MENTAL HEALTH | STIGMA, STEREOTYPES, DIAGNOSING YOURSELF, AND DIAGNOSING OTHERS.

Just because you have OCD or know someone with OCD, that doesn't give you the right to decide whether or not someone else has OCD. The stereotypical things, like "I hate it when people think OCD is quirky," "I hate it when people self-diagnose," and "It p***es me off when people think that they have OCD," are almost everywere. First of all, I'm pretty sure that most people don't think that OCD is "quirky". Also, how do you know that that person doesn't have OCD? The first thing that we see on so many websites and in so many articles and videos is that OCD is more than just handwashing and perfectionism. Then why is that the first thing stated in (almost) everything? Beyond that, just because you think that someone isn't suffering from something, that doesn't make your feelings into facts. Try researching things like "Pure 'O'" (pure obsession / obsessional OCD), AND scrupulosity. (I'd like to point out that I'm not trying to imply that I, myself, have "Pure 'O'". So, please don't assume that that's why I was mentioning that.) People say that those other things aren't what the disorder is all about, but then they measure people's disorders by those kinds of stigmas. Nobody has to prove their problems to anyone. It's between them and the Creators, and maybe a trusted confidant / counselor. And, another thing, just because someone gets confused over an aspect of their disorder, that doesn't mean that they don't have it. Not everyone knows everything ever. We have to realize that we're going to have to come to a point where we accept that we DON'T and CAN'T know everything. I mean, don't (metaphorically) bite someone's head off if they confuse avoidance with compulsion. Think about it: they are almost exactly the same and opposite. Avoidance: Don't do it. Compulsion: Do it. Also, a person can have OCD and be avoidant at the same time. Avoidant personality disorder is a facet of Anxiety / Social Anxiety. (note, as of 31 March 2023: I just want to point out that not avoidance and APD are not always connected. OCD can involve avoidance without necessarily meaning that APD is involved.) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an anxiety disorder. Avoidance can be linked to all of the above. And if a person has all of the above, then for heaven's sake, have some darn empathy for them. Don't (metaphorically) bite their heads off.  It's not your job to diagnose someone. Unless it is. Well, anyways, be well, I guess. I'm pretty sure that some other YouTuber and / or Blogger usually says that. I don't know. Okay, bye.