'Compulsive' and 'obsessive' have become
everyday words. 'I'm compulsive' is how some
people describe their need for neatness,
punctuality, and shoes lined up in the closets.
'He's so compulsive is shorthand for calling
someone uptight, controlling, and not much fun.
'She's obsessed with him' is a way of saying your
friend is hopelessly lovesick. That is not how
these words are used to describe Obsessive-
Compulsive Disorder or OCD, a strange and
fascinating sickness of ritual and doubts run wild.
OCD can begin suddenly and is usually seen as a
problem as soon as it starts.
Compulsives…
