I've posted before about seeing someone out and about with clear OCD. I'm not quite sure why it fascinates me so much. Maybe it's because I go to great lengths to hide my OCD in public, so I think it's interesting when people don't. Are they making a statement, or simply unable to NOT do their compulsions (I think the latter today).
Today I was at the grocery store and not only was a woman in the produce section using a produce bag on her hands so as not to touch the cart handle, she was picking up each piece of produce with a bag, inside out, and them flipping it right-side out onto her selected produce. I guess her own hands were too dirty to touch the produce?
She was also shopping the minute the store opened. I was, too, but only because I was out running another errand and this was the best time to do it. I assume she was trying to minimize the number of people who touched her produce.
It looked so hard. And I can only assume she was kind of embarrassed to know that people probably look at her funny while she's doing this (maybe another reason for the time of day she was shopping).
It makes me grateful for the huge gains I've made on the contamination OCD front. Life is easier, and far less stressful when you can touch stuff!
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You are stronger than you think!
1 year ago
That breaks my heart . . .
ReplyDeleteYou hit on such an important point--going through all the OCD compulsions is stressful and tiring! Sometimes I notice things about people, too, and wonder if they have OCD. I had a co-worker many years ago who I was pretty sure had OCD. I never worked up the nerve to say anything to her about it. But then, maybe it wasn't my place to say anything. It's hard to know with someone you don't know well.
ReplyDeleteGrocery stores are hard for me and I KNOW for sure people wonder why I do certain things. I try to make each trip a mini success with not "giving in" to one thing.
ReplyDeleteThat makes me so sad...the fact that she is there that early because she doesn't want people to see her having to do her compulsions (potentially) and avoiding other people touching the produce (also assumed). :( I hope she gets some assistance. I wonder, as people with ocd, what the right thing to do in that situation would be? To just ignore it , or causally start a conversation that might help without being intrusive...
ReplyDeleteThat makes me sad. It reminds me of going to the grocery store with my son when his OCD was severe. Every two or three steps he had to squat down and touch the floor. A woman passed us and gave me a knowing look. I sensed she wanted to say something, but neither of us did. Grocery stores sure do seem to bring out OCD!
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