Well ADHDers, after last week’s resilient blog article I feel like I’ve been chucked in a blender, whizzed round, and spat back out, but more about that next week because this week’s article is all about something I spotted a few days ago then has been bugging me ever since.
I noticed my friends little boy who has ADHD and how he likes to watch the same movie over and over again every time I went round, and it got me thinking, how much OCD interacts with ADHD. Of course I’ve talked about hyperfocus where you are in the zone and the world could be falling apart around you and you wouldn’t notice, but OCD is rather different.
“Would ADHD still be ADHD if there was no personal struggle involved in it?”
ADHD gIRL
Many psychologists would argue that everyone has got OCD to some extent and let’s face it how can we not do because all humans are creatures of habit. I suppose the main thing about OCD is how much it impacts your everyday life. Like if I said I had ADHD but there was minimal impact to my everyday life, even though I take medication, would it matter if I had ADHD or not?
OCD stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and is something you can have alongside ADHD, as well as dyspraxia, anxiety, depression and a whole host of comorbid conditions. OCD is characteristics by somebody being obsessed with a specific pattern of behaviour. For example, constantly cleaning the house from top to bottom twice a day. If you have kids the previous sentence might be your norm but the minute you can’t break that pattern when a change of routine keeps up then that’s when it starts to become a problem.
“Like I’ve always said it’s not really the label that’s important, it’s the access to acceptance and support that label represents”
ADHD gIRL
I suppose it might be extreme to say my friends little boy has OCD just because he likes to watch the same movie over and over again, and has ADHD, maybe he just really likes it. Maybe as an adult I can’t grasp the joy of watching the same movie repeatedly, knowing every word an it not being annoying. FYI I hate groundhogs day.
The main thing is if you do have OCD alongside ADHD is to firstly recognise and accept it, then secondly seek help and support. We all have our little routines and coping strategies that come with ADHD but make sure they are as healthy for your overall well being as possible.
Over and out ADHDers and ADHD allies, until next week.
