Anyone else with ADD have OCD also?

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Permalink Reply by Karen L on April 24, 2009 at 10:23am

Have you been diagnosed with OCD? If not, maybe some of these behaviors could just be little quirks. I have to fold my laundry a certain way too and I even want my clothes in my closet a certain way (but this often gets goofed up until I re-organize it). Other things such as my purse and my keys I just can't seem to get it together. They're all over the place. Can't seem to find the right place for them. And then there's the filing cabinet. I have quite a system with everything arranged alphabetically and I go through everything at least once a year and throw out old stuff. I think just because we're particular about certain things, it doesn't necessarily mean we're OCD. I think in order to be OCD it really has to incapacitate your life. But I'm not a doctor so this is just my opinion.

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Permalink Reply by Chrissy on April 24, 2009 at 10:48am

I do and it is like living in black and white. I clean my house neat freaklike only five minutes later to get ready and ADHD tornado through it like it was never cleaned grr

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Permalink Reply by Chrissy on April 24, 2009 at 10:58am

I am diagnosed with both and treated with medication for several years.
Karen L said:

Have you been diagnosed with OCD? If not, maybe some of these behaviors could just be little quirks. I have to fold my laundry a certain way too and I even want my clothes in my closet a certain way (but this often gets goofed up until I re-organize it). Other things such as my purse and my keys I just can't seem to get it together. They're all over the place. Can't seem to find the right place for them. And then there's the filing cabinet. I have quite a system with everything arranged alphabetically and I go through everything at least once a year and throw out old stuff. I think just because we're particular about certain things, it doesn't necessarily mean we're OCD. I think in order to be OCD it really has to incapacitate your life. But I'm not a doctor so this is just my opinion.

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Permalink Reply by Linda Beebe on April 24, 2009 at 11:16am

I too have OCD which drives me crazy. My biggest problem is hoarding things. I just can't let go of things because "I might need it someday." I was a teacher and thought this was just the "teacher sydrome." My teaching supplies spilled over from my classroom to my home. I've been retired for a year and a half (early retirement) and still haven't gotten rid of things because "I might try teaching again." I also moved six months ago and still have half of my stuff in boxes. I really want to have a very neat and clean home but am finding this impossible to do. My therapist and I have a lot of work to do.

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Permalink Reply by Kimberly W on April 25, 2009 at 6:16am

Thanks for all the replies, I too have a problem with hoarding. Especially clothes!!! I have so many clothes that I will never wear again but just can't part with. How do you stop the cycle?

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Permalink Reply by Karen L on April 25, 2009 at 9:49am

Part of the trick it to let go of the emotional attachment to the item. When I moved, I had to get rid of so much "stuff". It was so very, very hard. I still miss some of it. I don't know why we develop an attachment to "things".
There was this woman in NYC I saw on TV and she had such a hoarding problem, she was going to be evicted from her apartment. Couldn't walk in her apartment and when you asked her what she could get rid of, she showed one itty bitty corner of stuff. That was bad. That woman had some severe psychological issues. Somehow, I don't think you all are quite that severe. If you can detach yourselves from your "stuff", it'll be easier.
I have held onto my box of poems all my life but several months ago, I pulled them out because I was actually going to make a mural with them. When I started reading them I saw a lot of pain. I contemplated tossing them because why would I want to hold onto something that brought a lot of pain. But I've kept them so that when I'm gone, my kids will learn something about their mother. Things I can't tell them now.
Got off on a tangent there but to answer Kim's question, you can stop they cycle by not bringing any more stuff into your home. You have to do a lot of self-talk when you're shopping. I talk out loud to myself all the time. "No, I don't need this." "Will I really use it?" "Can I really afford it?" I say these things out loud and I don't care if anyone hears. I have full conversations with myself to keep myself from buying unnecessary things.
Okay, I'm done now. :)

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Permalink Reply by Tina Smith on May 1, 2009 at 9:05pm

My step dad has OCD and I have ADULT ADHD. I am 42 yr old female from PA. He drives me nuts, but he makes my mom happy!! He asked me and a co worker asked me , do I have a touch of OCD. I guess because I see black & white, with me there is no grey. Theres good, bad, nice, evil, back stabber or my friend, users, haters helpers. He even got me a little zebra doo dad holding a sign that says, You can agree with me or you could be wrong!!! Ha, that is great.

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Permalink Reply by Conny on May 3, 2009 at 6:01pm

OH........Am not so sure you're going to like my reply...But it wasn't too long ago a lady in her early 30's said at one of our ADD meetings: " I wish i had some OCD to go with my ADD" She said that because her neighbour had OCD and he was the "neatest most organised person she'd ever met but a bit of a bore"; whereas she was very creative but could not get a handle on her 'spread all over uncompleted art work and what-not'.
But i understand your plight, my DD has this combination, a light version of it. She told me it was much worse before and she is getting over the feelings of not being able to begin anything unless she knows she can do it right. She too fusses over things far too long until it feels or looks just right. She said recently that she has learnt from me that often times good enough is really good enough and life- which is short- is meant to be enjoyed. Know what i mean? I hope you can, in time do this too...talk yourself into this. I'm told by OCD experts that you need to give yourself positive feedback- if need be by talking to yourself OUT LOUD!!! that it is OK the way it is the first time you did something. It is like re-training your brain to stop the "loop".

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Permalink Reply by Julie on May 4, 2009 at 12:25pm

Yes me too - I have ADHD and OCD and a million phobia's / anxiety disorder to content with..life is mainly a nightmare !! lol

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Permalink Reply by LinLin on May 24, 2009 at 5:08pm

Yes, yes and yes! I have never formally been diagnosed with OCD, but have often wondered if some of my crazy rituals qualify. I remember having discussions with my mother, years ago, about these "obsessions"; laughing about doing the same silly things...like tri-folding the towels just so (corners & edges have to match up too), having the bathmat or welcome mat etc. be perfectly parallel to the tub or door or whatever... My husband gives me a hard time about my obsessions with bed sheets and blankets having to be centered and lined up just so, and making certain that the tags are not at the top where they can get in your face. How silly is that?

Also, I absolutely will not/can not wear a pair of socks that are not perfectly matched. The list goes on and on.

You mentioned counting...this is really weird. As I am doing things around the house, usually anything that has a rhythmic repetition to it, I find myself "mentally" counting out my movements...as if it was some sort of dance. Well, I guess in a way, it a dance. I have always been involved with music (singing & playing instruments), and took ballet classes for many years. I find myself humming obsessively, more so in recent years...and often wonder where this is all leading! I have noticed that post-menopausally, the OCD symptoms seem to have gotten a little more noticeable.

I have trouble with perfectionism, too, which I believe is related. I am a graphic designer, and often spend way too much time obsessing over something that has to be just perfect visually, but of course, never is. On the other hand, sometimes this trait works in my favor as far as accuracy and well constructed design and artwork.

I, also, am a very disorganized and housework challenged person. I sure wish I was obsessive about a perfectly spotless house!

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Permalink Reply by Lori Doyle on May 24, 2009 at 10:05pm

All I know is that because of my ADD my children will never have OCD because they are so used to living in chaos that they can take anything such as the laundry or dishes never being done, socks never matching, clothes being washed the night before they wear them, not being able to find the things we need when we need them such as the car keys, never ever being on time, leaving the house 30 times before actually leaving with all the things we need (man how many times have you guys circled the block before you have everything?!) If my kids get OCD it is from their dad! Life goes on and I think that living with me and my ADD the children are much more relaxed about things than if they would have lived with their OCD dad. Now that is a whole other story as he vacuums and dusts every day! Ha if I do that once a year I am doing good! Happy Memorial Day! Lori

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Permalink Reply by Jules on May 26, 2009 at 12:58pm

oh, honey you are not alone! i was just wondering if i would "fit" in here while reading all the posts from woman that feel disorganized. not that i'm a star at it, i'm certainly not. but i too have the towel issue and a list of other things that have to be attended to before i feel "done". only problem is i never feel done! i try so hard to actually sit and watch a whole movie at home and yet i'm up every few minutes "tending" to someting else that i just realized wasn't done. drives bill nuts. welcome to our own little world!

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