Contrary to popular belief, always being neat and organized or being a germophobe does not mean you have OCD. This just means you have a preference to have things orderly or you have a phobia, which is an entirely different mental condition. “I’m so OCD” is a phrase said so often, yet it is also one that is so misconstrued with stereotypes and misinformation. OCD is not an adjective and it is not synonymous for neat or organized. Rather, OCD stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and is a serious mental illness that affects millions of people worldwide.
For those of you who don’t know, OCD is associated with unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings and ideas (obsessions) usually followed by behaviors that drive one to do something over and over (compulsions). These compulsions are usually a way for people with OCD to get rid of the obsessive thoughts and the extreme anxiety that comes along with them. For those suffering from this disorder, the constant cycle of obsessions and compulsions is a daily struggle that affects many aspects of their life. For them, it’s not just a phrase they can throw around because they have a need to be organized or tidy. It’s not just some words that they can use and then forget about. It’s a lifetime of therapy and medication and working to overcome the struggles they face.
As someone who has been diagnosed with OCD and constantly hears people saying “I’m so OCD about finishing my homework” or “I’m so OCD about my notes,” it is extremely frustrating, especially as someone who doesn’t fit the stereotypical view of OCD. I like my notes to be neat and my room to be clean, but those are not a part of my obsessive-compulsive behaviors. In fact, there are so many of us who suffer from OCD and do not exhibit these behaviors. Many of them are like me and actually have a subtype of the disorder called Pure Obsessional OCD. This is when someone with OCD engages in hidden or mental compulsions. Instead of visible excessive hand washing or counting, they perform repetitive mental rituals in order to relieve the anxiety caused by obsessions. You’d never know I suffered from this disorder unless I told you, which is another reason why OCD shouldn’t be used as an adjective. When you do so, especially in circumstances where you are trying to emphasize your desire to be neat or orderly, you are contributing to the stereotype of what OCD is supposed to look like. This in turn diminishes the hardships that individuals who don’t fit that stereotype face.
Remember that the words we speak often have a greater impact than even we can imagine, and so our words should always be chosen carefully. Again, OCD is not an adjective nor is it a synonym for perfectionist and should never be used as such. Mental illnesses are not something to be taken lightly and there are already enough stigmas and stereotypes associated with them. Let’s not be a part of the problem and just pick a better word.