With semester exams at the end of this week, I had forgotten about this diagnosis until just now and since I was not completely satisfied with my friend's explanation of the disorder, I decided to do a little research.
My research skills are few and far between, so I just went straight to Google (by go-to source) and simply clicked on the first link that appeared-- Wikipedia. (Shocking)
SInce I'm sure you're all incredibly interested in my issues, I will include the interesting/important parts of my findings (And, hey, who knows? You might just learn something about yourself):
"Obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is characterized by a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental and interpersonal control at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency. People with OCPD may feel anxious when they perceive that things are not right. This can lead to routines and rules for ways of doing things."
Yeah...that's like me, only in text form.
Anyway, I guess I should list the symptoms (go ahead and take this time for a little self-analysis):
"Preoccupation with details, rules, lists, order, organization, and schedules; being very rigid and inflexible in their beliefs; showing perfectionism that interferes with completing a task; excessive focus on being productive with their time; being very conscientious; having inflexible morality, ethics, or values; hoarding items that may no longer have value; and a reluctance to trust a work assignment or task to someone else for fear that their standards will not be met."
As far as the hoarding goes, it says that people with OCPD tend to hoard money, not items. The reason for this often lies in a fear of problems that could occur in the future, which would lead to a need for extra money.
Early in my life, I probably would have denied having a hoarding problem, but I have since then matured and know better-- I do have a money hoarding issue. It's something that I have had problems with since I was a child. Any time I would get money from relatives for my birthday or Christmas I would save and hardly ever spend it. Thankfully, I have managed to improve and do spend more of my money now (mainly on books, but that's something, right?)
Another thing I learned was that I had incorrectly diagnosed myself when I was younger, I used to say that I had OCD because that, ADD, and ADHD were the only disorders that I really knew something about, but I have since learned that, while OCD and OCPD have their similarities, there is a fine line between the two.
"Despite the similar names, they are two distinct disorders, although some OCPD individuals also suffer from OCD, and the two are sometimes found in the same family. People experiencing OCPD do not generally feel the need to repeatedly perform ritualistic actions-- a common symptom of OCD --and usually find pleasure in perfecting a task whereas OCD patients are often more distressed after their actions."
Great, so I get pleasure from my insanity.
Last thing that I found out was that OCPD only occurs in about 1% of the general population (so, random Googler, you're probably safe), 3-10% in psychiatric patients, and that it is twice as common in men than women.
I guess that makes me a double-whammy, general population AND a female. (I always knew that I was special, I just didn't know how special.)
Anyway, I'm going to go see a therapist now...
Hopefully you didn't find yourself staring back at you through those Wikipedia quotes, but if you did, then at least know that you're among friends... well a friend-- me.
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