Living With OCD & ADD

[OneEyedDiva]

I didn’t notice that I had OCD tendencies until I became a senior citizen. I think my husband noticed though. And I’ve noticed over the past few years that it’s gotten more pronounced, but not nearly as severe as my granddaughter’s condition. Part of my OCD included germaphobia, though not nearly as bad as Monk. Getting our kitten reduced the germaphobia a bit, probably quite a bit. Still I wash my hands at least 50 times a day.

It bothers me if things aren’t put away in a certain manner. For instance labels on packaging must be facing front unless it’s more feasible (for space sake) for them to be placed sideways. Even then, the front of the labels must usually face left. Another example: our coat closet is right off the living room across from where I sit in my recliner. If I’m in my recliner eating and/or watching TV, I can’t stand for that door, which is a slider on a track, to be open.

Having ADD has caused me to give up on reading books. I never finish them. I also didn’t notice this when I was younger. I read books then…big books. Then at some point, I stopped finishing books. The last books I finished ( each within 24 hours), were The Color Purple and Uncle Yah Yah.

My ADD also causes me to stop watching T.V. shows usually after about 23 minutes. Sometimes it’s double that for a movie. The exceptions are if the shows are extremely engrossing. Therefore I usually don’t finish a show in one sitting, except for half hour shows, which are only about 22 minutes when streaming ad free. I also get impatient if a movie isn’t interesting enough and I'll fast forward to the end. I remember I got a W (weak) in work habits early on in grade school. In retrospect, I think ADD was the culprit but of course things like ADHD, ADD and dyslexia weren’t recognized back then.

 

[Paco Dennis]

OCD and ADD can be quite the combo to navigate, and it sounds like you've found ways to cope and understand your tendencies over time.
Germaphobia is not uncommon among folks with OCD, and it's great that having a furry friend around has helped ease some of those anxieties. Washing' your hands frequently is a common coping mechanism, too, as long as it doesn't interfere too much with your daily life.
Your need for order and organization with things like packaging and the coat closet is another telltale sign of OCD, and it's important to recognize that these behaviors can help bring a sense of control and comfort to your environment. Just be careful not to let it cause you too much stress or frustration if things aren't always exactly as you prefer.
The ADD piece can certainly make focusing' on tasks like reading' or watchin' TV a challenge. It's understandable that you might struggle to finish books or shows, especially if they don't fully capture your attention.

 

[officerripley]

For instance labels on packaging must be facing front unless it’s more feasible (for space sake) for them to be placed sideways. Even then, the front of the labels must usually face left.

Same here.

 

[Alizerine]

Same here.

That seems normal to me. We read from left to right.

 

[fatboy]

I haven't watched a movie until the end not often.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

I have OCD tendencies. I have no germ phobia though. My OCD tendencies are finding things that ‘in my mind’ don’t belong. It was useful when I was in quality control for IBM computers but not good for everyday life. It’s a horrible mental health disorder to have. My dad had it. He’d glue a dollar store cup together over and over again rather than buy a new one. Then again, part of that was being ultra thrifty. His cheapness got worse as he got older.

 

[VintageBetter]

I didn’t notice that I had OCD tendencies until I became a senior citizen. I think my husband noticed though. And I’ve noticed over the past few years that it’s gotten more pronounced, but not nearly as severe as my granddaughter’s condition. Part of my OCD included germaphobia, though not nearly as bad as Monk. Getting our kitten reduced the germaphobia a bit, probably quite a bit. Still I wash my hands at least 50 times a day.

It bothers me if things aren’t put away in a certain manner. For instance labels on packaging must be facing front unless it’s more feasible (for space sake) for them to be placed sideways. Even then, the front of the labels must usually face left. Another example: our coat closet is right off the living room across from where I sit in my recliner. If I’m in my recliner eating and/or watching TV, I can’t stand for that door, which is a slider on a track, to be open.

Having ADD has caused me to give up on reading books. I never finish them. I also didn’t notice this when I was younger. I read books then…big books. Then at some point, I stopped finishing books. The last books I finished ( each within 24 hours), were The Color Purple and Uncle Yah Yah.

My ADD also causes me to stop watching T.V. shows usually after about 23 minutes. Sometimes it’s double that for a movie. The exceptions are if the shows are extremely engrossing. Therefore I usually don’t finish a show in one sitting, except for half hour shows, which are only about 22 minutes when streaming ad free. I also get impatient if a movie isn’t interesting enough and I'll fast forward to the end. I remember I got a W (weak) in work habits early on in grade school. In retrospect, I think ADD was the culprit but of course things like ADHD, ADD and dyslexia weren’t recognized back then.

Did you get any support from parents or the school system when you were a child? If you did not, that was not uncommon for Baby Boomers since the DHEA was not passed until 1975. (It had a different name then, but it covered all disabilities, including learning disabilities.) A History of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act

 

[Mobilman44]

My Wife has some, getting more pronounced with time. I've learned to just go with the flow, and that seems to work pretty well.

One thing she does is wipe down the double stainless sink and the countertops several times a day.

Another thing is building inventory of stuff we use, but 5 rolls of aluminum foil and 3 very large boxes of Stevia and 5 boxes of large straws and 8 boxes of white plastic spoons is a bit much. Oh, and I say without exaggeration, we must have almost 200 nice wash cloths stacked perfectly in various cabinets.

If money was an issue, I would have a problem, but it isn't, so whatever makes her happy is fine by me.

 

[KathyB1968]

Did you get any support from parents or the school system when you were a child? If you did not, that was not uncommon for Baby Boomers since the DHEA was not passed until 1975. (It had a different name then, but it covered all disabilities, including learning disabilities.) A History of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act

From someone who missed being a baby boomer by a few years, even after 1975 help and diagnosis for learning disabilities was hit and miss.

My grade school believed you could not have a learning disability if you had above average IQ.

You also tended to nor be diagnosed for ADD if you had the quiet spacey kind of ADD. You didn't fit the perception of what ADD was supposed to look like.

I feel like I might have mild undiagnosed ADD tendencies that are starting to get worse.

 

[hollydolly]

I haven't watched a movie until the end not often.

Nor me..but not because I have ADD but because I'm just too impatient....I get bored easily if there's no great storyline..

 

[OneEyedDiva]

Did you get any support from parents or the school system when you were a child? If you did not, that was not uncommon for Baby Boomers since the DHEA was not passed until 1975. (It had a different name then, but it covered all disabilities, including learning disabilities.) A History of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act

No...no help. As you said, there was no ADD or ADHD diagnoses back then. It didn't cause too much of a problem in grammar school, none in high school and never interfered with me doing my jobs. Dyslexia wasn't recognized either. My poor husband who really was a smart man, grew up thinking he was dumb because he "couldn't read". Really he could, but much slower than the average person. After we married (we were in our 40s), I was the one who figured out and told him that he had dyslexia when I noticed he could read scrambled words better than words in the proper order.

He also would always mix up the order of numbers he was reading off. Despite his dyslexia he managed to open and run one of the first Black businesses in town. He was very good with numbers. He also ran for public office, became a respected business mentor to young businessmen and an activist, well known in the community. Even lawyers would consult him!

 

[caramel]

Add me to the list of people who doesn't often finish a movie in one sitting.

But I can concentrate on interesting projects for hours, sometimes forgetting about the time, so I don't think my movie watching is a symptom of ADD in my case.

 

[EmptyCup]

I got labeled “hyperactive“ in elementary school by several teachers. I consider ADHD my superpower. It keeps me moving all day, every day. My ex used to say watching me would wear her out, and make her feel guilty for not doing as much. I know there are medications out there for this, but I say, “no thank-you”, I like the way I am. I was able to earn three graduate degrees and enjoyed a 34 year career in education using my “work-arounds”. Still can‘t sit through an entire movie without taking a break though

 

[jujube]

Another condition that was not addressed was dyslexia. You weren't dyslexic, you just "weren't trying hard enough". And, unfortunately, "trying harder" didn't work.

I entered the third grade hardly able to read a word. I just couldn't make sense out of all those letters. I had, as a coping mechanism, memorized all the primers and as I had an amazing memory, could rattle off any page you wanted by recognizing the pictures.

So here I was in third grade, functionally illiterate, with no help in sight.

But, one day, I swear I could feel something go SNAP in my brain and all those pesky letters fell into order and I COULD READ!!!

In 4th grade, I tested at a high school freshman reading level and in 5th grade at a college freshman level.

Some circuit in my brain had closed (or opened?) and I was OK.

Thank goodness my brain was able to heal itself, because I sure as tootin' wasn't going to get any help from the education system....

 

[C50]

I got labeled “hyperactive“ in elementary school by several teachers. I consider ADHD my superpower. It keeps me moving all day, every day. My ex used to say watching me would wear her out, and make her feel guilty for not doing as much. I know there are medications out there for this, but I say, “no thank-you”, I like the way I am. I was able to earn three graduate degrees and enjoyed a 34 year career in education using my “work-arounds”. Still can‘t sit through an entire movie without taking a break though

Kind of my story also, I lucked into a career that stimulated me mentally and physically. As scattered as my thoughts can be I'm also capable of being hyper focused and exacting in anything I do. Traits that could have easily crippled my life turned out to be gifts once I learned how to utilize them.

I certainly still have some issues, but overall I like how I am.