Compulsive Disorder - Why Do We Need Routines?
- By Christine Crotts
- Published 03/8/2010
- Fitness
- Unrated
Christine Crotts
Christine Crotts has trained her entire life to be the best barber that she can be. In her off time, Christine has written a site with reviews of barber chairs for sale, as well as a review of used barber chairs.
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It has long been noted that human beings are creatures of habit. We all tend to gravitate toward established routines that enable us to make order out of our daily existence. For many people, however - around two percent of the population at any given time, the natural desire for order and routine can evolve into something much more dangerous to mental and emotional health. In fact, for people suffering from this obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) life can become a constant battle to overcome the undesired thoughts and impulses that impede their ability to live a normal life. Overcoming any type of compulsive disorder often requires those who suffer from the illness to break with their established routines and question why they need such routines in the first place.
Why are routines important?
The very fact that routines are so commonly adopted by almost all individuals is one of the biggest obstacles sufferers of compulsive disorder face in their attempts to break out of their cycle of obsession and compulsion. Still, routines remain an important part of our lives. They provide security and a sense of order that is otherwise hard to come by in a universe that can all too often seem capricious and arbitrary. By contrast, routines tend to reassure most people that there are patterns to life that can be relied upon on a daily basis. Unfortunately, these routines can often get out of hand in cases where compulsive disorder manifests.
How bad is OCD?
Obsessive compulsive disorder can be debilitating for many
people, affecting their ability to live otherwise normal lives. Routine is not the enemy of the person suffering from any type of compulsive disorder, but some aspects of an individual routine can sometimes begin to exert an unreasonable amount of influence in life. The worst part of compulsive disorder is that even those patients who recognize its existence in their lives find themselves unable to resist the obsessive and compulsive behavior that it causes.
However, there are some who believe that the underlying fears that trigger obsessive thoughts that lead to compulsive disorder behavior may be able to be managed better if the patient can somehow break free of total reliance on routine, or through better management of the routine itself. For instance, since most OCD involves repetitious cleaning, examination of locks and appliances, and other activities, one way to diminish the underlying fears that cause such compulsions may be as simple as using a checklist to note when things are done.
Is it just another form of routine?
Of course, there will be those who say that trying to affect compulsive disorder by introducing yet another form of routine into the patient's life might be a less than ideal solution. However, given that both the OCD and ordinary human routines have their origins in one level of fear or another, using a routine checklist to help manage and reassure the compulsive disorder patient may help to satisfy the underlying fears that cause such over-reliance on compulsive routines. It is a simple way to satisfy the human need for routine while also providing a vehicle to diminish the levels of compulsion these patients feel.
Why are routines important?
The very fact that routines are so commonly adopted by almost all individuals is one of the biggest obstacles sufferers of compulsive disorder face in their attempts to break out of their cycle of obsession and compulsion. Still, routines remain an important part of our lives. They provide security and a sense of order that is otherwise hard to come by in a universe that can all too often seem capricious and arbitrary. By contrast, routines tend to reassure most people that there are patterns to life that can be relied upon on a daily basis. Unfortunately, these routines can often get out of hand in cases where compulsive disorder manifests.
How bad is OCD?
Obsessive compulsive disorder can be debilitating for many
However, there are some who believe that the underlying fears that trigger obsessive thoughts that lead to compulsive disorder behavior may be able to be managed better if the patient can somehow break free of total reliance on routine, or through better management of the routine itself. For instance, since most OCD involves repetitious cleaning, examination of locks and appliances, and other activities, one way to diminish the underlying fears that cause such compulsions may be as simple as using a checklist to note when things are done.
Is it just another form of routine?
Of course, there will be those who say that trying to affect compulsive disorder by introducing yet another form of routine into the patient's life might be a less than ideal solution. However, given that both the OCD and ordinary human routines have their origins in one level of fear or another, using a routine checklist to help manage and reassure the compulsive disorder patient may help to satisfy the underlying fears that cause such over-reliance on compulsive routines. It is a simple way to satisfy the human need for routine while also providing a vehicle to diminish the levels of compulsion these patients feel.