To not wish to be called OCD?

[BlueButTrue]

Every day I:

Clean my floors with floor wipes (twice a day, more if I see any mark etc).

Wash up as I go.

Make my beds first thing

Hoover all rooms (about 3/4 times a day)

Wash on, put a wash away

Clean kitchen surfaces (3/4 times, more if I'm using kitchen more).

Clean cupboard doors/draws

Hoover sofa

Hoover living room rug (twice)

Wipe down living room surfaces (3/4 times)

Clean toilet (3/4 times a day, sometimes more)

Clean bathroom (about twice a day top to bottom, and little wipe downs etc whenever else).

Empty bin

Wipe down bedroom furniture/dust surfaces

Every other day I:

Steam clean bathroom and kitchen. Sometimes this is every day too.

Hoover behind sofas (will do this each day if any actual messes are created).

Twice a week:

Clean out fridge

Clean inside cupboards

My Nan is apparently "worried" at the extent I'm cleaning, but I think it's healthy and normal. It keeps me calm and makes me happy. I don't believe it's extensive. "Cleaning isn't good for the soul" says DNan.

MIL has hinted I should be checked for OCD.

Personally, I find this quite offensive. OCD is a serious health issue and not one to joke about.

AIBU to clean the way I do and think it's healthy? AIBU to think it's offensive to others who really do suffer that it isn't acceptable to go around, throwing the term 'OCD' about?

My mother is very very tidy and can't sit still unless everything is clean. (Cups washed up almost before you've finished drinking out of them. Gets down on her knees to remove invisible crumbs.)

I don't really clean in front of guests, to be honest. I would hate for anyone to be made to feel uncomfortable. I don't even ask people to take their shoes off in my house, again, I will clean when they're gone and It doesn't bother me.

I don't remove drinks from people whilst they're here etc, I only ever ask if they would like a top up etc, or any extras from the kitchen. I like people to feel at home

I cant imagine
(1) having this much spare time to do or care about doing the amount of cleaning you do
(2) not finding 20 other things that are more interesting, entertaining or rewarding than the level of cleaning you are doing
(3) dragging the vacuum out more than once a week

NapQueen that's fine and very normal. It's worth keeping in mind though that I genuinely enjoy cleaning and I'm very passionate about it/love sharing tips and tricks with people

STOP with the "it's definitely OCD"! I suffered from OCD for years and it was diagnosed by a psychiatrist because I was so utterly distressed by it. OCD causes anxiety, depression and distress and often leaves the sufferer in absolute misery and turmoil. It leaves people house bound, panicked and fearful. If not cleaning makes you feel like the above then see the GP but if not then it's simply a hobby or an interest that you should perhaps cut down on but one which ultimately is not affecting your mental health. Would we say somebody who was on Facebook or gaming 3 hours a day had OCD?

There is not a magic medication for OCD, that's misinformation. There are anti-depressants for the anxiety, panic and depression that OCD causes but the main treatment seems to be CBT and other talking therapies which get behind why the obsessions have manifested themselves, what triggers them and strategies to deal with them.

If it's all so hunky dory and making you happy, why are you asking a load of strangers on the internet, if what you are doing is OK?

Down I asked in my original post if I was being unreasonable to not want OCD thrown about when someone cleans a lot.

I'm not asking if I'm BU to clean the amount I do.

I was asking if I was being unreasonable to get annoyed by being called OCD.

You asked two things in your op
AIBU to clean the way I do and think it's healthy? Yes

AIBU to think it's offensive to others who really do suffer that it isn't acceptable to go around, throwing the term 'OCD' about? No, it could be OCD, hyperthyroid or some other sort of mania or something else entirely. But it is not quite normal and is out of the ordinary. You may just be bored senseless with being pregnant and this is a distraction.

What you are demonstrating is an ability to only see one side of an argument, Fair enough, we all do it occasionally.

You think your DNan, DMiL and DH are all wrong. You think the majority of the posters on here are wrong. Combined with your bad back and HG, you are not being normal. Start talking to your HCPs and your family and above all, start listening as well.

Who are you writing this for, op? I'm asking because it seems to be the latest, and well publicised, faux pas to cry ocd when someone cleans a lot .

The reason why I think it's excessive ia because you are doing the same thing over and over - eg hoovering and cleaning the loo.

I would like a lovely home , too, if I had the time but the difference is that I would then start on the garden or paint the walls or go shopping for some nice nick nacks.

And doing the same thing over and over is obsessive

I think you're going to find having a newborn very hard.

You’re expressing symptoms of OCD. Your mil was pointing that out and recommending you get help. I think you should listen to her.

As someone suffering from OCD I know the signs, although I do hate it when the term is thrown around at people who check their door is locked.

There are tests you can take online to give you a better idea (and explanations) on wether or not you could be suffering.

Cleaning isn’t a bad thing, but ask yourself this - do you HAVE to complete these tasks, do you feel anxious when you cannot finish these tasks, and do these tasks take up a lot of your time and ‘get in the way’ of normal day to day life, can you be spontaneous? If you have OCD you have probably got lists and stock piles of everything you need, and a plan for everything if something goes wrong. So answer this, If you had to skip cleaning one morning due to an unforeseen emergency without any prior notice would it make you anxious?

Cleaning isn’t a bad thing, but ask yourself this - do you HAVE to complete these tasks, do you feel anxious when you cannot finish these tasks, and do these tasks take up a lot of your time and ‘get in the way’ of normal day to day life, can you be spontaneous? If you have OCD you have probably got lists and stock piles of everything you need, and a plan for everything if something goes wrong. So answer this, If you had to skip cleaning one morning due to an unforeseen emergency without any prior notice would it make you anxious

As I previously kept saying, I have no issue being spontaneous and leaving to go somewhere at the drop of a hat.

Not cleaning doesn't make me anxious, but if I was on a really boring day out or something, I would sincerely miss it and look forward to it when I got home.

I don't keep any lists etc, just do things as I'm pottering around

Good grief - some posters really are hard of thinking.

Cleaning, no matter how much, is NOT a symptom of OCD.

Feeling abnormal anxiety when unable to complete any task, might be a symptom of OCD.

The OP has no anxiety issues around her cleaning or anything else.

My DH has all sorts of anxieties around all sort of things, has serious OCD, and has no interest in cleaning whatsoever. In fact I'm the only one in my house who ever cleans anything.

Cleaning =/= OCD

Well said Morphene! Most of us have something that we do a little too much of because we ENJOY it - Facebook, mumsnet, gaming, Instagram, knitting, the gym, crafts etc. Before DS, I used to run at least 10 hours a week plus do 30 minutes of core strength every night because running was my hobby and I enjoyed it. If I couldn't run I'd get irritated and I'd miss it but it didn't make me feel panicked, sick and anxious. I'd simply miss doing something that I enjoyed.

Sounds incredibly excessive/bordering on obsessive behaviour. They have a point.

I think what most people on this thread don't get is that obsessively doing something is not the same as OCD.

You can have what's called 'pure o' which is where sufferers have obsessions or intrusive thoughts with no compulsion. Generally however OCD requires not just an obsession but a following compulsive behaviour which is done to try and relieve or satisfy the obsessive thought. So somebody with a compulsive cleaning problem might be obsessed with germs, with contamination, with not letting their family down by things not being perfect etc. Simply doing a lot of cleaning for no other reason that you enjoy it or enjoy a clean and tidy house is not OCD! If however you are cleaning (or like me, washing hands) because you feel that by not doing it you are putting other people at risk of germs and contamination then there is an issue.

I have OCD. I have read every book there is one OCD. What you are describing is NOT OCD and I don't care how many internet "experts" disagree. An example of OCD would be you doing all those as rituals because you think your family will die if you don't. All you are is a bit obsessive re being tidy / organised. It infuriates me when people make light of OCD, like a woman at work keeping her desk clean because she has really bad OCD . That ISN'T OCD and she can fuck off.

Amen fizz. OCD is a horrible lonely place to be, it is filled with fear and desperation. It is not hoovering and cleaning the toilet because you like a tidy house.

But I don't know anyone who hoovers or cleans the toilet 3-4 x a day. If you clean it once a day, it's clean

fizzthecat I have OCD too and I understand what you mean. I think OP does have a problem thay could be OCD because I am reading between the lines as it were. This cleaning only started 18 months ago with a house move. Other people have noticed something peculiar about the OP and she seems to have an over the top denial stance of "Everythings great I love it im so happy" that comes across as insincere to me. I think if people close to her are pointing out something is up they probably know or suspect more than us.

But I don't know anyone who hoovers or cleans the toilet 3-4 x a day. If you clean it once a day, it's clean

That's fine, but again, I do it a few times more simply because I love doing it.

Although once a day would never be enough with my smelly DH

An obsession allone is NOT OCD!!!!

OCD is where you have compulsive behaviours that are driven by the obsession - you are compulsed to do something that generally do not enjoy but feel you must.

Compulsive cleaning driven by the fear of germs/contamination and hurting yourself/others by not cleaning = OCD.

Obsessive cleaning just because you like it (as odd as that seems) = get some perspective and maybe find a new hobby.

I don't enjoy doing exercise, listening to music,, or playing computer games, so presumably that means anyone who spends more than a hour a day doing those things also has OCD?

Obsessive cleaning just because you like it (as odd as that seems) = get some perspective and maybe find a new hobby

Meh, it's free (mostly) and easily accessible. If it keeps one happy, why not crack on?