My friends call it OCD. I call it a superpower and a routine for success.
As the alarm clock buzzes, I leap from my bed and am off to conquer the day. I touch the doorknob to the bathroom. (And wash my hands.) I brush my teeth. (And wash my hands.) I put on my outfit. (And wash my hands.) I touch my hair product bottles. (And wash my hands.) In between washings, I utilize my elbows and other appendages instead of using my hands, so as not to touch the ostensibly “dirty” objects. Timed to the minute, I am out of my dorm by 9:40 A.M. exactly. Every day. No exceptions. And if I fail, I feel inadequate, as if I walked out without clothes on – naked, blemished, botched.
This mundane routine, although remarkably peculiar – insane to some – sets the tone for the rest of my day. My focus, my organization, and my determination in completing these tasks allow for many victories, big and small, in my daily life. My obsessions and compulsions grant me the aptitude of being incredibly analytical and detailed, whether with chemistry formulas or tennis groundstrokes.
OCD is often thought of as “weird” and “awkward” because it is depicted that way in the media. The television show “Monk” is a paradigm of this. Adrian Monk, the protagonist, is seen as compulsive and neurotic, but he is essentially the greatest detective in America because he channels the power of his OCD to complete tasks and, of course, solve criminal investigations. Just like Monk, I channel the power that my OCD grants me – the power to hone my skills to fulfill my goals.
Although the actions that I take may be viewed by outsiders as “eccentric,” I find my peculiarities and quirks the fabric of who I am. My grandmother, cousins, and many other relatives all have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; it is a genetic mental illness. However, to me, it is not a mental “illness” – it is a form of mental incitement, stimulating me to do things that others cannot.
People often ask, “If you could have any superpower, what would it be?” The options are infinite – the ability to fly, to create force fields, to read people’s minds… But personally, I would choose none of these because I already have a superpower – OCD. It is a power stronger than physical strength itself. I can channel it in the face of adversity, using it to my advantage by creating new routines and accomplishing new goals that I set for myself.
My friends are right – I do have OCD. But it is my secret weapon and I am not afraid to use it.
