When routine gets in the way of life

He immediately was overcome by a sense of dread as his alarm rang at 6:30 a.m. The dread did not stem from job dissatisfaction, the exam he faced at night school, or the traffic jams on the way to work. Instead, the thought of bathing and dressing himself was overpowering.

Showering required always facing the same direction in the shower, shampooing his hair with the same hand each time and drying himself in a fashion that required three fresh towels each time he showered. If he violated any of his “rules” during the process he felt compelled to begin the process again and at times, he showered at least three times before he felt comfortable in completing the process.

Dressing required a pattern of behaviors that would baffle an outside observer. His shirt must be buttoned by following a complicated mathematical formula, his shoes must be tied so that the laces were exactly the same length on each shoe, etc. Again, any violated rules necessitated beginning the whole process again.

When he got to work, he took the elevator to the floor below his office and walked up one flight of stairs, believing that if the elevator stopped on his floor, a number he considered to be unlucky, it might get stuck and he and other passengers would be trapped for many hours. His whole day was ruled by obsessive thoughts and ritualistic behaviors.

Many of us follow certain routines in life, such as sitting in the same general vicinity week after week in church sanctuary, carrying our handkerchief in the same pocket all the time, brushing our teeth or combing our hair in the same fashion each time, etc. These mild eccentricities are not normally bothersome, as most people will agree that some routine in daily activities is not only helpful, but usually essential.

Consider, however, the life of the individual who appears to be exceptionally neat and tidy but secretly washes his hands 50 to 60 times a day or because of fear of germs feels the compulsion to open all doors with a tissue or handkerchief if no one is looking.

The most common compulsive behaviors include those labeled as washers, checkers, cleaners, hoarders, or repeaters.

Famous individuals such as Charles Darwin and Samuel Johnson are said to have suffered from OCD. The classic book, The Boy Who Couldn’t Stop Washing, by Judith L. Rapoport, M.D., is an excellent resource for those wishing to learn more about OCD. Additional information can be obtained by contacting the Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation, Inc., 337 Notch Hill Rd., N. Branford, CT 06471, Voice: 203-315-2190, Fax: 203-315-2196, E-mail: info@ocfoundation.org.

Current treatments for OCD are effective and range from medication to psychotherapy and behavior modification. Many times a combination of these treatments relieves the suffering of individuals diagnosed with OCD.


Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 2000