Symmetry and Ordering

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

One common OCD subtype is referred to as "Symmetry and Ordering". Individuals with this type of OCD are obsessed with order, symmetry, and exactness. They tend to repetitively arrange, organize, or line things up until certain conditions are met. These individuals are commonly referred to as perfectionists due to their need to arrange and order with such exactness and precision.

Arranging in the "Correct" Way

When objects are not set up in the "correct" way, these individuals often report a feeling of discomfort and incompleteness. For example, a patient may get very anxious if the books and papers on his desk are not symmetrically aligned or set a certain distance from one another.

Patients may feel they need to arrange objects a certain number of times before they are satisfied. They may also incorporate tapping and touching 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 enraged if others move their things.

Magical Thinking

Some individuals who have the "Symmetry and Ordering" subtype of OCD experience a phenomenon known as magical thinking. They believe that if they have certain thoughts or do certain actions, they will cause an event to happen or not happen.

Someone with magical thinking may think, "If I don't arrange the books and papers on my desk the 'correct' way then my husband will die in a car accident."