You know what displeases me? How one of my friends has OCD, so he thinks that he understands my OCD. Right. Okay. That's wrong.
So, the other day he and his girlfriend decided to appear at my flat out of the blue to say 'hi.' That's fairly normal for the two of them and so is okay. Then some random door-to-door religious group rang and I had to go handle it. Both of my mates know that I'm incapable of being rude (perfect manners are required…), and so that I would take a while. I said that I could meet up with them later or see them some other time, but they said that they'd wait. Well, I couldn't tell them to not wait nor could I keep people at the door waiting any longer, so I apologised and agreed.
Well, it just so happens that one of my friends has OCD. I'm not even sure that it can be called OCD as it's an isolated tapping obsession (i.e., only certain objects need tapping) that is little more than bothersome. Hm. Anyway, the point isn't whether or not -he- has OCD but the fact that he and his girlfriend both felt that they understood OCD so well (due to his apparently having it) that they would take it upon themselves to -shift things- while I was busy downstairs with the people at the door.
No. Not. Funny.
The cabinet doors are shiny. So, they left fingerprints and smudges on said doors. On purpose. And on the windows. Then they moved things by a few centimetres in random directions, switched objects grouped by colour and height into different groupings, folded a piece of paper at an odd angle and placed it on the floor near some corner (NO), and de-aligned all of the boxes from the centre of the cupboards. Right. So, if that weren't bad enough, they then proceeded to do really blatantly WRONG things like switching and tilting the matching pictures. I have a symmetry-thing. A really bad symmetry-thing. So, I have two copies of each picture on the wall in identical frames in identical positions. But, NO!
So, I come back up stairs and kind-of stand there because I don't know what to do (for reference I'm the only one in the flat–no one else has to put up with it this). My mates think that this is so funny that they fall over. And -broke my chair-. *fusses* Of course, this made me seriously ill and I ended up having to ask them both to leave (which is mortifying seeing as I shouldn't be so bothered by the things that I am). I couldn't get out of bed for half of the next day (which is just no good as it messes up the even-ness of the hours I'm permitted to be in bed for) and eventually… guh. Whatever. The point is that people I need to be polite to and that are generally kind did something so terribly inconsiderate because they felt that it would be fun. There is nothing 'fun' about messing with other people's conditions!
Not to mention not understanding the difference between a mild case of OCD such as his and an extreme case of OCD like mine. Worst case scenario for him is spending a few minutes tapping a jar lid. Worst case scenario for me is that I become ill and faint because… who knows? *laughs* It's too asymmetrical or incorrect or I made an error or I -am- an error (moreso than is average). Ergh. And I forgot what the point of this is so I'll have to post soon or I'll delete the post because it's too long (which it is), incoherent, poorly structured, lacks correct syntax, probably has flawed punctuation and is most certainly redundant…
Blah… right. So, quickly: this happened two days ago and all has been cleaned (despite the fact that I don't feel like it has, but hey) except for the chair. The broken chair. Since everything needs to be even it has a matching chair. One has an uneven supporting beam and the other does not. One has a mended crack and the other does not. I can't get rid of one chair without getting rid of the other chair or everything would be asymmetrical. I also can't get rid of my chairs or break and fix the other chair in exactly the same manner as the first (not that I should break a chair, but…).
Right. I don't even know what I was posting this for. A rant? Does anyone else know people who feel entitled to the understanding of all things OCD? If not, has anyone ever had someone mess with their OCD on purpose for laughs?
None of this makes any sense. Ergh… posting before it's deleted. My apologies if it's utterly unreadable.
P.s., Pardon my overly formal-sounding language. I've tried to avoid it, but it's another compulsion of mine…
I kwow exactly what you mean its like people get off on seeing your reaction when to you it is DEVASTATING. I have a contamination thing that generaly revolves around my family and daughters. but it is bad. well I try my best to make light of situations when it involves my husband because he puts up with a lot. recently he went to far and i was upset and wanted to sanitize my whole house. what happened seems so trivial but it really effected me. heres the story: i have a habit or ritual whatever of using a napkin over my hand whenever i fix the trash bag in my kithcen trash(to pull the edge up if it sinks) ( i also do this with the toilet lid in my own home) its a way to avoid washing my hands for the millionth time each day) they bleed!! anywho my husband throw out something that cause the bag to fall in and because i know he would touch w/o ever washing his hands i was real quick to say i;ll get it. well he then jokingly grabed the roll of paper towels rapped his hand three times and headed for the trash laughing saying i can handle this. i had already gotten my napkin and grabed the bag well he in his excitment knockred it out of my hand it dropprd to the floor and then he cont. to fiddle w/ the bag. sound stupid but at that point i was so frazzled and did’t want to start a fight so i siad nothing and tryed to breath it out. he noticed and got frustrated. (he nevr washed his hands and went on with his bussiness throughout the house) to me his innocent joke became a chore to change the bag. clean the floor, and wipe everything i wached him touch for the rest of the night. not to mention the worry it caused me to wacth him hold and play with my kids. i was a mess but in my marrige i have to pick my battle cause he don’t mean it he trys to understand and adapt to ny obessions and be patient with my compulsions so it was very unpleasnt cause part of me was pissed like what the hell i can’t take anymore i don’t need anything else to deal with i barely make it through a day. people don’t understand and they don’t mean it. sorry if my grammer and spelling irritate you.
Not to sound too judgemental, but I think your friends need their heads examined. Sure to a person without your particular quirks rearranging things might be a funny prank, but I would think that since they are aware of your condition they would have more sense. I hope they at least apologised profusely for causing you such distress, but I’m guessing they probably were clueless. I have a milder form of OCD than you do, but I know that it can be devastating when something isn’t "right". I hope that you are feeling a little better about the situation now that you got a chance to vent.
Hi mistocat, your friends need to be taught lessons in respect, friendship, and boundaries. Sorry you were the subject of their rudeness. Take good care and keep safe.