Topic: How many of you have OCD?

I've noticed OCD is VERY common among gamers. I mean the people who just can't help doing insane stuff like collecting all the korok seeds in BotW, always starting a Fire Emblem stage from the start if they lose a unit or getting all the achievements in some other games.

Just for clarification, I don't have OCD. I'm just interested to know how many of us has it.

I suspect that most are merely self-diagnosed rather than being clinical cases.

I can be a bit finicky about certain things, and I've developed an aversion to germs after high school, but I don't know if I would say that i have OCD per se.

But with games like Fire Emblem, I'll usually reset the stage if I lose a unit, even though I play in Casual mode. And with Zelda BOTW/TOTK, I'll usually reset if I lose a fairy, even if I've amassed a fair few.

I've decided that I will only sacrifice a fairy for a Gleeok encounter.

I doubt it's any more common among gamers as it is the rest of the population TBH. I hear a lot of people throw the term OCD around when they line games up on the shelf in alphabetical order/collect whatever things in games and things like that. That's most likely not OCD which can be quite a debilitating condition.

My daughter shows some OCD tendencies and would constantly line up her toys instead of actually playing with them when she was younger, but she seemed to grow out of it when she became a teenager, but the tendencies returned during Covid when she was washing her hands so much that they came out in a rash. My neighbour does actually have (diagnosed) OCD and it often takes her 10-15 attempts to get to the end of her short path when she leaves the house in the morning as she's constantly going back and checking to make sure she's locked the door.

Less so with collecting all of the things in the game but I do wonder if gamers need to rank/score things all the time is connected with a form of OCD in an attempt to bring order?

Lets do a test, are these pictures upsetting to you?

It is not OCD but I do have some weird quirks, but they are not in games persay (other than saving twice which I feel is quite common.)

I have to check the Eshop twice a day for new games/sales because if I don't I will feel like I'm missing out, or fall behind in knowing what is available, if games don't appear on the new releases page it stresses me out. It's the same when there is a big sale on, I have to check every single page of deku deals just incase I miss out on a gem somehow.

I also have to make a list every month of new games that I'm interested in as well as long term lists of games I want but am waiting for a sale. I just really like lists I guess. I put the prices of everything as well as release dates so I guess it helps with budgeting as well.

Like others have said, it's not really a thing to take lightly since it is a serious condition, but I don't think the phrase was intended to cause harm or be insensitive to others but I could see how it's not PC. I've found myself using it in conversation just to describe the situation. Just as an example 'I'm so OCD about the font on switch cases being the same' it's just a quick way to describe an obsessive action/scenario that you can't quite explain I guess, there needs to be a better phrase that doesn't cause offence but gets the point across just as fast.

@cia I don’t usually respond here but I find your two examples of OCD to be quite insulting. The Korok seeds are a challenge for example not some ‘insane’ feat. Be more mindful of your language.

Also, why are you interested in it? Especially if you don’t have it. Wtf

Autism and OCD here. OCD basically ruined my life. Intrusive thoughts aaallll day. When I'm playing games it mostly manifests as me having to do rituals on the controller, like pressing both sticks in at the same time or spinning the left one to make the character walk in circles if I'm playing a 3D game.

I'm glad @Link-Hero and @Rambler point out the tendency to self-diagnose, which brings attention to the term OCD but detracts from people who actually suffer from it. This can be applied to just about every kind of disorder and categorisation.

I don't have OCD... I'm just your average joe who deletes a text to capitalise a word properly, arranges bookshelves from time to time for fun, and avoids cracks on the pavement simply for the hell of it. Doesn't hurt me or anyone around me, of course.

@Link-Hero
I take medication which seems to lessen it slightly but honestly I think it's probably a placebo. I've been in therapy which didn't seem to work. There's not much else that can be done really. Not to be a downer but there's only one surefire way out.

Agree with a lot of what's been said RE self-diagnosing and throwing it around like it's nothing. Don't do that. Nobody outside of those with it can even begin to imagine how horrible it must be.

Those self-diagnosing and believing in it may want to get their head read for something else...

Feel like OCD is made fun of on the same level that tourettes is. People think OCD is being a clean-freak in the same way they think tourettes is just someone blurting out profanities. They're both highly complex conditions which need more awareness and understanding.

These just make me happy... I'm weird and like those pictures.