Yeah, I have OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), which is a very common anxiety disorder. I guess, a lot of people already know about OCD and if someone needs to know what it is, they can easily get all the information about it on Wikipedia or Google. For a little idea I have copied this description from Wikipedia : Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry; by repetitive behaviours aimed at reducing the associated anxiety; or by a combination of such obsessions and compulsions. Symptoms of the disorder include excessive washing or cleaning; repeated checking; extreme hoarding; preoccupation with sexual, violent or religious thoughts; relationship-related obsessions; aversion to particular numbers; and nervous rituals, such as opening and closing a door a certain number of times before entering or leaving a room. These symptoms can be alienating and time-consuming, and often cause severe emotional and financial distress. The acts of those who have OCD may appear paranoid and potentially psychotic. However, OCD sufferers generally recognize their obsessions and compulsions as irrational and may become further distressed by this realization.
The symptom that I'm suffering from basically, is the obsession with cleanliness and order. Everything has to be clean around me and should be kept properly and in particular order. Everything just has to be 'Perfect' (the way I want it to be). And because of the need for that perfection I have to do everything again and again until I feel satisfied. I panic whenever I see something filthy or things lying disorderly. I almost get a heart attack when I touch something extremely dirty. I wash my hands a lot. I count the number of times I wash them and I'm embarrassed to share how many times I do that. My list of OCD rituals can go on, but today I want to share about - 'How difficult it is for a person with OCD to survive in a place like India'. If you are an Indian or have seen India you would understand what I'm talking about. Our whole country has this one aspect, which is also very well known by the people living in other countries and that is, India is not a very clean country (to put it politely). I'm not going to discuss how untidy our country is or what kind of clutter or mess can be seen around here. That we all know very well. And I guess the people in our country who are normal (who don't have OCD), have come to terms with this chaotic mess which is everywhere around us. They don't seem to be affected by the sloppiness surrounding them and I think that's necessary too, if someone wants to live happily in India. But people like me who are suffering from OCD, can most certainly go into depression.
Being an OCD person has caused a lot of restrictions for me in my life. I avoid going to a lot of places because I don't find them clean enough. Even if I go to those places I just cannot focus on what I'm supposed to do. My whole focus remains on the dirt or trash lying around me. I cannot enjoy time with my friends or family if there is something that is bothering me because of my OCD . It will keep bothering me until I do my 'OCD rituals'. All these things have made my life hell. I wish I was born in some foreign developed country because those are much cleaner than India. And I know that people have OCD in those countries too. But it's just that, the kind of panic attack I get from things (bad according to my OCD or even for a normal person) is of a very high intensity and I'm quite sure that things like mounts of rotten trash lying here and there, people peeing anywhere (on the walls, on the roadside, etc.), people spitting everywhere (even inside the buildings), animal dung lying here and there, people littering on the roads, and many more such things are not very common in developed countries. I don't know if India is ever going to be clean or if the governing people of our country will ever take an initiative to make it beautiful or if the people of India will ever become aware and stop showing negligence towards their own country. Can people really change? I don't know.
Maybe people with OCD are just born by mistake in a country like India. They should just tolerate everything around them and learn to adapt. If they can't, they should stay inside their houses or wear a mask and a suit to go outside or settle abroad if they have the money to do that. Or maybe they should just try and become the Prime Minister of the country, so that they can bring about the change they want. Basically, I don't really know what the solution is. All I know is, that being an OCD person in India, sucks. And it is not less than a hell.
If you have any suggestions, tell me in the comments below.
Share This Article
