Hello I m Darren Magee and today s question asks if I would discuss Obsessive Compulsive
Personality Disorder. Now if you like this video, if you find it helpful, please click like and
please consider subscribing to my channel for future updates or mental health related topics.
But just as a reminder, this video is not a substitute for support from a mental health
professional. Nor is it a tool to be used to diagnose someone. Now obsessive compulsive
personality disorder, or OCPD, is often confused with obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD. They
are two distinct and different things, although one can be present can be comorbid with the other,
and I've made a video previously on OCD if you want to check that out to see the differences.
But generally people with OCPD are preoccupied with order. They are
not always open to flexibility, which can inhibit things like negotiation,
even effectiveness at work. They can come across a stubborn and rigid in their viewpoints. They,
they like things to be done a certain way which can look like perfectionism.
But unlike OCD there isn't the same compulsion to perform tasks and rituals to try to alleviate the
stress that comes from obsessive thoughts. It's part of the Cluster C group of personalities, and
it's seen as a consistent pattern of perfectionism and need for control, control both of themselves
and whatever projects they re working on. There is a need for order. There is a need for sameness
and people with OCPD may focus entirely on rules, procedures. Pay a lot of attention to detail,
check constantly for mistakes, not just their own mistakes but other peoples. And in a workplace,
although this may look like perfectionism, it may be an admiral quality, it can actually hinder,
can delay the outcome of a project that can hinder productivity. And people with OCPD,
it wouldn't be uncommon for them to be very articulate. They are able to communicate
very effectively, but they don't really know how to express themselves emotionally. They can lack
empathy. They could be sensitive or resistant to criticism, and when talking they can sound very
businesslike, quite professional, even in their closest relationships with partners or family,
they can be condescending to others. They generally don't like extraverts. People who
are they who they would consider to be overly emotional. They don't like to take risks and
can struggle with things like spontaneity and ambiguity. They can also be very reluctant to
ask for help or support when they need it. And obsessive compulsive personality disorder can be
comorbid with other personality disorders, such as avoidant personality, paranoid personality, even
narcissistic or borderline personality disorder. But as I often say when it comes to personality
disorders, I often think of it as a spectrum. It's not a one size fits all. So if you think
of a spectrum, there are many different colours, many different shades in between. And according
to DSM5 there are eight criteria that make up OCPD. Four of which must be present consistently,
pervasively and have been around for a long time. So with there being eight criteria, not everyone's
going to meet all eight. Some people might need four, some people might need five. They may be
different, and that's what I mean about it being a spectrum. Different colours different shades.
It manifests itself in different ways. When it comes to disorder I often think of a disorder as
looking at the impact it has on a person's day to day functioning, looking at the impact it has
on their relationship with themselves as well as the relationships with others around them.
So let's look at the eight criteria. Number one. There is a preoccupation with details, rules,
schedules, organisation and list. So yes, she may get someone who's constantly making lists,
ticking things off lists. At work, this can come across as a being very conscientious. It can other
times they may come across as like a nurse Ratched kind of person using rules to dominate and control
others. At home it can look like everything has to be done a certain way which to others might
look like a form of control and domination. They can struggle, as I say ,things like ambiguity,
spontaneity because things have to be done to a particular order, a particular method,
and there is a need to know how and when and why things are going to get done. Criteria number two,
a striving to do something perfectly that interferes with the completion of the task. Now
again everything has to be perfect that there's no half measures. In some ways that can actually be a
good thing, say in a work environment where things have to be done perfectly. However
the need to do something perfectly, to do it in a certain way, can actually inhibit
or even frustrate productivity because someone with OCPD may be more preoccupied with the process
than the actual outcome of whatever that project is. And this may be to the cost of the deadline.
It may be to the cost of the budget involved. Number three, there is an excessive devotion
to work and productivity. Now not necessarily due to financial necessity. But this can often
result in neglect of leisure activities and even their friends so that devotion to work that,
say devotion to religion or political movement is often at the expense of things that may well
be in their own best interest. Things like rest, recreation. It could even be a expense of their
interpersonal relationships. Criteria number four, there is successive conscientiousness,
fastidiousness and inflexibility regarding ethical and moral issues and values. Now this can look
like being overzealous and rigid around ethics, morality and indeed values. But that rigidity,
it doesn't just apply to themselves, they apply that to other people as well. So they can come
across as very judgmental, very critical. If a particular behaviour or morality or whatever is
expected, it has to be done perfectly and possibly not just by themselves, by by others. They have to
do it as well. There are no exceptions that will never be extenuating circumstances. Number five,
unwillingness to throw out worn out objects, worthless objects, even those that don t really
have any sentimental value. Now this is pretty much hoarding, okay? Holding on to things that
are of no real value. A news paper article of interest, a piece of packaging from something,
a piece of broken equipment, maybe in the belief that at some point it could be repaired it could
be useful again. When it comes to personal items maybe there is that belief that they have to hold
onto that gift, that card, whatever it was, the fear of losing that can sometimes feel as if they
maybe losing a part of themselves at some kind of a connection with the past. In severe cases
this can be very problematic as they surround themselves with, for want of a better word,
junk. Things that they will never look at or use ever again, but they still hold on to it. Maybe
it's some sense of safety or comfort nine, ten years lately. Maybe they're doing a clear out,
maybe they're talked into, maybe they have to have no room to move or whatever
they're doing a clear out and they, there can be difficulty separating what could be useful,
what is actually valuable and what is just junk. Criteria number six, reluctance to delegate
or work with other people. Unless those people agree to do things exactly the way they want
it. Now for someone with OCPD, sometimes it can feel like having another person or
other people involved, that's just like introducing far too many variables. Because
of that need to have some sense of control, that need to make sure whatever the project is,
is done properly. Now even when it comes to housework, there can be a lack of trust in other
people doing something. And sometimes somebody may do, they maybe they left the vacuum cleaner. They
Hoover the carpet in the living room. After they put it away, the person with the OCPD
they may take the vacuum cleaner out and Hoover the same piece of carpet because it
wasn't done to their standard. And again, that can inhibit things like productivity affectiveness,
and it can frustrate the hell out of the people around them. Number seven, A miserly approach to
spending on a spending for themselves and others because they see money as something to be saved
for a future disaster. Now yeah, there can be a miserly approach, sometimes it s the fear of if
I spend it now, I'm not going to have enough whenever something unforeseen comes up . And
it's just like with the hoarding that I mentioned a moment ago. Holding onto something, even if it's
broken, even if it s of no value wants whatsoever because it might save them money in the long run,
for it might save them having to spend money later on. Whatever it is may be of no real value
whatsoever, but they may hold onto it, believing that at some point in the future it may become a
valuable antique, or it may become valuable. And lastly number eight, rigidity and stubbornness.
Now, so again, what we see is what is often referred to as it's my way or the highway.
Again everything has to be done a certain way. Everything has to be done to a certain standard.
The person with OCPD they may get angry or upset if someone maybe suggests an alternative way to do
something. We can see very rigid religion, religious rather than political views. And as
I've already said, yes they can be very articulate when it comes to maybe putting their point across.
They can be very eloquent when explaining things. They're not necessarily open to new
information or alternatives. In some cases they may even dig their heels in. Even when it looks
like they know themselves they re wrong, they re still digging their heels.
So that is a brief outline of obsessive compulsive personality disorder. Now if there's anything I've
missed that you want to share by all means please use the comment box below. I am interested in your
comments and there have been some interesting discussions starting around these videos.
If you liked this video, if you found it helpful, please consider subscribing to my channel for
future updates or mental health related topics and until next time, thanks for watching.