Real talk about OCD and hoarding

[@jenspringer0715]

“Understanding leads to empathy” - very wise.

[@CookwitchCreations]

My friend's mother is currently in hospital, having suffered with severe OCD all her life. It's exhausting, she cannot even sleep because of all her Must Do, Have To Do, Can't Do That Before. So many rituals, that they get in each other's way. I get sick of people saying they are 'a little OCD', when they have no damned idea how damaging it is. Thank you for highlighting this.

[@joycemiraglia280]

✍Hello...thank you for commenting on this video. You probably didn't even realize that you'd be helping someone when you did. I've always been a neat/clean freak and I'm now 79 and 2 months ago had 2 cancer surgeries 2 days later had a heart attack and then a heart Cath plus 9 days in ICU. When I came home I wanted to clean my home but wasn't able...duh !! My oldest daughter could live in dust(her excuse is she's allergic but I told her that more dust is bad. Well now 3 months later and I'm having trouble doing just about doing anything and its making me anxious and when I do clean I get sick and have to lay down. Dr said it might take 8 months to recuperate... Never even thought about it might be dealing with OCD till he was explaining All the differences etc of OCD...but your comment really helped me look at things differently. God Bless Bye from Ohio🌹

[@carolynmansager6952]

I had a receptionist at a counseling center say aloud that she 'was a little OCD" and a therapist came out and told the receptionist that she "needed to apologize to the waiting room for the insensitive comment, even though she couldn't say who she was apologizing to, because there are people who have a diagnosis who didn't deserve her insensitivity." You could see the lightbulb go on. I agree. It is a terrible, casual comment

[@carolynmansager6952]

​@@joycemiraglia280Yes. That sounds like OCD. It sounds as if you can now get help/support. I hope you do. I would hate for you to struggle more than you have to in life.

[@tinymeows]

Hold up... I never before associated my "I must do the cleaning and cooking before I clean myself" with my OCD. The number of times I haven't showered, because I couldn't complete the cleaning, or cooked then I must do cleaning again, then it's over an hour past my bedtime already... Wowzas.

[@ZinhleMkhwanazi-mc4jt]

It's exhausting. I have to bath first before doing laundry because I'm afraid of contaminating my clean clothes​@@tinymeows

[@syntaxsoulbender9908]

No but seriously--you're the only cleaning channel I've seen that goes in depth on the specific mental health conditions and neurotypes that may affect cleaning. Mental health is usually a topic cleaning channels bring up, but none of them go into this level of detail. I appriciate it a lot as someone who is very passionate and interested in mental health. 🎉 Also, I will forever judge you for being a jeans-hanging person as opposed to a jeans-folding person which is the objectively correct way of storing jeans.

[@patientgrace]

I went to a uniform... I found a handkerchief - hem shirt that I like, so I bought one in every color, and in summer I wear them with Jean shorts, in winter, with leggings.. I wash them and hang them up because if I dry them I'll never remember and they'll be wrinkled all to heck. I fold my Jean shorts, and they go in the top of my closet and my leggings go in a wadded pile beside them, because leggings don't show wrinkles and I don't have the energy to spend on folding or hanging them. Same for undies, they go in a drawer, I don't care if they are wrinkled because once they are on my body, you would never know it. Same for sports bras. All my socks are same color same manufacturer. That way all I have to do is match levels of wear. So much easier. Though I really wish they'd come out with an AI that does housework !!! 🤣

[@nmgg6928]

I hang my jeans 😊 to each their own

[@marisad292]

I agree. I watch hoarding shows regularly, but even though many of the doctors on them say they specialize in OCD & hoarding, I don’t always get a clear understanding when I’m watching as to why OCD & hoarding are so often connected. OTOH, as someone with ADHD, I can recognize ADHD tendencies in many of the people featured on these shows, yet I’m amazed at how rarely I hear ADHD mentioned on them. This channel has definitely helped to fill in some of the gaps I’ve experienced while watching these shows.

[@ashextraordinaire]

This is jeans-rolling erasure! (I kid, I kid.)

[@SuzieQGirl]

Agree ❤ but I don’t have an opinion regarding the politics of 👖 storage.

[@kimdavis5659]

Just getting caught up on your last couple vids and thinking about the progression of your channel. I've been subscribed since your old-timey silent pictures and those were good. But I hope it's not lost on you that your channel blew up the second you started sharing your thoughts, personality, and humor with us. I hope you consider that a lot and it makes you happy. Maybe Jason will even be proud of you someday. 😏

[@MidwestMagicCleaning]

It does make me pretty happy. Thank you!

[@carynmartin6053]

🎉I absolutely agree🎉!

[@jlppjo]

🤣😆🤣

[@MsDaudur]

My coworker has OCD and I said it must be frustrating when people misuse the term and she said “yeah, because it isn’t about the fact that I wash my hands a million times per day, it’s more about the fact that I believe that my mom will die in a car crash if I don’t.” That has always stuck with me.

[@ZinhleMkhwanazi-mc4jt]

I'm afraid of making people sick so I have to wash my hands multiple times a day

[@melodygelpi9491]

That squirrel is mocking your cat. Squirrels are diabolical!

[@M1326]

Thanks for stating this. I have to explain this to everyone... OCD is not just being overly clean and it is not a choice.

[@teri3965]

I’m a hoarder with ADHD and OCD. This is a great video. I’m currently in therapy with a grief and hoarding therapist and it’s been enlightening and painful. I’ll get through this.

[@ashextraordinaire]

Yes you will!!!

[@joanngarza3734]

So glad you are getting help. This channel is really helping me to figure out a few things.

[@biancar4457]

You can do this!! I'm so proud of you for getting help and working so hard. You're doing amazing

[@emmneto]

I'm proud of you for believing in yourself, internet stranger. Your hard work is worth it.

[@leandrobravo3319]

Sorry you have to fight this hard. I am wishing you the best for your journey and the strength to take back, what the overcompensation of your mind wants to keep yo from. Be patient with yourself, you deserve it.

[@JessiDawnShelton]

Being diagnosed with OCD i have wanted this explained so often. Its not "cute" organization or adorable perfection. Its upsetting in your own brain. Thank you for your openess and education. Im very grateful.

[@charlenecastaldo3602]

I think a lot of people don't understand that an extremely messy house or hoarding can be an outward symptom of an inward struggle. Thank you for explaining what real OCD is.

[@dovie2blue]

@@charlenecastaldo3602 Well then God bless them, they've never had any sort of mental or emotional issue. All it takes is one episode of Hoarders and anyone with a frontal cortex can see that these people are DAMAGED and in need of help. It's not going to change anything to just clear their STUFF out. In fact that's just another violation to their dignity. I get it, their children, friends, loved ones are frustrated and angry and they feel rejected by the hoarder who seems more attached to GARBAGE than to human beings. Unless they get help, it's probably easier just to detach as much as possible. Not an easy thing in any direction.

[@Elizagrace9]

Mack, I'm a retired psychiatric RN and I really enjoyed your message about OCD and hoarding. Good job!!

[@fnzypnts]

My sister has diagnosed OCD. She's had alot of rituals over the years. Her laundry has been a constant but mild. At one point she had a thing with the numbers of times she had to say i love you or you would die. You have to say i love you back so many times or you guessed it, she'd die. It's very mentally exhausting. For a while she picked a bald patch into the crown of her hair. Meds and therapy has helped her so much. I really wish my parents gave a crap about it when she was a kid. A lot could have changed for her. When my husband (26) and I (20) got married we took her (14) and my little brother (13) from my parents. We got them every piece of help they could need. I'm so proud of her and she does amazing things all the time. Now she's got coping skills that have improved her quality of life. My brother has skills and tools to help his depresive issues. Man, I love them so much. I'd been raising them since I was a child. I knew the day I would move out they were coming with me. My husband was aware if this and welcomed them with open arms. They are my first babies! Had my own son at 21. They are all my amazing children!

[@sewdesire]

You have a heart of gold!

[@OcarinaLink24]

Almost burst into tears just hearing you say you assigned morality to numbers holy shit my inner ostracized 10 year old and I feel so much less alone

[@Elysia07]

So true. It's one of my biggest pet peeves when people use the phrase, "I'm so OCD," when really they mean they are particular, and like things a certain way.

[@kejohnson4109]

Once more, you THANK YOU. You give great talks..facts and fun. We all need to empathize more and really listen 😊

[@RedRubyFarm]

Agree

[@debradavis768]

Baby wants squirrel. It makes sense to me the way you explained it. Can't fully understand what is going through their mind because I don't have OCD but I have PTSD and severe mental depression and it is a struggle cause of feeling overwhelmed. Your channel really helps me feel less with the tips and techniques you suggest. Thank you!

[@danicadamosti]

I started watching your videos for the cleanings but after just a few of them I realised I really enjoy listening to your voice-overs. Your humor and the way you explain in simple terms and with the utmost empathy how things can spin out of control in some people's life have taught me a lot. Thank you for educating me, and others like me, on neurodiversity and mental health. I'm kinda old and when I was young autism and ADHD weren't even diagnosed and depression was considered just laziness or a shameful character weakness. Hugs to you and your family from Italy (yes, we Italians DO hug random strangers a lot...)

[@lindawilson4625]

Squirrel-Neener neener neener! I love orange cats. Great personailties.

[@sarahbalke9635]

When I was clinically diagnosed with OCD, I was asked if anyone in my family hoarded and the thought of hoarding made my brain implode. When I was told hoarding was associated with OCD, I was shocked and horrified because if one glass of a set of six broke, the other five had to go because the whole set was ruined. I get it, now. I did a LOT of CBT to deal without medication, but I can see how it happens. Thank you for making these videos and not judging.

[@dovie2blue]

CBT has been an absolute game changer for me. It seems ridiculous now, but I really used to believe that all of my thoughts were true. Like it was REALITY. With CBT I can recognize the thinking that is messed up and just change the channel. I still take meds for the long standing depression but day to day I am able to just ignore my unhelpful thoughts and focus on better ones.

[@Kanadiac]

Thank you so much ❤ I am almost 60 and as a child I had the ticks, I was told by everyone including doctors to just stop, it's a habit, you're doing it for attention, I would get punished. At school I was the only one and the other kids would copy me to make fun of me, no empathy ever from anyone, it was horrible. I am so grateful that people are much more understand these days, Love and Hugs to you! ❤

[@smth-completely-different]

Боже, как это ужасно 😢

[@amypw57]

I can't help but think that hoarding is at least partially a function of self-worth. It seems to me, when I do watch an episode of Hoarders, that somewhere along the line the hoarder has either decided or been taught to believe that they don't deserve a clean home. It always makes me so sad for them. You can see it in their facial expressions and voice, in what they say; they've given up both on themselves and their surroundings. People who help these folks deserve a special place in Heaven.

[@angie5496]

If you bring even one person toward empathy and away from judgement, your time on Earth is well spent. The good you're doing, Mack, not only with giving people their homes and lives back from a place of utter despair, but how you're spreading empathy, compassion, and understanding is incalculable. Not all heroes wear capes and not all angels have wings. Some wear ball caps and argue with moose.

[@debnordman1640]

👏

[@joanagronwald2491]

❤

[@connieclark3562]

Oh my gosh I love this so much! “Not all heroes wear capes, some wear ball caps and argue with moose”. I want this on a shirt, or mug, or poster…

[@dianethompson2458]

Thanks so much for telling us this valuable information. I am a compulsive cleaner. I can not relax until my apartment is my definition of clean. I finally realised that this comes from over 30 years of building and selling homes. We would live in the home for 2 years until it was finished. When it was up for sale I cleaned and organised everywhere. I felt calm when I had the place ready to show every day. My brain began to like that feeling and continues to need to replicate the things that give me this feeling. I have come to terms with this and I am trying to do better. Thanks from Canada❤

[@celsiuspsi6770]

I've been watching for a bit and tend to be a silent viewer but your insights on mental illness and empathy are some of the best I've seen on this platform, if not the best. it's bothered me to see a lack of it so often and seeing yours brings a lot of relief and affirmation to me -- not as someone who struggles with mental illness myself per se, but as someone who has a strong understanding of it from loved ones who struggle with it over the years, and has to protect my own mental health when I have a very close relationship with someone who has mental illness. so glad you made this available to everyone, thank you so much for being you.

[@sonjaroberts2723]

Because of your discussions I have come to realize that I really wasn’t a hoarder, just a compulsive spender. I spent most of my life poor. When I became a nurse I had expendable income, and boy did I spend it! It didn’t bother me a bit to give, throw away or yard sale my extra stuff.

[@daniellebcraftingcorner]

This is a super important conversation. Language is so important. The past couple years I've been super mindful of language. I don't say things like oh I'm so ocd or that's psycho/insane. Normalizing mental health terms or words that are used to be derogatory about mental health conditions is not good for people who suffer and it desensitizes society for people who need help. If everyone is ocd then people who truly need help may not think there is anything that wrong with them or hard to get people around them to understand

[@chinookvalley]

At age 4 my mom would have me count the holes in the ceiling tiles to calm me down. It was endless of course but I was able to stabilize and go about my business. I then continued to count to concentrate thru my early adulthood. THEN I got a job as a designer and draftsman for engineers, architects, and builders. I could remember thousands of numbers and my OCD let me get into a career that paid VERY well. THEN I had a car wreck and now all I have is OCD and hoarding. Sigh.

[@edieboudreau9637]

If you're great with numbers there are lots of jobs that can be done from home... Logistics uses many numbers... perhaps....there might be a job that would work with you. I hope you understand that you are not alone. There is life after accidents.

[@Ditrich137]

​@@edieboudreau9637Exactly! Accounting might be one of the options as well:)

[@edennis8578]

My sister has OCD. She went through a period when she had to shower over and over again and gave herself skin problems. She's always been compulsively clean with her household. She has pets, but you won't find any pet hair in her house. There's nothing out of place. She cuts her fingernails down to the quick because there's poison under fingernails, and won't use a dishwasher because it washes old food, poison, all over the dishes. She'll physically injure herself trying to please someone who is demanding. I don't know how to help her and she doesn't think there's anything unusual about what she does. In fact, she doesn't believe that OCD exists.

[@dovie2blue]

I totally get it Mac. I greatly dislike the fact that OCD is cheapened when people use the term as a shorthand for being a neatnik or neat "freak." Your description of your own mental process was very edifying. I have depression with anxiety and the inability to make decisions comes along with those. I recognize that paralysis in hoarders. Keeping a house neat and livable means hundreds of decisions daily. It's impossible if there's any depression and/or anxiety. Thanks for this video. You're amazing. 😊

[@dovie2blue]

@@moon-moth1 I will correct it whenever I hear it being misused. There are many of these terms and yeah, I get called "Grammar Nazi" often. But OCD is nothing to be muddled about. I hope you have a good day!

[@Impr0mptu]

As someone who only recently came to terms with having OCD and getting treatment, I really appreciate you actually educating on it. I remember years ago getting a diagnosis and telling my psych "I'm not OCD. Have you seen how messy my room is?" Later I learned that apparently doing things like driving around the block 3 times to make sure I didn't accidentally run someone over, or washing my hands three times with different products is not, in fact, typical. (And of course, feeling like if I didn't do those things, VERY bad things would happen). And now it really bothers me when people joke about being OCD just because they have a tidy home.

[@shannonbailey8201]

As a person with OCD. It’s not about being clean. It’s mentality challenging to live with. Several people in my family have it. Thanks for your words and support.

[@tamihutcheson7042]

I love that you talk about this stuff. A lot of people tiptoe around sh*t like this. I'm ADHD, OCD, and , to be honest, probably have some hoarding tendencies. Trying to "unlearn" what I was taught as a child is so hard. I was taught to "save everything" because "you never know when you'll need it." For instance, I know, that in my attic somewhere is a 20 yr old VCR that may or may not work. We haven't watched a VHS tape in at least 13 years. Do I still have my VHS collection? Yep. Am I ever going to watch any of them again? Probably not. I think part of it is the " deciding what to do with it" and the "monumental task of actually doing that thing" that overwhelms me and stops me before I even start. So here I sit, overthinking everything and doing nothing. It's a vicious cycle. Thanks, man. ❤

[@SusanD-ou6lg]

For as long as I can remember, every body movement I made had to be repeated on both sides of my body in a symmetrical pattern or I literally could not breathe. From tapping my feet to clenching my fists to grinding my teeth, the pattern had to be repeated until everything felt "right." I finally began to resist the compulsion when I was fourteen years old and I was walking to school one day. I suddenly realized that I was walking very stiffly and that my body had become a prison to me. I made a conscious effort to relax and really learned how to walk, casually, that day. I became aware of how my compulsions and resultant anxiety were exhausting me and I began to actively resist them. I did not have access to mental health medicine until twenty-three long years later, so I can empathize with the struggle and the toll the disorder takes on life in general. If anyone out there is suffering with these kinds of compulsions, know that there is help available and that there is no shame in seeking it out and trying to find some relief. Keep up the good fight Mack. Love you.

[@irishtheblack]

THANK YOU I have been telling people that OCD and perfectionism are NOT the same. And it irritates me that people think that they're being funny for moving a pencil or stapler "out of place."

[@pamhoerner]

I agree! I simply like things the way I have them. The neighbor's kids love to come play my music boxes and when they go, I just put them back in place. That has nothing to do with OCD.

[@aprila6779]

Obsessive Compulsive PERSONALITY Disorder is a different disorder that can include Extreme Perfectionism. Not just liking your things neat, but Needing your whole life to be perfect.

[@leandrobravo3319]

Yeah, stressing out others is so much fun. /s

[@irishtheblack]

@@aprila6779 I have not heard of that before. Thanks for sharing!

[@chowfurnowmeow]

Well explained. I used to think that i am 'crazy' and counted all the passing traffic everytime i waited for the bus. This lasted like 8 years. Yes i had 3 years, daily/weekly therapy to reduce my OCD. I used to hoard as well. Thats how i found your channel during my hoarding CBT recovery process. It took me 2 .5 years to get rid off 100 container boxes of my hoard. Throughly enjoyed your channel. God bless ❤

[@gretchen_needs_a_dog]

Also - the squirrel needs to empathize with the poor kitty! ❤

[@BettyofOOO]

Mine was a pattern I traced on my fingers, I can still be so intent on completing the pattern, or else my fingers itch until they’re all evenly touched again. I love when you share the shadowy corners of your neurodivergence, it makes me feel less lonely. Great content, as always.

[@voodle50]

Oh my goodness I have the same thing! It's so frustrating

[@susanevans1294]

I do this too. It is a self comfort mechanism. I do the little patterns on my finger pads and sometimes on my knees when I am sitting.

[@susanevans1294]

…and I did hair twirling for years, almost manically and even tugging on a thick lock of hair. I learned this soothed my anxiety. Then in my thirties I began to do deep breathing to relax and in a state of that relaxation I had no urge to twirl my hair. What a process this is and how good it is to hear others have these tics and behaviors.

[@psychobabble2022]

Fellow Gen Xer here, I was raised by prepper Boomer parents and my mother developed obsessive hoarding disorder after trauma/loss of her siblings and her parents. I discovered your channel after my parents passed and I was left with dealing with The Hoard. Thank you for the motivation and comic relief! It's so important to understand why this happens so we don't continue the cycle. When my Gen Z sons complain about having their tyrant mom making them help clean and declutter at home, I show them your videos and we do it anyway. So suck it. 😄

[@jeannewatkins4074]

My yougest son made a funny squeaking noise until he was out of high school. Then he of grew out of it somewhere along the way. The school only called me about it once. I explained it was just something he did and really didn't have control over it. Everyone loved Greg so much that they just let it go.

[@aidanschuttler4371]

This is so refreshing. As someone whos had severe OCD my whole life, it's so difficult to communicate how it works and how it affects my life because people have such a casual preconception about it. It's so frustrating to hear people equate it to cleanliness or being annoyed by crooked picture frames or something. Maybe that is someone's specific ritual, but that example represents that people dont really understand that they don't understand OCD

[@tamaratamtammorris8151]

One thing I love about your channel is that you can explain in plain English how exactly neurodivergences/mental illnesses manifest outwardly. Plenty of channels talk about depression and ADHD, but not to the same depth that you do. You really should have considered a career as a psychologist, or even a therapist. But, I know things don't always work out the way we might want (especially when financial or mental health issues put a screeching halt to whatever prospects you might have had for your future). Take care and be well!

[@sewdesire]

Just think about how many more people he touches with this channel than he ever would if he had a practice in an office.

[@rkaid577]

Thank you! A very important topic. The term OCD is so misunderstood / misused in pop culture/memes. I don't have it myself but I've seen how incredibly devastating and debilitating it can be. One person I've met can go days without sleeping, to try to rectify a possible wrong -- this person doesn't trust their own senses, so if their rituals are interrupted or a bad number shows up somehow, they will fear they have done something horrible (without remembering actually doing it) and can't rest until they are sure everything is ok. Their anxiety level will be through the roof until they've done all the rituals necessary for their brain to calm down. It's such a sad disease. My mother also had it, but manged to hide it quite well - for her it was mostly about numbers and counting, she hated it, but was unable to stop...

[@lauradailey7950]

You’re so awesome on so many levels! Don’t care for doing laundry myself, but somehow enjoy watching you do it so well! Your explanations of mh issues are profoundly excellent!! I’ve worked in mh and still haven’t heard the type of clear and concise descriptions, even from psychiatrists or psychologists! Thank you for making the point about OCD! This has bugged me for years, and you so patiently describe the reason it’s not the same as obsessive cleanliness-whereas I would get frustrated and impatiently often tell someone “people’s brains are physically different who have OCD”! I love what you do for people, the educational aspect and you inspire me! 😀

[@lindawilson4625]

Understanding = empathy. I agree! Thanks for putting this info out there :-)

[@LynsAlteredArts]

I’m so glad to hear someone speak about OCD and what it truly is. All the time I hear people say I am so OCD when they’re just neat and clean and tidy. Besides, if you had actually been diagnosed with OCD, you wouldn’t say “I’m OCD” you would say “I have OCD” or “I’ve been diagnosed with OCD”, saying I’m OCD is like saying I’m heart disease, I’m diabetes. Drives me crazy. I have a cousin with OCD, luckily it’s not severe because she has a DSM of other issues, mostly anxiety, depression and hoarding disorder. Her OCD manifests in being a checker. She can never leave the house in one go. She’s gotta go back and check something. Did I turn off the stove? Did I lock the door? She’s gotten better to where she usually only goes back one time but she always goes back.

[@gsthompson4592]

Thank you. I'm almost 70 & I've never heard OCD explained so well. I would have told you something totally different. Thanks for a new outlook on this part. ... Glenda

[@sflasaint811]

My aunt had a clean hoarder house with everything neatly and organized in bins. She had clean pathways thru the house and spotless kitchen and bath. She went to yard sales, GW, and auctions. She loved stuff. It was bizarre. Then we found out when she passed and we had cleaned out her house, she had 5 storage units...

[@cathyprosser1050]

Thanks, Mack. Never actually heard anyone articulate OCD other than the glib way folks who actually don't have it, claim to have it. Interesting. And you're so right that understanding leads to empathy. Both those things are needed in this world in a greater supply 😊 ❤

[@THEMamaVicky]

I thought I was the only one who has numbers that are bad/evil. 😢 Huge relief.

[@BladeX11883]

you are not alone, and the numbers and bad/evil is heavily associated with various types of ocd. Hang in there, again you are not alone.

[@crimson7572]

When I was a child, numbers were not good or bad but they were seen as male or female. Colors and letters had the same situation. It seems odd in retrospect but fortunately no cleansing required. They just exist in happy little groups.

[@THEMamaVicky]

@@crimson7572 I have so many Rules around colors and numbers NASA would get lost trying to figure it out.

[@stephanieradek8277]

I have them too. You’re not alone. Hugs to you!

[@carolbaker2773]

My nephew is probably OCD and is in a very religious family. He is constantly worried about the devil coming to get them at night if he doesn't check all the locks 3x (Gods number) and read the same bible verse every night 3x (the lord is my shepherd one). My sister just thinks he a little odd but I have been trying to convince her to take him in for therapy. He recently was getting so agitated, and I asked him why. Turns out he is turning 11 soon and that's the "bad number" and how he will have to live an entire year being the bad number. He is convinced he will not get presents at Christmas because he's the bad number. I asked him if he talked to anyone about it and he said no because everyone just tells him to "stop". Any advice I can give him to help him out? Its clear that therapy is probably out of the question for now unless a teacher gets involved (not likely in Ozark MO). Im ADHD so I know what it can be like to feel "abnormal" but not being able to describe it cause its all you every known so I feel for him but I dont know how to help.

[@sheilam4964]

Kitty: "Squirrel - and I can't get at him." 😆😆😆😆😆

[@sabbys7750]

Thanks Mack for normalizing mental illnesses. This is something that the world should know and recognize! Thanks again Mack!!

[@peaches65835]

I thought I was weird for having "good" numbers and "bad" numbers. Its so nice when I hear other people talk about it too. I remember the day I learned that 3, 4 and 5 were a pythogorean triad. They are my absolute favourite numbers. I was such a happy kiddo that day.

[@sheelfjohnson]

That numbers thing is so interesting. I'm really not a fan of 3 and 5. 😹 When I set my alarm, it has to end in a 0, or an 8, or :42 is also okay. 🤷‍♀️

[@fifefreecleaning]

I appreciate you talking about OCD, I know 2 people with diagnosed OCD and I get so irrationally annoyed when other people use the term to describe their quirks. One of the people that I know with OCD struggles to even function in life because they obsessively write out lists and rewrite them and they'll constantly reorganise their collections of things while the rest of their house falls apart. Unfortunately they won't accept help but seeing the debillitating effects of the disorder first hand has really opened my eyes to how often the term is misused x

[@wendelinharrison9571]

Terrific and so educational! My mom had a “thing” (medical term? Lol) where she could not go to bed at night without pulling on the back door three times and looking up!

[@eembers]

This is such a good explanation. Something that really helped me start to get a grip on my OCD was a post I saw that said, sometimes we feel guilty because we want to take control of a situation that can’t be controlled. If we’re “guilty” then we’re “responsible” and we can fix things. But not all things can be fixed, especially when it comes to the actions of others around us. As my OCD flares up worst when I’m mourning (I haven’t been able to wear matching underwear since my Dad passed, and anytime I see a dead bird I have an anxiety attack until I’ve checked in on all of my immediate family since my cousin passed) that made so much sense to me. Thank you for your empathy.

[@youdontknowme5969]

My number was five. Well, it still is LOL but I eventually got over the "things absolutely must be in fives" thing. LOLcats, and that squirrel knows darn well the cats can't get him 🤣

[@kathleentroutman1777]

Oh, you pointed out something that I do, but never had a name for. Cleanse. When I divorced my husband, certain songs would just bring me to my knees. After a while, I got fed up with it. I played those song, and those songs, over and over until they didn't bother me. You're right! I felt "cleansed" Thank you for taking the time to help us all understand better.

[@kathleentroutman1777]

Also, can't leave the house until everything is in order. I'm afraid, really afraid, that something bad will happen, like I will die in a car wreck or something, and people will go in my home and find a mess.

[@LeNaInLoVe]

Thank you Mack❗ Got many questions answered here, while getting a picture of how to quickly do the laundry (speedx2) 😆

[@DominykaSchrei]

Exactly. Thanks for spreading awareness. I've had OCD my whole life, and it's been gradually getting worse. At this point it's so extreme that in all honesty I don't really want to live anymore, but ironically my illness is exactly what's keeping me alive because I'm terrified of the thought of somebody touching my remains, lol. I only leave the house about 5 times a year, and only to do the necessary errands, like extending my disability benefits, just so I can survive since I'm unable to work.

[@YumMum150]

Thank you so much for your videos, but more importantly to me, for explaining so much about mental illness. You’ve helped me to understand my now adult son, and the fight it’s been his entire life to keep his spaces clean. I didn’t understand ADHD nearly enough, until I found your channel. You’re a hero to many! ☮️💖🙏

[@jilldavies7094]

Thank you for that. I get very irritated when people misuse the phrase. Often, "I'm a little bit OCD about that" is shorthand for "I want things done my way" when, as you point out, there is a crippling ritualistic element to OCD. You have done so much to make people aware of these neurodivergent disorders and ultimately to empathise with those who suffer from them.

[@BitOHoney276]

Thanks for getting that message out. My daughter has classic OCD, which is what you described. Before she took medication for it she suffered horribly, and it broke me to watch. She's doing well now and is very productive. I want to slap some people when they say things like "oh, come clean my house".

[@debnordman1640]

What medication helps w OCD?

[@joannloos17]

I had/have OCD. As a child I had a hand washing compulsion to the point of making my skin bleed. I could not leave the bathroom until I could get out without touching things otherwise I had to go back to wash my hands. I also had to count things and check things. This took over half an hour at times. Imagine checking the stove to make sure it’s off, getting to the front door and having to go back to check again. The germ/handwashing thing went away when my mom died in a car accident (I was 13). Checking has gotten much better. I still count. I just turned 66. One of the things that used to define OCD was not the actions, but how much they impacted your life. Hand washing was not bad, even if done a bit excessively. Washing to the point you can’t function is OCD. If you can’t perform the ritual you feel like you’ll die. Thanks for shedding a light on these problems. You are very compassionate in the way you describe OCD, hoarding and other mental illness. BTW, my parents thought my rituals were me being bad. It wasn’t until I read “the boy who couldn’t stop washing his hands” when I my teens that I realized I had a definable problem. ❤❤ to you for all you do

[@CrystalCummings1985]

I had the same issue I couldn't touch anything without washing my hands. I use to use my elbow to open doors because if I touch the door with my hands I had to immediately wash my hands again. 😅 I eventually grow out of it but it used to drive me crazy😢

[@theripper1705]

What are tips that help with tolerating normal levels of dirt/contamination?

[@joannloos17]

@@theripper1705 this was 60 years ago. Cognitive behavioral therapy was not a thing yet. At the time, there was no tolerable level of dirt for me. OCD is better recognized and has treatment options. I’d talk to a mental health professional about them if this is an issue for you

[@laurenarigo3894]

One of my problems has been checking if my car is locked, now that I have one. I am lucky that my car is connected to an app so I can lock it using the app and can look in the command history to see it was sent and completed. Though if I lock my car using the door handle taps it doesn’t honk. I have resorted to running after doing it because I have a short range on my fob, and am incredibly lazy. So if I get far enough my laziness wins out, especially in the winter. I have been working on this one. One of my first compulsions to surface as an adult after years of having them al treated and under control.

[@Julia-zd4cs]

I know a person who admits to being a hoarder. She does not like people to come in her house. I told her about your channel helping to clean houses that have hoarding. I told her it can cause people to become physically ill when someone throws away items that a person is not ready to let go. She agreed as her family has tried to clean out her house. She wants help but she needs someone to take the time to talk with her while she goes through her home and makes decisions rather than telling her to just throw it out. She's over 80 now but relative good health. I let her know I would help her get organized if she wanted. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@debnordman1640]

Bless you!

[@Mrs.Silversmith]

Great discussion. It made me think about how I use the term OCD casually to refer to certain behaviors that really have nothing to do with the disorder. I think I'll say that I am being "picky as hell" next time I must do something a certain way (ie my way) instead of saying I'm being OCD.

[@debnordman1640]

I was thinking that same thing. Need to start changing the words.

[@erikabecerra5770]

Thank you for sharing such examples of how OCD affects people. I received the diagnosis and was angry that I didn’t clean or organize at all and had to learn a lot. Besides, overlapping mental health issues is a thing that I only learned due to people sharing their experiences online, the mental load is easier to manage. What I’m trying to say is: Thank you for being part of the world and doing what you do, even people that won’t say it are being educated or feeling seen ❤

[@jenniferhart559]

I love that you adopted a stray kitty 😻 (I've helped with feral / stray cat trap, neuter, returns, and they all get an eartip snip like your kitty)

[@michellesmith6558]

I’m OCD, PTSD, DYSLEXIC, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY I still do things in even numbers. It does feel out of my control which I have a really hard time dealing with it. I totally understand this.

[@rynnlemieux5339]

Thank you for this, part of my depression is what's called The Insurmountable Thing. It's not one thing and it can be anything. Often times it's something I want to do, but I still can't make myself move. OCD sounds like that but in multiples. I hope I understood, because I have friends that are like this and I want to be able to have empathy as part of understanding.

[@_DROM_]

As someone with OCD who's been in therapy for years, I can't disagree with anything you said. My psychologist summed that up for me as, "irrational dependence on rituals". The strongest one that affects me is with odd and even numbers. I can't explain what I have against even numbers, to a point that, if I'm offered cookies, I eat one or three. If something is broken into pieces, it's gotta be into odd pieces. It's awful. People think I'm goofy. I wish.

[@juleslough638]

Thank you, for explaining your experience with OCD. I began having symptoms when I was 4 years old and I'm 51 years old now. It is a devasting and exhausting illness. I have contamination fears so I wash my hands an extreme amount of times each day, however I do not keep my space overly clean. I value your channel because you are kind, honest and able to explain complicated and stigmatized issues.

[@clairehartley860]

I have a few little quirks that have developed over the years. I have to put the iron away in a different place to where I iron just to make my brain acknowledge that I have turned it off otherwise I keep checking it. Hangers all have to go the same way and can’t be left empty in the middle of clothes. If I start a task, I have to finish it because the thought of it being half done makes me feel as if I will explode and stops me doing anything else. This means I have to make my tasks small and doable in the time I have or they don’t get started. I can’t have a ‘clean the home’ task as that is too big to ever finish but if I break it down to small tasks with an end in sight it will happen. It is hard to explain the feeling of tension between my shoulder blades when I see an upside down ironing board. It is such a load of silly small things that set off that tension but when it is set off, the only way to make it go is to sort out the glitch that started it. Over the years I have understood that sometimes I just need to really focus on things, such as turning off the gas cooker or locking the front door, to stop me going back and checking multiple times. If I do it automatically, it just doesn’t register and I will have to check a few times and then the checking becomes part of the routine.

[@ghastdroid]

Oh the hangers facing the same way it gets me every time

[@iluvsakuraandsyaoran]

big love to you Mack, your empathy and clear stated explanations of mental illness is exactly why I'm here.

[@drcatboy9278]

As someone who has had OCD, I need people to know suffering from this, that OCD is TREATABLE! You are not alone! It can even go into remission. After OCD specific therapy and medications, I feel like a person for the first time, my therapist declared me in remission (now I just have to deal with the ADHD...which cannot be cured. Lol!) Hearing how you used to think brought me back to my old thought processes (intrusive thoughts, etc), and made me thankful for where I am now. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Wherever you are in your journey, know that you don't have to bruteforce your thinking alone, there is support, it can get better! YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!

[@47retta]

I love your explanations of how our brain works related to hoarding.

[@cindybaumgart4219]

That squirrel 😂😂 “hey, stupid! Got a peanut?”

[@dianabriggs7052]

Hello! New to your channel and I just wanted to say thank you…. Your content and efforts for others is very inspiring. I’m learning a lot about mental health issues and their causes. My daughters house always looks like one of your videos and I’m the opposite of her so i would get really upset with her lack of action. Now I’m starting to understand how I can help a little more. And… I find myself cleaning my own space during your videos, which is a bonus! Lol Those no,es make me itchy😅

[@carmenmegonnell9111]

OMG! I learn so much from you. Now I get why I can't handle a messy house, trash, and lack of order. Wow! TY

[@MonaLyssa33]

I tell people I'm a walking DSM-5 because I'm autistic, have ADHD, OCD, Tourette's, depression and anxiety. I was able to get my OCD under control around 10 years ago. It would often manifest as me having to make a stop light or something bad would happen or a lot of disturbing and upsetting intrusive thoughts. Once I was able to disconnect the intrusive thoughts from me as a person, I had an easier time ignoring them. The intrusive thought wants my reaction but I won't give it what it wants. I still have some OCD tendancies but I can recognize it as OCD and stop it before it progresses.

[@nifferscritters]

OCD can also involve avoidance. If I touch this contaminated thing, I’ll have to engage in extensive compulsive washing, so I avoid it altogether, so there are areas of my house I really struggle to clean. Even if someone else does it for me, they’re not going to engage in the compulsions so they become contaminated and then they contaminate other areas of my house. I’ve been trying to break the connection in my brain but it means getting my house clean and organized has been incredibly slow and it involves a huge amount of mental effort and trust in the person helping me out. It’s so paralyzing and I wouldn’t wish ocd on anyone.

[@BubblesintheDesert]

Big machine doctor monitors, perfectly put.

[@DonnaDishong]

This is so well explained and it’s exactly how OCD is. I myself go from one end of OCD being compulsively organized and having a perfect home to the opposite end of where my home is a total disorganized disaster. It all depends on how I’m feeling during the time period of each scenario. If I feel depressed and overwhelmed then things become quite disorganized. During my positive and upbeat times I can keep organized and in control of items in our home. I’m getting better with keeping things in their proper places. My house is never dirty just chaotic sometimes.

[@loreleilawson5296]

What a terrific explanation for those of us who live with tiny slivers of this condition. Thanks for your insight

[@annieb0507]

Very interesting, you have such a great understanding of people. If there were more people in this world like you, it would be a good place to live.

[@kpturn42]

I once put plastic nail caps on my cat’s claws, and he likes to paw at the window like that when he sees any kind of animal outside he can’t get to. The rubbery squeaking noise was like eight tiny dry squeegees at once 😂

[@mama_o4]

I've never been diagnosed, and from the beginning of the video, that makes sense. Now, in my early 30s my neuropsychologist has told me that I have OCD thinking. Also, thank you for sharing insight on neurodivergence.

[@carynmartin6053]

You hit the nail on the head! My son had this kind of OCD (counting, knocking on a wooden block a certain number of times that he carried around), and my mother was a hoarder of clothes, shoes, and canned foods, and would always get so irate with my dad and me whenever we attempted to straighten out their house!

[@JulieS1961]

I love that you explained OCD. My sister was on medication for this. She couldn’t do a task without counting and if you interrupted her she would have a meltdown and have to start the task over again. I had never experienced a person with OCD until I saw her struggling with it. She had severe injuries from a car accident and a head injury that the psychiatrist thought triggered it. She has learned to control the counting but she has to really focus. There are times she will call me while she cooks or does laundry so our conversation will distract what her brain wants to do.

[@daffyrwt]

As fun as it is to watch transformational videos, it's even better to hear you in "Professor" mode and explain things. You're absolutely right, understanding leads to empathy.

[@oliverg6864]

The cat trying to get the squirrel at the end, so cute!! Lol

[@tinacocoalab]

Thank you for sharing . My son has ocd extremely bad. He was bullied so much in school. One time the boys hurt him so badly that he ended up hospitalized for a concussion He is such a kind loving person. People miss out when they are unaccepting of others who aren’t exactly the way they think they should be. Sad..but that is the world we live in. PS. Loved the video part with your darling pets😊

[@loxleybattle2591]

Thank you for educating us! I have definitely reached a higher level of understanding and empathy due to your channel. 🙏❤️

[@DonnaGB333]

💔 I'm so proud of you for explaining this all, especially the first half to which I'm crying about ffs.

[@aard1999]

Big respect for speaking up about OCD, hoarding, and ticks. Growing up with a brother who has ticks is tough because my parents cant seem to understand that my brother can't stop what he's doing and its driving our family mad. It really comes to empathy and understanding for us to accept his ticks

[@chyannk6963]

I have ocd and these videos are like virtual exposure therapy for me! As someone who has contamination ocd I can confirm that it is so much more than cleanliness. Yes my compulsions happen to be cleaning related but it goes so much deeper than that.

[@rollodane54]

Like most people in this society, I find myself using these acronyms (there are tons of them.), OCD is one I'll throw out in conversation. Kind of a self-deprecating humor or excuse for getting up and checking the back door when I know damned well, I already locked it. I saw documentaries years ago about the real disorder. It's devastating. My sympathy for everyone with it.

[@measlyfurball37]

"Wow, your fridge is so clean! You must be so OCD!" "Thanks, I haven't bought raw meat or a vegetable in 4 years because I believe if I do I will get food poisoning and die."

[@BoudicasQuest]

at the end that squirrel is looking at the cat as if to say, "dude. even I know it opens at the other end". thank you for shedding some light on a subject shrouded in mystery, guilt, and shame: the trifecta of misinformation

[@gisellesantarelli]

Came for the kitty thumbnail, stayed for the topic (and the kitties, have i already said that?). Please keep doing those outros, they make my day

[@bethirwin7445]

Loving the Meese hunting cats 🐾❤ Appreciate the insight into the ritual side of things. Knew some people who classified their numbers by colors. Never could see the connection as a kid, but as an adult, I wish I could go back & hug the snot out of them. We didn’t have mental health professionals who could make sense of it for us back in the day, so I appreciate the understanding however belated. 🤗🤗🤗

[@sammyspear1996]

I’ve always loved your content but your takes on mental health are so insightful and well said. I was diagnosed with OCD 13 years ago and I’ve trained myself out of a lot of unhelpful habits but still have some to overcome. Having people dismiss or even mock the habits I did/do has been frustrating and invalidating. To hear you talk about the tendencies is very comforting to know I’m not alone and there’s hope to improve❤️ appreciate you heaps