What’s The Difference of Perfectionism and OCD?

I’ve been told at times I can be a perfectionist but I’m not OCD. I think there is definately a difference. My nephew has OCD tendencies I don’t know if he’s ever been diagnosed.

I am a homeopath. We know that these thoughts and feelings can come and go during times of stress. People respond to stress in different ways to each other. Maybe react this way when a particular stressful event is occurring. It need not be ongoing. Continued stress and worry, grief, PTSD can affect memory, and then the person goes “blank” and needs to keep checking that they haven’t forgotten something, to avoid additional stresses. See if you can identify the trigger.

You can be a perfectionist but also have OCD. It is most likely bordering on OCD if these “checks” are increasing in the number you have added and they become more burdensome over time. The clearest indication is when they take up a large portion of your day-to-day and you feel anxiety/anguish if you don’t action them.

I have OCD but it was more significant when I was a child. For example (and I do not recall this but it is recounted by my family all the time), I refused to sleep until all the shoes in the house were lined up neatly in a row, had a persistent urge to tap a particular tree at a particular time of day at school or I felt “off”. It is sort of cute when you’re a kid but not as you get older.

Thankfully most of my OCD urges have been productively channelled into my work instead.

If you’re wondering if you need professional help, it’s probably better to ask your friends & family. It’s hard to tell the difference between perfectionism & OCD. I’ve got mild OCD, but I haven’t been diagnosed by a professional. There are lots of funny things I do: I count things & have to fold things or place them in a certain way – just little things. My family often laugh at me, but they’re not worried about it or think I need help.

Are you ever unable to go out because you have to vacuum or clean one more time? Does your fussiness ever negatively impact your family? Do you fret over it & can’t let it go? Either way, if you’re really concerned, it might be worth getting counselling.

Good luck, hornstint!

I have no idea, I would rather Google for information than ask on a beauty related website.

Seriously, the person you should be asking is your doctor.