OCD and Detailing.

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Underdawg736GTC

New member
Just as the title states, are there any Detailers on here that have been diagnosed with OCD?



Last week while I was in one of my of my detailing kicks, my new co worker made the comment that I should get checked for OCD. I don't know why but I took it to heart and over the weekend I've spent the good majority of my free time looking into it. What I found kinda scared me as what I've found pretty much described me to a T and so much more beyond OCD.

So what I would like to know is for those who have it, how do you manage with it and how did you go about getting a diagnosis?

I feel that it doesn't put a big hamper on my way of life, but have been told on numerous occasions that when I get into doing something, it's VERY hard to for me to walk away from it if it's not finished. When it comes to detailing, once I start it can take me 20 or more hours to finish and even then I'm usually picking things that I may have missed or could improve upon. A Lot of people tell me that my attention to details is "not human", I always came back with "14 years in the military will do that to you", even though I've been known for it well before I joined.

Another thing is that I prefer to work alone unless I'm with someone who is on the same page as me in regards to the attention to details needed. I hate interruptions and will almost always be plugged into my IPhone listening to tunes. I've been known to work on my ambulances at work for 12-14-16 hrs at a time with only taking one break to eat.

Detailing as a profession is one of my dream jobs, the only other one would to be a Storm Chaser as I'm just as obsessive about the weather as I am detailing. I love my current job as an EMT but sometimes I feel that I'm not best suited for some of the calls we get.

Well anyways, I just wanted to see how others who have or may have it cope and deal with it, especially if they don't detail as a primary source of income.



Sean

AKA Underdawg
 
I have a background in psychology and so I am familiar with formal DSM-IV diagnosing techniques. True OCD is a serious mental disorder that can get worse if not treated. Counseling and meds are required to keep it in check. One can detail happily just as long as he is taking the proper medication and going to at least semi- regular doctor visits.



As for myself, I have some general OCD-like tendencies, but they're just the way I approach doing things-fussy, meticulous, some times hard headed. It runs in the family in my case.



I would venture a guess and say the great majority of us Autopians probably just have a some OCD-like tendencies, not really the full blown disorder. Just as long as we keep them in check, we ought to be doing fine and keeping those cars pristine! :)
 
Thanks for the input Bill D! I don't think it's getting worse for me, just when I'm on a detail or something that nets my attention, I have the tendency to become hyper focused at the task at hand and usually won't quit it unless I'm either finished to my liking or am forced to stop, and if the latter happens I usually become a bear for awhile! The last thing I want is to be placed on any kind of meds, being in my job field one sees a lot of folks on a lot of meds just to balance each other out.

I remember vividly as a kid having to go out and "clean the windows" of our car (at the time it was a '78 Mustang), I almost have a picture perfect memory of cleaning the windows inside and out with Windex and paper towels/newspaper and then cleaning the wheels, body, and interior with the same Windex and towels. Thinking of it now, I'm sure 100% of us would cringe at the thought and sight of our kids going at it like I did!!!

I don't relate well with other's unless they have the same intense interests as I do, if I meet new people I'm usually very shy and distant until I get to know them and even then, if I don't relate well with them, I'll usually remain distant. Three things I'm very well known for is being quiet, not really talkative, and being extremely detailed orientated.

I guess it's what makes me.....me!

Sorry guy's if I'm dumping a lot of info, just trying to see if anyone else feels the same way.



Sean
 
Underdawg736GTC said:
I guess it's what makes me.....me!
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You stated it beautifully. The intense concentration on the task at hand sounds typical of being OCD about something but just as long as it isn't creating any kinds of hardships in your life.



I think it's rather commonplace to be distant around new people unless they share an interest, after all, what would there be to talk about? Being a bit introverted at time is just fine.
 
Hehehe, I'm sure my wife would have something to say about it creating hardships. She loves it when I clean but not how long or anal retentive I get once I get into the zone, and with her it's only a matter of days until her car or the house looks the way it did before I got to it! She doesn't like the time it takes me to either detail the car or clean the house.

Another thing she likes to call me is Mr Anti Social, I'm not much for socializing, especially at crowded events and places. I usually do anything I can to get out of those situations, but can't be like that all the time. I will force myself into social events and while a lot of times it doesn't bother me, crowds are hard to deal with. Car shows wouldn't bother me as much as say the mall or an amusement park, looking at cars and inspecting their finish usually blocks out the crowd around me.



Sean
 
Underdawg736GTC said:
Another thing she likes to call me is Mr Anti Social, I'm not much for socializing, especially at crowded events and places. I usually do anything I can to get out of those situations, but can't be like that all the time.
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I'm not one for large social events or parties either. I'm not into the superficiality of them. I'd much prefer the company of a few good friends.
 
I'm pretty much the same way, I can get into a detail and spend 9 hours before realizing I haven't taken a break or even drank some water. I usually work alone and always prefer to have Pandora blasting in my garage. I'm sure if I google'd symptoms of OCD that I'd have it, but I feel like most diagnosis like OCD/ADD/etc. are easily misdiagnosed (or at least so mild they're easily manageable by just taking a step back and saying "is this what a normal functioning member of society does...").
 
[I would venture a guess and say the great majority of us Autopians probably just have a some OCD-like tendencies, not really the full blown disorder. Just as long as we keep them in check, we ought to be doing fine and keeping those cars pristine!]



This is probaly an accurate description of most of us that take detailing seriously
 
SpoolinNoMore said:
by just taking a step back and saying "is this what a normal functioning member of society does...").
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That actually is a big part of the diagnosing process.
 
Sean,



I have a feeling we'd be best buds in person. We sound similar in our tendencies.



Just imagine living on a street full of Autopian detailers. When the whirr of all the machine polishers died down you'd probably have the most immaculately maintained homes, yards, cars, and anything else that can be cleaned.



I doubt any of us have clinical OCD like Bill D says. Think of our OCD as the kind that makes us good at jobs we do.
 
truzoom said:
Just imagine living on a street full of Autopian detailers. When the whirr of all the machine polishers died down you'd probably have the most immaculately maintained homes, yards, cars, and anything else that can be cleaned.
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That would literally be Autopia,a place in real life! :bigups
 
truzoom said:
...Just imagine living on a street full of Autopian detailers. ... you'd probably have the most immaculately maintained homes, yards, cars, and anything else that can be cleaned...
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I often wonder if that'd be the case. I *hope* so, but I still wonder whether most people here treat everything the way they do detailing :think:
 
Accumulator said:
I often wonder if that'd be the case. I *hope* so, but I still wonder whether most people here treat everything the way they do detailing :think:
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I'd have to say probably not. I find there simply aren't enough hours in the day to keep up with *everything* to an Autopian degree. Just have to pick and choose what's most important.
 
I think I would do well in an "Autopian Neighborhood"! Now if I ever win the Powerball!!



One thing for sure is that there would never be any break ins as all your neighbors would be looking at your car and everyone else's car to the point that every car and house has multiple eyes on it at all times......ok maybe that's exaggerating it a bit...lol.



I often wonder if that'd be the case. I *hope* so, but I still wonder whether most people here treat everything the way they do detailing
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I try and I do get the attention for details in a handful of other things beyond detailing vehicles. If my wife had the same level of it as I do, we'd have the nicest house on the block hands down.....unfortunately she's my polar opposite!



Sean,



I have a feeling we'd be best buds in person. We sound similar in our tendencies.



Just imagine living on a street full of Autopian detailers. When the whirr of all the machine polishers died down you'd probably have the most immaculately maintained homes, yards, cars, and anything else that can be cleaned.



I doubt any of us have clinical OCD like Bill D says. Think of our OCD as the kind that makes us good at jobs we do.
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Thanks Will! :bigups



Most of my friends are nowhere near me in regards of having the eye for details, and those that do have their eyes set on "other things"!
 
The problem with some people is that they are a little too OC for comfort. And that could be a good point in hiring someone but not all the time. I mean, you could hire someone with OCD so that you are assured to produce topnotch service but that could also backfire if you could not pacify what he has going with him personally. It should be a great balance, but nothing easy to pull off.
 
True OCD is rather annoying, and can have a big impact on your life. From my experience, it gets worse by progressing to include more neurotic tendencies, things outside the realm of your normal "issues." Just having a really focused mind, and super attention to detail aren't bad, and are not even necessarily signs that you have OCD. Meds can really help if it ever gets worse, to the point it actually effects your daily life; and, at least from what my doctor tells me, the meds don't actually "fix" the OCD as it's a behavioral thing, rather they help control the anxiety you get from attempting to suppress the compulsive tendencies. Which means you can still let your OCD thrive when you want it to (when detailing a car, for example), or if you don't have the time to spend being that meticulous, you can suppress the urge, and leave well enough alone... at least for the time being. ;)



In other words, I wouldn't worry about it all that much. Unless it is actually effecting your life in a negative way, you're fine to go on detailing, cleaning, etc. to your heart's content!
 
Ryoken0367 said:
In other words, I wouldn't worry about it all that much. Unless it is actually effecting your life in a negative way, you're fine to go on detailing, cleaning, etc. to your heart's content!
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Bingo! :xyxthumbs
 
I think it is less about OCD and more about attention to details. I can look at a car that I just spent 25 hours on and find hundreds (literally) of things that I know I could do better with. Realistically, though, spending a few extra hours for approx. 2% improvement won't be appreciated, or often even noticed. Being able to accept it as "good-enough" is an internal battle every time, but OCD would make that impossible. I don't think someone with true OCD would last long in this business. Eventually the customer is going to want their car back and not many customers are willing to pay for 200 hour details.
 
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