Obsession and Compulsion

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD for short, is an anxiety disorder in which people have recurring, unwanted thoughts that make them feel driven to do something repetitively. People suffering from OCD perceive, and often overestimate the threat of the intrusive thoughts. This in turn leads to an increase in anxiety within the person suffering from the disorder. There are many different triggers and causes for OCD, and it is different from person to person.

It is always a good idea to have a plan for what you are going to do for the day. Jessica Infante, Junior, has a strict schedule that she must follow every day. Unlike most other people, however, she takes it to the extreme. Every event must occur, certain paths must be taken, and under no circumstances can something unexpected happen. Every minute, every detail of the day has been planned for. Infante’s day must go according to schedule exactly, and any deviation or unexpected surprise will severely impact her negatively.

“If I take a different route to a class, if I don’t get in the shower by a certain time, if I go out and do something that wasn’t planned, it messes with me. I will have complete breakdown over it because of my OCD, and if I am stressed, it gets worse,” said Infante.

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People strive to be the best that they can be. Whether it is in regards to achievements in video games, grades for school, tasks for work, or personal image, people strive to be as close to perfection as they possible. For Jacob Alvizo, Sophomore, his perfectionism turns into an obsession, to the point where he cannot focus on anything else until he perfects his current task. Whether it is something as trivial as the order of which his folders are organized, or something as important as his grades in high school, Alvizo must be perfect in everything that he does.

“I have a tendency to over-complicate things and attempt to perfect everything I do, and eventually I get really obsessed over it. Sometimes it can even change my mood, for better or worse. I doubt almost everything I say, think, or do. Sometimes, it gets so bad that I just lose myself and completely break down,” said Alvizo.

For some, OCD means always moving. Gabby Zacamitzin, Junior, takes this to the next level, as she is constantly moving some part of her body, even if she is string down. Her OCD makes it to where she must always be in motion or else she will become agitated.

“I am a very fidgety person. I can never sit still. I’m always shaking my leg or messing with my fingers. I can also never stand in the same place for a long period of time. I’m always moving. I just get annoyed and have to begin moving,” said Zacamitzin.

The uniqueness that comes with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is that there are many different ways people are triggered by it. Beyond that even the cope mechanisms are distinct for each individual.