You guys have got to see this

[Flamingo]

I'm a neatfreak, my oldest son claims that I caused emotional damage because of my obsession with sanitation and windex and 409 and hardwood floor cleaner, he laughs because I wear medical gloves (a box always on the fridge)to throw things in our community dumpster. I'll never forget that while watching Independence Day years ago that my oldest said that I'd clean the house before fleeing so that the Aliens wouldn't find it unsanitary. I clean phones, remote controls and doorknobs with windex about once a week. If you walk from the kitchen to the LR and back you have to wash hands before re-opening the fridge. I wash Milk cartons and Soda Bottles and Apple Juice bottles, etc... before they get in the fridge. No joke I do most of the shopping so every two weeks I clean the fridge. My cutting boards I use a restaurant grade sanitizer.

Which is worse?

You most definately suffer from OCD. I know two people probably worse than you, one which when he leaves his car to park it at the garage at work, has to go back and check the door at least 5 or 6 times before he will leave the garage for the office building.

[earningslost]

most be a sick person. I wonder where they work

Whataburger- its in TEXAS

[fltoo]

OMG, I wash the plastic milk and juice bottles before they go in my fridge. Are we sick or what? LOL

I emotionally scarred my kids so badly that they used to line up their match box cars perfectly spaced in the closet.

Last holiday, my son's new gf came for dinner. After watching me in the kitchen for awhile, she exclaimed, Oh my, NOW I know where your son gets his OCD.

Oh well, I could have taught them a lot worse things.

[fltoo]

You most definately suffer from OCD. I know two people probably worse than you, one which when he leaves his car to park it at the garage at work, has to go back and check the door at least 5 or 6 times before he will leave the garage for the office building.

Now that is a severe case and not funny. Poor guy.

[arkienurse]

In 1997 or '98 there was a news article in the paper about a 60 ish year old woman and her 40 ish daughter--both unmarried--living in a house that was like this in the Tampa area. Only not only were they filthy, but they were HOARDERS.

Some people hoard cats, others dogs or other animals. In this case, these women hoarded RATS! Yes, you read it correctly--RATS. These women thought of them as pets and fed them. The community fathers had to condemn the house get the women out, and bulldozed it get get rid of the vermin. The neighbors said they could see the rats in the nearby trees.....

I guess you missed the article I found recently about the 2 spinster sisters in california. They fed the rats dogfood and milk. And actually threatened neighbors who dared to call exterminators. This family moved in next door and actually put footage on youtube of the rats playing in the yard. In the end, they were able to get very little done. The rats were cleaned out of the home, but officials say these 2 ladies have contributed unknown thousands to the rat population in that county. Wish I could remember the link for you. It made me nauseated to read. The couple next door were scared leave the kids alone if I remember.

[twuoo]

The ciggarette butts must make some sort of guiness book of records!

That is just mind boggling!

[Flamingo]

OMG, I wash the plastic milk and juice bottles before they go in my fridge. Are we sick or what? LOL

I emotionally scarred my kids so badly that they used to line up their match box cars perfectly spaced in the closet.

Last holiday, my son's new gf came for dinner. After watching me in the kitchen for awhile, she exclaimed, Oh my, NOW I know where your son gets his OCD.

Oh well, I could have taught them a lot worse things.

It's most definately genetic as is ADD or ADHD. We have both in our family and those that have either are under treatment. I remember my mother getting under the kitchen table while my sister and I ate lunch to ensure she got all the crumbs that hit the floor while we ate. At that time no one knew what the condition was and people were considered neurotic. My sister did not inherit it, I did but not very bad (it does get less and less as you age and seems to really manifest itself in your teens through your 30s, then starts to wane). My oldest daughter inherited it and is a hand washer (she is also a full time registered nurse so I guess that habit comes in handy!) :-)

[AngelinaCat]

We had an older friend who was a 'hand washer'. She and her spinster sister ran a little sundries store. After she took money, she would go wash her hands. That wasn't bad, and is good practice. But as she got older, she got worse--to the point of using a stiff bristle brush on her hands and fingernails and all the way up to nearly her shoulders. Her hands and arms were always irritated and inflamed looking. I wonder why?

[fltoo]

It's most definately genetic as is ADD or ADHD. We have both in our family and those that have either are under treatment. I remember my mother getting under the kitchen table while my sister and I ate lunch to ensure she got all the crumbs that hit the floor while we ate. At that time no one knew what the condition was and people were considered neurotic. My sister did not inherit it, I did but not very bad (it does get less and less as you age and seems to really manifest itself in your teens through your 30s, then starts to wane). My oldest daughter inherited it and is a hand washer (she is also a full time registered nurse so I guess that habit comes in handy!) :-)

Now that you mention it to be inherited, my father's tomato plants were spaced perfectly in the garden! LOL
His brothers were neatniks, also, and my mom used to follow us into the bathroom and wipe the water off the faucet when we washed our hands.

Oh well, it didn't hurt any of us, sometimes it actually comes in handy. Besides, being from outside NYC, we were just considered normal like all the other neurotics up home.

P.S. I still didn't look at the link.

[cupcake]

I think most of the people we are talking about here suffer from traits of OCPD (obsessive compulsive PERSONALITY disorder, not OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). OCPD is much more common than OCD; OCD is a serious and debilitating disorder where people can't leave their houses and cannot live anything even close to a normal life because of their compulsions.

[fltoo]

I think most of the people we are talking about here suffer from traits of OCPD (obsessive compulsive PERSONALITY disorder, not OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). OCPD is much more common than OCD; OCD is a serious and debilitating disorder where people can't leave their houses and cannot live anything even close to a normal life because of their compulsions.

Thank you for explaining that. I feel better.

[Lacy]

Now that is bad !! I do not see how anyone could of lived there. Seems impossible to me.

I'm a germaphobe I am always washing my hands and always carry a bottle of hand sanitizer in purse at all times. I wont drink after anyone , not even my own kids.

[Bandit]

That was nasty! groooooooooooooosssssssss. Talk about barfing.

It is so much easier to clean it up & take out the garbage. That is obscene laziness.

[Flamingo]

I think most of the people we are talking about here suffer from traits of OCPD (obsessive compulsive PERSONALITY disorder, not OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). OCPD is much more common than OCD; OCD is a serious and debilitating disorder where people can't leave their houses and cannot live anything even close to a normal life because of their compulsions.

You are correct - the difference is that in OCD there is the need to repeat and in OCPD there is usually no ritualistic repeating (they do hoarding as one example); so both types are described throughout this thread in their behavior(s)... "Obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is often confused with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This could be due to the more commonly known OCD and the similarities in name of the two disorders, however the mindsets are typically different and unrelated.

Those who are experiencing OCPD do not generally feel the need to repeatedly perform ritualistic actions - a common symptom of OCD. Instead, people with OCPD tend to stress perfectionism above all else, and feel anxious when they perceive that things are not "right."

People with OCPD may try to rid themselves of excess energy when anxious or excited by twitching or doing unpredictable things. They may hoard money for future use, keep their home perfectly organized, or be anxious about delegating tasks for fear that they won't be completed correctly. There are four primary areas that cause anxiety for OCPD personalities: time, relationship, uncleanliness, and money. There are few moral 'grey' areas for a person with fully developed OCPD; actions and beliefs are either completely right, or absolutely wrong. As might be expected, interpersonal relationships are difficult because of the excessive demands placed on friends, romantic partners and children. Persons with OCPD often have a negative outlook on life (pessimism)."

[rock_lobster!]

That's BEYOND.

How do people live like that? How does one even walk through the apartment?

If I were the landlord, I'd have a true and legal fit.