do much of anything. My parents support me and I do a little bit of work on the internet.

It dismays me that conversations about OCD always tend to veer off into Ridiculous Land. People quoting that awful CDO thing and thinking they can relate to OCD because they're a little scatter-brained or worry sometimes.

The internet is full of people who like to say, "I think I have a little bit of OCD, because I can't stand wearing socks that don't match! Tee hee!" And I always want to smack them upside the head.

To someone with actual OCD... It can be compared to walking up to a quadriplegic and saying, "I think I'm a bit crippled too, because I can't reach the jar of peanut butter we keep on the highest shelf. Tee hee!"

Unfortunately, my disability doesn't require a wheelchair, so I can't run the stupidheads over with it. Woe is me.

And I'm aware that characters like Hannelore only further this phenomenon, by making OCD seem "fun" and "quirky" and "unique". But she's also a bit inspiring to people with real OCD, because she's living life and having an impact on others, socializing and having friends, in spite of her illness. So I guess it's a double-edged sword. There are plusses and minuses to these kinds of characters.

The world would be better off with fewer idiots, I think.

Forgive me, but I noted no one "tee hee"ing anywhere.

At the risk of taking the whole thing FAR too seriously, did it ever occur to you that the people here (myself included) might have far more problems than they let on? And that a vacuous "tee hee" might not be the last word? I mean, I might go into how I also have Asperger's and that makes it really hard to relate to people, and to pull myself out of my thoughts and get on with life, but why the hell would I do that on a forum full of people I don't even know? Oh wait. I just did. Tee hee.

I'm really sorry if you've had to put up with airheads like that on a regular basis, but not everyone is one of them.

[/rant]

jax85 · « **Reply #46 on:** 17 Jan 2009, 07:39 »

I like Hannelore, simply because she is, in a way, a "balanced" character. She has OCD but she is trying. People laugh at some of the things that happen because no one can be serious all of the time. The only way to survive a day sometimes is to laugh at at a situation. But the humor is never degrading and Jeph has made Hannelore into developed character who is trying to overcome her OCD. There are serious moments but no one is taking themselves too seriously. That being said, I agree with those who say that she's just a character and isn't supposed to be a course in psychology.

SayWhat · « **Reply #47 on:** 17 Jan 2009, 16:20 »

Quote from: ladydraykona on 16 Jan 2009, 20:22

Quote from: SayWhat on 10 Jan 2009, 06:48
Like the comic, if you were just looking at me you wouldn't have thought anything was going on, unless you knew me and noticed my knuckles were white and my lips were twitching, and that sort of thing happens to me all the time (which is why I try not to drive unless necessary).
Went to the doc about it, but all he did was toss some zoloft at me and tell me to 'try deep breathing', and that I was bipolar.
The pills didn't help very much, they sort of killed the wildly racing trains'o'thought, but I zoned out just as bad, and slept far too much, and was still just as anxious, but I couldn't focus the anxiety on anything like, say, getting gas, so I just felt horrible all the time. Nnngh.

I HATE zoloft. I stopped taking it after 6 months because I decided I'd rather feel bad some of the time than feel nothing all the time.

He said it would 'balance me out' and that after 6 weeks of taking it all the side effects would be gone, and that I'd feel so much more relaxed and happy.

What a load of BS. I felt so exhausted and well, depressed, it was just a "Why bother with anything...even eating..." sort of feeling. I still felt so...I'm not sure how to describe it. Imagine a constant worrying feeling, this vague, unidentifiable anxiety, but not being able to focus it on anything...That's how I deal with it. I focus it on something, like my writing ("Omfg this is so bed I should re-write it fifty times") or my bedroom ("If I clean and reorganize every thing in here, along with alphabetizing my books, there won't be any bugs in here and I can sleep safely").

I figure, if I do something productive with it, that's better than just freaking out all the time. I may be focusing on something totally idiotic (there are no bugs in my rooms, f'r instance) but it gives me something to do.
But yeah. Zoloft didn't help at all. I ended up going back to the office and just leaving the bottle of pills in his office with a note explaining that they weren't really helping and I'd appreciate if he could dispose of them properly. I'm not sure how you're meant to get rid of pills safely, I hear throwing them away or washing them down the sink can release the chemicals into the water, which might mess with other people. I figure he'd know what to do.

Mr. Skawronska · « **Reply #48 on:** 17 Jan 2009, 23:08 »

Quote

I hear throwing them away or washing them down the sink can release the chemicals into the water, which might mess with other people. I figure he'd know what to do.

Depends upon the water treatment methodology in place.

Throwing them away wouldn't be so bad--incineration generally will denature the chemicals into other compounds that no longer have the properties of the original medication and fillers.

But yeah, bringiing them back to the prescriber, especially if you're making a point, is, in my opinion, appropriate.

And I relate to Hanners not so much about her OCD, but her adaptations. As someone else said, "We've all got issues."

It's just that Hanners' adaptation to those issues are both funny and endearing, and THAT's what makes her such a darling to me.

It's not that I want hot Hannelorz Hantai or what have you...I just like the character and see her as a Woobie in TV trope language, and it just activates all my protective and cuddly motivations...and, given the nature of the rest of my personality, anything that activates "nurture" on me CANNOT be a bad thing.

S

SayWhat · « **Reply #49 on:** 18 Jan 2009, 17:57 »

I guess I was making a point, but... I don't really know. I was rather unhappy that he just tossed some pills at me told me to try deep breathing and said "You're bipolar" all based on a 30 minute appointment... Especially since the pills didn't really help.

But yeah, I figured he'd know how to get rid of them safely.

I think it's sorta weird. I freak out if I get sticky stuff on my hands, like clay (watching me in my ceramics class was hilarious, every couple minutes or so I was wiping my hands clean), but I can make kisses with a guy and not wig out. Kissing is dirtier than clay, I think.

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Author Topic: Hannelore's OCD (Read 38821 times)

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