5 ms·

I seriously wonder if OCD could be is created because of our lifestyle in society. Yesterday I went to a coffeeshop (creamery in SF) and there was this crazy ba

I seriously wonder if OCD could be is created because of our lifestyle in society. Yesterday I went to a coffeeshop (creamery in SF) and there was this crazy bathroom where I had to scan a QR code to get in. The door automatically opened, I walked in, and it automatically closed behind me. When I washed my hands, the water faucet detects motion and it has a built in air dryer as well. When I'm done, I pushed a button and the door automatically opened. Afterwards, I thought about why such a crazy bathroom was built and I realized that my entire bathroom could be done without me touching anything so I could keep myself clean. It made me think about all the germs in every bathroom door handle and all the hands touching it. If I didn't consciously stop myself, I could see myself becoming slight OCD. At the same time, I wonder if someone who practiced true altruism would ever develop OCD. If I'm only focused on helping others without thinking about myself, would it be easier to let things go?

WorkLifeBalance 8y ago
Hygeine OCD is only one small subset of OCD.
merinowool 8y ago
If you pressed a button then it wasn't automatic.
- anonytrary 8y ago
  That's a moot point given that: > I realized that my entire bathroom could be done without me touching anything so I could keep myself clean.
  - merinowool 8y ago
    So would you be fine with staying in the bathroom forever?
    - anonytrary 8y ago
      IIRC many stores have automatic doors that actually open when you walk in front of them. I don't see why the same technology couldn't be used for OP's hypothetical bathroom.
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anonytrary 8y ago
I'm one of those people who uses a paper towel to open public bathroom doors. I get upset when: 1. There's no trash can by the door for my auxiliary paper towel 2. The door isn't push on the inside (can't kick with my foot). For the reason you mention. I'm sure it's mostly just conditioning. It's a harmless preference and it probably saved me a few colds (although, perhaps getting a virus would have helped me in the long term...).
- linkmotif 8y ago
  > It's a harmless preference and it probably saved me a few colds Or not, you know?
- augustk 8y ago
  Sometimes there is a trash can by the door but it has a lid (with a handle). Even if the door needs to be pulled from the inside you simply grab the door handle with a piece of paper and open the door, and then throw the paper in the trash can.
  - anonytrary 8y ago
    Which is why I'm upset when I don't find one by the door. Wouldn't the lid make it even more of a pain? I guess I didn't understand what you said.
Fnoord 8y ago
Right, but how do you do this at home? Extreme hygiene isn't good for your immune system. With exposure, you build up a higher tolerance. If I use too much soap, I get acne. Hygiene is ultimately a balance. There's no such thing as clean or dirty. Those are made up extreme definitions in our head to act upon. However it is a spectrum, an equilibrium. And if you kill all your good bacteria and remove all your sebum you damage that ecosystem. To tackle OCD, you need to get to the root of the problem first. Understand why it is happening (stress/anxiety related but how exactly?). As with any personality disorder this is best done under the guidance of a professional. Example though: if I sit in public transport, I frequently check if I got my wallet, phone, keys, etc. but there's a very good reason for that. Mugging is high in Amsterdam, and I tend to lose things. But sometimes I check too often, and then I tell myself I'm overreacting. I can also very much recommend mindfulness. I do guided sessions in public transport and it makes me calm when I arrive at my destination. To be fair, I don't have OCD; I have autism. My partner as well, and she's way more anal about hygiene, sometimes getting close to OCD-esque symptoms. I got something similar with using keys to close doors but again there's a very good reason for that. I've had my key in my door (external) for a night, I've left my door open for a night, I left my bicycle with key on street, I lost my keys multiple times, and I've forgot to lock my doors countless of times. BTW, those build-in airdryers? They blow bacteria through the air, on your clean hands. More dirty than a paper towel you throw away afterwards (and either isn't dangerous).
- im3w1l 8y ago
  Yeah, I think it's important to consider very hard whether the carefulness is adaptive and maladaptive. This is not an easy problem. I have done my fair share of both underchecking and overchecking.
marchdown 8y ago
I might offer some insight here. I’m slightly obsessive about not inconveniencing other people. I try hard to put things in their proper places, not to eat the last bite of anything without asking or being offered, not making noise, not leaving electronics in misconfigured states, not leaving my own stuff lying around, I could go on. It’s worse than the few obsession I’ve had around my own preferences, because I lack the introspection when it comes to people other than myself. I don’t know if they are sensitive to this or that particular nuisance and my priors seem to be dialed up to eleven. I end up trying not to be around other people do that I won’t fall into these obsessive patterns as often.
afarrell 8y ago
> I wonder if someone who practiced true altruism would ever develop OCD. If I'm only focused on helping others without thinking about myself, would it be easier to let things go? Sounds like a recipe for developing scrupulosity, not having/communicating personal boundaries, or both.
- deleted 8y ago
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WorkLifeBalance 8y ago

Hygeine OCD is only one small subset of OCD.

merinowool 8y ago

If you pressed a button then it wasn't automatic.

anonytrary 8y ago
That's a moot point given that: > I realized that my entire bathroom could be done without me touching anything so I could keep myself clean.
- merinowool 8y ago
  So would you be fine with staying in the bathroom forever?
  - anonytrary 8y ago
    IIRC many stores have automatic doors that actually open when you walk in front of them. I don't see why the same technology couldn't be used for OP's hypothetical bathroom.

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anonytrary 8y ago

I'm one of those people who uses a paper towel to open public bathroom doors. I get upset when: 1. There's no trash can by the door for my auxiliary paper towel 2. The door isn't push on the inside (can't kick with my foot). For the reason you mention. I'm sure it's mostly just conditioning. It's a harmless preference and it probably saved me a few colds (although, perhaps getting a virus would have helped me in the long term...).

linkmotif 8y ago
> It's a harmless preference and it probably saved me a few colds Or not, you know?
augustk 8y ago
Sometimes there is a trash can by the door but it has a lid (with a handle). Even if the door needs to be pulled from the inside you simply grab the door handle with a piece of paper and open the door, and then throw the paper in the trash can.
- anonytrary 8y ago
  Which is why I'm upset when I don't find one by the door. Wouldn't the lid make it even more of a pain? I guess I didn't understand what you said.

Fnoord 8y ago

Right, but how do you do this at home? Extreme hygiene isn't good for your immune system. With exposure, you build up a higher tolerance. If I use too much soap, I get acne. Hygiene is ultimately a balance. There's no such thing as clean or dirty. Those are made up extreme definitions in our head to act upon. However it is a spectrum, an equilibrium. And if you kill all your good bacteria and remove all your sebum you damage that ecosystem. To tackle OCD, you need to get to the root of the problem first. Understand why it is happening (stress/anxiety related but how exactly?). As with any personality disorder this is best done under the guidance of a professional. Example though: if I sit in public transport, I frequently check if I got my wallet, phone, keys, etc. but there's a very good reason for that. Mugging is high in Amsterdam, and I tend to lose things. But sometimes I check too often, and then I tell myself I'm overreacting. I can also very much recommend mindfulness. I do guided sessions in public transport and it makes me calm when I arrive at my destination. To be fair, I don't have OCD; I have autism. My partner as well, and she's way more anal about hygiene, sometimes getting close to OCD-esque symptoms. I got something similar with using keys to close doors but again there's a very good reason for that. I've had my key in my door (external) for a night, I've left my door open for a night, I left my bicycle with key on street, I lost my keys multiple times, and I've forgot to lock my doors countless of times. BTW, those build-in airdryers? They blow bacteria through the air, on your clean hands. More dirty than a paper towel you throw away afterwards (and either isn't dangerous).

im3w1l 8y ago
Yeah, I think it's important to consider very hard whether the carefulness is adaptive and maladaptive. This is not an easy problem. I have done my fair share of both underchecking and overchecking.

marchdown 8y ago

I might offer some insight here. I’m slightly obsessive about not inconveniencing other people. I try hard to put things in their proper places, not to eat the last bite of anything without asking or being offered, not making noise, not leaving electronics in misconfigured states, not leaving my own stuff lying around, I could go on. It’s worse than the few obsession I’ve had around my own preferences, because I lack the introspection when it comes to people other than myself. I don’t know if they are sensitive to this or that particular nuisance and my priors seem to be dialed up to eleven. I end up trying not to be around other people do that I won’t fall into these obsessive patterns as often.

afarrell 8y ago

> I wonder if someone who practiced true altruism would ever develop OCD. If I'm only focused on helping others without thinking about myself, would it be easier to let things go? Sounds like a recipe for developing scrupulosity, not having/communicating personal boundaries, or both.

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