O C D and Covid

No not me or anyone I know but I can see where it could/ would happen

I think if someone's already susceptible to OCD then being in lockdown could well aggravate the condition or any other similar problem that's part of the nervous system.
An irrational fear can bring about a change in someone's behaviour too. It's natural in the circumstances of an unknown and untreatable pandemic.

not exactly, but i have read of many people reporting their well-educated, prof jobs, friends becoming obsessed with crackpot theories that it is all a hoax.
previously normal sensible people are in the grip of a cult, and insist on trying to convert everyone else, that it is a big plot to take over the world.
some of them bombard all their contacts with literally hundreds of texts/messages daily demanding they read links.
it has also broken up families/marriages. quite worrying.

Yes, a totally different issue, the conspiracy theory thing.

I am however talking about Covid having multiplied the level of OCD massively- and impacting couples and families hugely- putting huge pressure on those relationships. Imagine a whole family being 'forcibly' kept away from everyone for nearly 6 months and not wanting children to go back to school.

I would say I was already mildly OCD but I have now
gone into overdrive making sure that I am sticking to the rules/ guidelines etc, whilst at the same time trying to go about everyday living, it can be a bit stressful at times, which has the potential to affect relationships.
If this is affecting you try to explain to others how it makes you feel & ask them to be patient with you. Best wishes

Yes, I think my very mild OCD has come to the fore. Some would say in my behaviour towards staying safe, but I'm very happy with my precautions in that area and don't care what others think!

In other areas though, I seem to have ramped it up. Tidying up around the house. NOT that my house is tidy. I live with a very untidy daughter and a 2 year old grandson BUT in relation to my tidying up behind my GS. I know it's irritating my daughter, but I can't bear him trashing his toys for no reason (not playing, chucking them around out of devilment) and get very wound up about missing bits from jigsaws etc.

My obsession with throwing things away is also in overdrive. But conversely I'm hoarding unnecessary things too.

I think when my life resumes normality, these obsessions will fade again. But right now, they're irritating.

I know someone whose OCD is actually benefiting from these strange times. He has an obsession of sticking to exact rules, whatever the circumstances, never ever letting himself off the hook - it would take too long to go into details but it fills his head and exhausts him. On top of that he finds he is unable to wear a face covering and so he has had to overcome his obsession in keeping to rules, and as a consequence his OCD is improving! He has had the condition for 20 years and is still trying to believe that this topsy turvy turn of events could have helped him. I haven't explained this well - it's a complex situation, as OCD often is.

It would not surprise me at all that OCD type behavior is going to worsen due to the panic with this virus.
So many people are still saying that they will not leave their home or mix with other people until a vaccine has been found (unfortunately, could be condemning themselves to a life sentence of being locked up!!).
Being almost vieing with each other to report how proud they are of their strange behaviors ( washing ALL shopping when it is in their home - isolating letters and parcels for so many days before touching, washing every surface in their homes daily (or more often) with bleach - even when only they are in there). All very much OCD type behaviors.
For those that already have those traits, the recent times would undoubtedly have worsened it. They have, virtually, been given official permission for their behaviors.

I agree with the person you know with OCD, it does feel good sticking to rules, people don't seem to, they probably never had to as children. It annoys me when rules are not followed not just now but even before. My anxiety hit the roof at the beginning of the pandemic, now it has somehow subsided. Agree Franbern we have been given official permission for our behaviour!

I am so glad that my OH died just before all this started. He was a very very anxious man, topped off with paranoia during his last year or so. He would have been wrecked by this - and I would probably have gone round the bend by now just trying to deal with it. He needed lots of physical care and would have been worried sick about the carers bringing the virus to him.

Strangely no. I've had ocd for a very long time I thought the virus would make me worse. But hasn't affected it at all. But then I'm not stressed at all about the virus. I've asked other people and ones I've spoken to who like me have had depression have not got stressed at all about the virus. I'm far more concerned with depression than germs. But I can understand if someone has ocd it would make it worse especially if have the germ fear anyway.

Why is it strange to isolate parcels and wipe shopping Franbern? Shops are quarantining returns for 72 hours and libraries which are open are doing the same. We are told the virus can remain on surfaces for some hours so surely it makes sense to wipe it? None of this is OCD to me, just plain common sense. We will continue to see friends for walks or in the garden but I really can't see anyone coming in the house for a long time. I do sometimes feel like I'm living in a parallel universe though because other people almost seem to be "back to old normal" as if the virus is no longer with us which is far from the truth.

I too have always had OCD tendencies.
The current situation is making me, and in particular my husband, more aware of it. I am soo happy to have to stick to the new rules. I do it willingly and diligently. Gives me an excuse.
Also, when my husband doesn't take his tablets out of their blister foil box in the correct order I get very upset. It leaves the remaining pills all higgledy-piggeledy. Can you imagine! Shocking! But I used not to mind.
I guess our different versions of OCD can clash, but we laugh and joke about it a lot.

I have also started putting everything away much more neatly and at right angles like Monsieur Poirot, and God help my poor husband if he leaves stuff on work surfaces and they're crooked or - heaven forbid - just on the edge of the counter top! (Thankfully, our plates are round!)
I wonder whether my behaviour will go back to what it was before if and when the virus goes away again.

I have OCD tendencies,, in the initial phase of lock down my cleaning regime became even more obsessive. I am still very cautious when I do venture out. Had to move seats on the train yesterday as a young chap defiantly wouldn't wear his mask.

My friends have always made fun of me and my OCD for years, but it doesn't bother me in the slightest. In fact it has helped me through this. Knowing how my cleaning, washing, etc habits are, let's me know my home is all OK. I haven't got worse with it through Covid at all, just really carrying on as I usually do.

Lucky girl... similarly here, I am thankful my very ill husband died just before this started.. not because he was OCD but because he wouldn`t follow the rules of constant handwashing. etc... I am not really OCD, but getting there, and we would just not have agreed on this.

Same here Esuriosa!

No but my daughter's anxiety has gone through the roof which meant she cancelled her carer before lockdown because her carer was not socially distancing and still partying. This has put a strain on her marriage and so her anxiety is even higher putting even more strain on her marriage. It is a vicious circle.

I thought from the start of lockdown that anyone with any kind of ocd would find it difficult. One of my friends is really reluctant to leave the house now and everyone who visits has to sit a long way away. It's sad to see.

Ph11omena I'm with you, I don't see any of thèse precautions as anything other than precisely that, sensible precautions. We're not out of the woods yet. Might as well keep up the practice as we are in it for the long haul.

I have OCD tendencies too - hangers all the same facing the same way, everything at right angles, symmetry everywhere and I love a good clean even soon after its been done. BUT I also have an Infection Control Nursing background so my experience and knowledge takes over. DH is a rule follower so together we hope we are doing the right thing. I am sure I have had Covid-19 at the start of the pandemic after a trip to London when I went to theatres, bars, restaurants but DH has been shown not to have any antibodies in a random test so perhaps I didn't or didn't share anything with him.

Those of you with OCD do you need to have things in even numbers? Can't stand odd numbers with that 'odd' item left!

Thank you so much for your interesting replies.

Problem is with OCD, is when it seriously impacts on others- whole families. And when it sort of becomes a 'controlling' thing, eg- whole family has to adhere to OCD sufferer to the letter and have their whole lives directed by it.

We have a son whose marriage is in real trouble, they have been together for 30 years, since young teenagers, but DiL is obsessed with social distancing, won't let anyone in the house, won't go back to work, is turning the children against DS because he does and she considers he is putting her at risk. She is now continually telling him to leave, it is so very sad.