Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Glory · 10-15-2002, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by brighid:
echidna,

I always suspected that my friend endured sexual abuse as a child because she had some strange expressions of OCD. She had to bathe when she woke up and before going to bed - 1.5 hrs each time. She was obssessively maticulous about her makeup application - getting ready for anything took approximately 5 hours and that is no exaggeration. She washed her hands so many times that her skin was dried and cracked. Despite some wierd hygiene rituals she is a really wonderful person. She has gotten better over the years and has cut her morning ritual down to 1.5 hours total.

Brighid

The behaviours you ascribe to your friend are quite typical of OCD. The Compulsions are a result of the brain causing anxiety that has no cause. The rituals and cleansing behaviours are an attempt to relieve that anxiety.

I am fascinated by the notion of an abuse connection. I doubt that abuse would cause OCD but I think it would definately make OCD worse. I can only imagine the effect of adding a real source of anxiety to the one already caused by one's brain chemistry.

Glory

tronvillain · 10-15-2002, 08:56 AM

Well, I do not find transexualism strange, but amputating perfectly good limbs does strike me as odd.

MadMordigan · 10-15-2002, 12:35 PM

So you think someone is even with two arms and odd with one?

I know a mathematician who would agree with you.

galiel · 10-15-2002, 04:53 PM

The ironic thing is that symmetry is a myth. In fact, a recently proposed and widely discussed theory attributes the very origin of life, the evolution of complex organism and the emergence of intelligence to the inherent "handedness" of the universe.

I can't remember the primary scientific source for this theory, nor find it on the Net at the moment, but I assure you it is peer reviewed and not fringe-y. If I recall correctly (a big if), I first heard about it in a SciAm article. Can someone help?

Regardless, the inherent asymmetry of the human body, even externally, is easily demonstrated. Just place a mirror vertically on your face so that it refects just one half to create a "face", then do the same thing with the other half. Quite amazing (an easier wayto do this with technology is to use a photo editor.) This works with the full body as well. Nothing about us is truly symmetrical.

Bree · 10-15-2002, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by echidna:
Interesting, it would seem similar in some respects to some anorexia cases where patients asked to draw their body image yield grossly distorted images.

When I was anorexic, I seriously considered taking a knife and carving out pieces of myself so I would conform to the idea of perfection in my mind.

It's a crazy, crazy world...

brighid · 10-16-2002, 06:47 AM

Thanks Glory. I should probably do some reading up on OCD. The only reason I suspect it is because of some other behaviors she exhibited, but I do not have any proof of such things and I wouldn�t even begin to venture down that road with her. If that happened and she wanted to share that with me she would. Also in my own research into childhood sexual abuse and it�s possible symptoms and I believe I ran across some OCD behaviors like excessive washing and body image obsessions.

Brighid

seanie · 10-16-2002, 07:02 AM

Late teens and early 20's I cut my left arm to shreds. Nothing life threatening but deep cuts. It's got a nice stripey pattern now.

Seemed like a good idea at the time...

Glory · 10-16-2002, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by brighid:
Thanks Glory. I should probably do some reading up on OCD. The only reason I suspect it is because of some other behaviors she exhibited, but I do not have any proof of such things and I wouldn�t even begin to venture down that road with her. If that happened and she wanted to share that with me she would. Also in my own research into childhood sexual abuse and it�s possible symptoms and I believe I ran across some OCD behaviors like excessive washing and body image obsessions.

Brighid

There are alot of causes for such behaviour. Abuse is definitely one of them. It's all about why she obsesses.(It's clear that she does0 Five hours grooming is ...wow I can't think of word emphatic enough. Good luck with her. Of course, you already know that there is nothing you can do to help her except be her friend and be patient.

Glory

brighid · 10-16-2002, 09:32 AM

Glory,

Yeap � I Know.

Now that we aren�t in college together any more a lot of those issues don�t really surface because we see each other so infrequently. Also, she is leading a very productive, happy life and is married to a really great guy who is okay with her OCD behaviors. Plus, she is just such a nice person � as long as she isn�t trying to have me wash my hands 500 times a day I am OK with it

I think if those things were stumbling blocks in her life that were holding her back from being a productive and happy human being I would be more concerned. They are just quirky parts of her unique personality. The only time it was ever a problem was when the girls were getting ready to go out for the evening. If we wanted to be out by 9 I had to make sure she got her butt in the shower by 3 or 4!

Brighid

thebeave · 10-16-2002, 08:56 PM

This topic reminded me of an incident at my alma mater (Univ of Calif, Davis) around 1982. Some guy walked into the student wood shop on campus, stuck his hand under the radial arm saw, and sawed his hand off, on purpose. They flew him and his severed hand to Stanford Hospital to reattach it. His response to the doctors was, "Don't bother reattaching it, I'm just going to cut if off again." The incident makes sense now, in light of the aforementioned disorder. I wonder if he still has his hand?

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10-15-2002, 08:56 AM	#12
tronvillain Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 5,658	Well, I do not find transexualism strange, but amputating perfectly good limbs does strike me as odd.

10-15-2002, 12:35 PM	#13
MadMordigan Beloved Deceased Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Vancouver BC Canada Posts: 2,704	So you think someone is even with two arms and odd with one? I know a mathematician who would agree with you.

10-15-2002, 04:53 PM	#14
galiel Banned Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Eastern Massachusetts Posts: 1,677	The ironic thing is that symmetry is a myth. In fact, a recently proposed and widely discussed theory attributes the very origin of life, the evolution of complex organism and the emergence of intelligence to the inherent "handedness" of the universe. I can't remember the primary scientific source for this theory, nor find it on the Net at the moment, but I assure you it is peer reviewed and not fringe-y. If I recall correctly (a big if), I first heard about it in a SciAm article. Can someone help? Regardless, the inherent asymmetry of the human body, even externally, is easily demonstrated. Just place a mirror vertically on your face so that it refects just one half to create a "face", then do the same thing with the other half. Quite amazing (an easier wayto do this with technology is to use a photo editor.) This works with the full body as well. Nothing about us is truly symmetrical.

10-16-2002, 06:47 AM	#16
brighid Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: somewhere in the known Universe Posts: 6,993	Thanks Glory. I should probably do some reading up on OCD. The only reason I suspect it is because of some other behaviors she exhibited, but I do not have any proof of such things and I wouldn�t even begin to venture down that road with her. If that happened and she wanted to share that with me she would. Also in my own research into childhood sexual abuse and it�s possible symptoms and I believe I ran across some OCD behaviors like excessive washing and body image obsessions. Brighid

10-16-2002, 07:02 AM	#17
seanie Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Edinburgh. Scotland Posts: 2,532	Late teens and early 20's I cut my left arm to shreds. Nothing life threatening but deep cuts. It's got a nice stripey pattern now. Seemed like a good idea at the time...

10-16-2002, 09:32 AM	#19
brighid Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: somewhere in the known Universe Posts: 6,993	Glory, Yeap � I Know. Now that we aren�t in college together any more a lot of those issues don�t really surface because we see each other so infrequently. Also, she is leading a very productive, happy life and is married to a really great guy who is okay with her OCD behaviors. Plus, she is just such a nice person � as long as she isn�t trying to have me wash my hands 500 times a day I am OK with it I think if those things were stumbling blocks in her life that were holding her back from being a productive and happy human being I would be more concerned. They are just quirky parts of her unique personality. The only time it was ever a problem was when the girls were getting ready to go out for the evening. If we wanted to be out by 9 I had to make sure she got her butt in the shower by 3 or 4! Brighid

10-16-2002, 08:56 PM	#20
thebeave Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Silicon Valley, CA Posts: 4,183	This topic reminded me of an incident at my alma mater (Univ of Calif, Davis) around 1982. Some guy walked into the student wood shop on campus, stuck his hand under the radial arm saw, and sawed his hand off, on purpose. They flew him and his severed hand to Stanford Hospital to reattach it. His response to the doctors was, "Don't bother reattaching it, I'm just going to cut if off again." The incident makes sense now, in light of the aforementioned disorder. I wonder if he still has his hand?

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