How can I tell people that OCD is a real condition, not a synonym for liking things to be neat?

Clearing up misinformation and lack of information helps. I've had misconceptions about OCD, even while having symptoms myself. Reading studied information has bettered my understanding. So offering this kind of resources for learning might be your bet.

OCD is a mental health disorder that consists of intrusive thoughts and compulsions, and can be very draining to the sufferer. Being neat can be an aspect of OCD, but there is also a lot more to it.

By telling them its full form Obsessive Compulsive 'disorder'.Ask them to Google it and see what exactly it is.Tell them that it is a real mental disorder and is not just about liking things to be neat.

Have you been clinically Diagnosed with OCD? You do not have to explain something such as your OCD or justify it by any means. This will take time to understand. Your family and friends are able to understand. You have a support team and those are the people whom will show love and support. If someone asks why you are neat, tell them you are an organized person. You do not Have to go into details about it only if you can trust that person. OCD is very much anxiety prone and it can be extremely agonizing. It is something that you will have to work on everyday. It is not something you need to justify to others.

In order to explain something, we must first know about it first. Try reading about it as much as you can. Familiarize yourself with the topic. Moreover, let them know that wanting things to be neat is just ONE symptom of OCD. There are many others as well. Explain them the need to do certain things and feeling like if you don't, something bad might happen.? You know what you feel. Explain that. Note; Only those understand, who want to understand. If someone closes their eyes, you can't explain it to them. My best wishes.

OCD is one of the worst metal conditions there is. It is certainly a 'real' condition but it is important to know that one can get over it and combat OCD with the correct guidance.

Tell them exactly that. OCD is a serious psychiatric disorder that consists of obsessions and compulsions. The obsessions are unwanted and anxiety-inducing, while the compulsions are time-consuming and disruptive to a person's life. OCD can be about all kinds of themes, not just cleanliness or neatness. It could be about sexuality, morality, religion, existence, bodily functions... the list goes on and on. OCD, more often than not, requires a combination of therapy and medications. To call yourself or someone "OCD" when you actually mean "meticulous" is trivializing the disorder and insensitive to the people who are suffering from this illness.

I can only imagine that you are feeling extremely frustrated and upset that people stereotyped OCD as this condition that makes you really organised as a good thing and not as a condition where there is struggle. You may want to think what would you think OCD was if you did not have it. We all as human beings have assumptions of how people or certain groups may behave - perhaps you might want to explore any pre assumptions you have of conditions which you do not have. Nonetheless it’s ok to eye-roll at the stereotypes of OCD as just liking things to be neat. Sometimes with each condition we all may forget that not each one of us with the condition is the same. How you will communicate to whoever makes the pre assumptions will come from the heart and have feeling about how your condition affects you in certain spheres (e.g. social life, career life etc). Do you write letters? Do you blog? Do you journal? Perhaps you can read case studies about what life is like with OCD and see if in any way you relate . Even if you don’t relate to whatever personal experience and presentations mentioned, you can still find the beauty in how you express the struggle you go through and how OCD isn’t an “all good” condition. You can also receive emotional support online from any one of our listeners 1-1. It has been a comforting experience for many to feel heard in a community like environment whether that be in the Sharing Circle room or Anxiety Support room.