About Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Ordering & Arranging OCD

Types of ordering and arranging in OCD

• Arranging in the correct way
• Moving things a certain number of times
• Putting things in specific places and positions
• Mental ordering

People with OCD who are primarily preoccupied with order and exactness tend to engage in compulsive behaviors that include repetitive arranging, organizing, or lining up of objects until certain conditions are met or the end result feels "just right." These individuals are commonly referred to as perfectionists due to their need to arrange and order with such exactness and precision. Ordering and arranging might seem like a good thing, but when a person can't let it go, it has become a form of OCD.

Some Ordering is Normal

Most people like an orderly environment. People with a strong preference for order will become more anxious if they have to complete a difficult task in a disorganized environment. It is thought that perhaps compulsive ordering and a drive for symmetry are extreme manifestations of a normal and natural preference for order and symmetry that has gone too far.

Arranging in the "Correct" Way

When objects are not set up in the "correct" way, people with ordering OCD often experience a feeling of discomfort and incompleteness. For example, a person may get very anxious if the books and papers on their desk are not symmetrically aligned or set a certain distance from one another. Pencils or paper clips may need to arranged or even color coded for the person to find relief.

Such people may feel they need to arrange objects a certain number of times before they are satisfied. They may also incorporate special patterns into their routine while ordering. Some patients may also engage in mental ordering and counting. Since belongings of these individuals must be set in specific places and positions, suffers may be slow to get through everyday tasks, such as setting the table or tidying the house. The may also become distressed or even enraged if others move their things. Children and people with autism spectrum disorder may be more likely to have this form of OCD.

Other Related Compulsions

People with ordering and arranging OCD may write letters over and over again until they look right or may meticulously line up the shoes in their closet so that they form one continuous straight row. Individuals with this type of OCD may also engage in counting, tapping, and touching behaviors.

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