With
Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder, Rules Are a Priority
In
movies and TV shows, obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD,
is often presented with humorous undertones. From Jack Nicholson’s
OCD novelist in “As Good as It Gets” to the
OCD detective in TV’s “Monk,” obsessive
compulsive disorder has certainly gained a fair amount of
attention in the spotlight. A lesser known but separate
disorder is obsessive compulsive personality disorder. Not
to be confused with OCD symptoms,
obsessive compulsive personality disorder is characterized
by a rigid preoccupation with rules and perfectionism.
People
with obsessive compulsive personality disorder are often
workaholics and high achievers. It is not unusual for a
person with obsessive compulsive personality disorder to
be fanatical about orderliness, control, and rules. Other
symptoms of obsessive compulsive personality disorder include:
- Preoccupation
with lists, details, orderliness, and control
- Inflexibility
- Extreme
loyalty to work (not related to a financial need)
- Difficulty
in delegating work or allowing others to do things
- Reserved
in expressing affection
- Lack
of generosity
- Cannot
dispose of items, even if the item is worthless
- Reliable,
dependable, and methodical
- Stern
and stubborn
- Difficulty
adapting to change
- Trouble
completing tasks due to intolerance of mistakes
- Slow,
cautious decision making skills
One
main way that obsessive compulsive personality disorder
is different from anxiety
disorders like obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is
that a person with obsessive compulsive personality disorder
is not engrossed with repetitive, ritualistic behavior.
As you might presume, obsessive compulsive personality disorder
comes with its share of positive and negative life outcomes.
People with obsessive compulsive personality disorder generally
achieve a lot in their careers, especially careers demanding
attention to detail such as computer programming, the sciences,
editing, and so on. On the other hand, people with obsessive
compulsive personality disorder are often self-critical,
incapable of enjoying their successes, and uncomfortable
in relationships. These symptoms of obsessive compulsive
personality disorder can be alleviated with therapy and
education about how to develop coping skills and healthier
ways of thinking.
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