explaining to people that i have OCD, so they stop laughing

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I've had a number of quarrels with visiting family who come often enough they really ought to know better, doing that.



I think you're right to mind. There's a pretty big difference. The second one makes you an object, in a sense. That's mean.

THANK YOU! I feel like... i dont know how to say. Like in a freak show, where we use to show "freak".
i sometimes think that family do things to annoy me on purpose... i saw my sister in law, drinking a glass of water and putting the glass and the drying thing, with the clean cup, as it after drinking water the glass is still clean!! !

(sorry, sometimes i dont know how to make my sentece ==> me french! LOL)

I often have a problem when I make a mess or have dishes in someone elses house, if I am not positive of the corect procedure I tend to just stand there holding the plate/bowl/cup. I think I kind of know what you ment about the fork thing, but I am not incredibly clean, I find life easier if you keep a certain level of ignorance with some things.

Yeah. I'm pretty good-humoured about it when friends laugh at my quirks and I can join in because I do see the humour of it and my friends are friendly and aren't hurting or meaning to hurt.

But when people point and laugh at me, with others, and it's clear (as it so often is) that I am the butt of the joke and not invited to participate in it, I become frightened and then angry. They're like a bunch of crows all caw-ha-ha-ha-haing at an owl in the daylight, having a happy old time working themselves up to start chasing that owl and trying to peck it to death.

Usually I just let such things slide but if I'm in a particularly bad mood Ill comment with something along the lines of "I'm glad your having such a great time pointing and laughing at someone doing something they have to do personally I think its rather cruel but *shrug*".

That usually puts an end to the "freak show" for them and perhaps they will be a little more aware of their lack of tolerance for a while.. at least until they forget and revert to their true jerkish nature.

Like pets occasionally you have to swat them on the nose.

I usually just explain to people that I have got OCD when they watch me holding cups and various utensils right against my eyes so I can see every little spot of dirt or when I have to touch the handles on my wheelchair every time I pass it (I can walk on crutches). I find people still laugh but with you rather than at you. I sometimes have to laugh at how ridiculous I am being! The only thing that is annoying when you tell someone you have OCD is when they say, 'Oh I have that' when they definitely don't. grr...

I think that coming from your in-laws, it is inappropriate. Unless you have a close relationship with them.

My in-laws laugh at my clumsiness all the time, I am close to them. They know since a few weeks that I have AS and always suspected something odd like "slight autism" and they accepted it as a more than valid explanation for my behaviour and mishaps.

But I would have done the same thing: 5 cheeses, 5 knives. I don't think it is that odd, especially if you have a really creamy cheese and a blue... you just don't want to mix them up (but I also save the most flavoured food for last! )

I think that 5 knives for five cheese thing is perfectly acceptable...

I understand the knife to cut, one to butter & spoon for jam... perfectly acceptable. I was wondering if it was that you had put them into the sink & thats what made them dirty or if they were dirty because they had been used...

When people laugh at my quirks I tend to get very angry, because there is a friendly laughing with a friend because they realize that they have quirks too. Then their is being "laugh at".

One of my quirks is that I like to brush my teeth... a lot. I like the feeling of clean teeth, fresh mouth & I do have a tendency to brush them more if I am upset... My husband recognizes that it can be an indication that I am upset... He used to pick on me a little.... but then one day I realized that he constantly stares at his shoes (if he is uncomfortable)So now if he picks on me about my teeth thing I tell him to go look at his shoes... It is all done in a fun loving way but it does work... & we are laughing together.

I am very keen at identifying other peoples OCD behaviors and usually store the information until a time ( when laughing at me) it becomes nessesary to remind them of their "weird" thing...


People at work are different... they have quirks if they pick on one of mine then I will hurl theirs in their face because those are people that I don't trust... They laugh at me, usually to make themselves feel better. It usually makes them stop dead in their tracks.

they were dirty, because i used them 10 minutes before. So maybe they were comtaminated.

With what ?

Mould takes ages to grow.

And besides, living in a clinically clean environment weakens your immune system - leaving you susceptible to MUCH nastier things.

I know it's less a health hang-up than a disgust thing, but once you start facing a few disgust fears, you'll wonder WTF you were worried about .... and much more, you'll be freed from the prison of your phobia.

#~My flat is far from being clean. LOL it is a mess. I love doing the washing up, but that is it. I lack of organisation, so i dont kow where to start, so dont get started on the housework (but now i am starting to get organised, as i have some list and schedule) (my flat is not like "how clean is your house"'s one lool)

i am scared that they get contaminated with.. air? i dont really know.
Like why cannot i mixed spoon when i am preparing pasta and tomato sauce, when i know that at the end i will mix everything?
I cannot really explain it. I know ( lol) that it is bad if i mix them...

But i dont want to stop having this OCD for many reason. It is who i am. and at least, you can trust that when i cook, you wont get any disease from cross contamination...

Well, it's not - even if it feels that way.

I can never understand why anyone thinks of any condition - autism, OCD, depression, anxiety as being "who they are".

Maybe it's their way of coming to terms with it - but either way, it's not true.

You could get AIDS - but it's not "who you are", it's simply "what you've got".

There's a difference, you know.

Aids is a disease
Autism is not!

Doesn't change the fact that Autism, OCD, depression and anxiety are simply conditions.

Think of it as water when vapourized, liquified or frozen.

The condition of the water isn't part of what the water is - just as OCD and Autism aren't part of who you are.

Autism isn't a personality trait.
Neither is OCD.

They're just PITA conditions that have to be contended with on a never-ending (for now) basis.

What is your OCD? (sorry iam being very nosey)

oh yes, brushing your teeth! At least you cannot have tooth decay! So it is a very good OCD.

It is funny but you are right, OCD can give us comfort. But it can be a problem, because i HATE eating at others. But i have to sometimes. If i dont go in their kitchen it is ok. (when people are at mine and want to do the washing up, i dont like that, i have to wash after them... )