Quote:
Originally Posted by pdwhite
I think I have many of the symptoms of OCD, but the main obsession I have is with being productive and efficient. Everything I do (even little things like walking to class or when I talk to people) I'm always thinking 'How could I do this in the most efficient way?' And anytime I have free time I think 'Oh no, I need to find something efficient.' I seriously studied for my last exam for about 20 hours straight with only like 2 small breaks. I feel like if I eat or sleep or hang out with friends I'm cheating myself. Has anyone heard of this? It really gets on my nerves sometimes. I searched on the Internet and there just isn't much about it (or I'm not looking in the right places). Maybe it's not even OCD; it's I feel like all my symptoms point to it.
Please tell me your thoughts: what do you think? have you heard of this?
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Hi pd,
you actually sound a lot like me, which is really interesting because I never heard of anyone else with an "efficiency" thing either. i don't even usually mention it. but I definitely felt that way. like I would get annoyed with my husband if he didn't do the laundry or dishes in a way that I thought was best so as not to waste water or time. if I made dinner and sat down in front of the TV i had to go get everything i might possibly need (salt, extra glass of water, ketchup, napkins) in one trip because otherwise i would waste time going back for them. time definitely cannot be wasted! any free minute must be filled with something useful or productive, even if not enjoyable (housework, calling my parents).
it was strange too because I was doing a lot of work as a programmer then, when you're actually supposed to aim for maximum efficiency, right? I used to have a really great time working to make programs as fast as possible.
anyway if you don't mind it, it's not a problem. but for me (and i guess for you) it got really super annoying. as soon as i'd sit down and be about to eat i'd have to get up and get something i might need later and it would be SO AGGRAVATING but there was no choice. going on vacations was a huge pain, because it was so much work to figure out everything i'd want to do and the best time to do it, etc.
when i got diagnosed with OCD, and the meds I was taking started to take effect, my first thoughts were about how much more free I felt. I'm not 100% over it all but life has definitely improved.
esort