Hi all,
I am an actual sufferer of OCD (clinically diagnosed). As already pointed out, obsessions can be defined as repetitive, intrusive thoughts that cause the individual a great deal of anxiety. The sufferer tries to rid these thoughts by performing one or more ritualistic actions or thoughts called compulsions.
It is first important to note that most people experience obsessions to some extent, and compulsive behaviors are often performed to address these obsessions (i.e. someone obsessed with the receiving their MCAT scores might compulsively check AMCAS for the results😀 ). It is when these thoughts and actions are irrational and/or cause the sufferer a great deal of anxiety that the obsessions and compulsions manifest themselves in OCD.
The OP's question is an interesting one that I have often pondered myself. I have found (through my own experience and interacting with others) that sufferers of OCD also tend to be obsessive about a wide variety of things outside of their focal obsessions. For instance, throughout my day I obsess about the same few things to absolute exhaustion. I consider these obsessions focal to my disease/disorder. Additionally, throughout my day I behave obsessively towards other aspects of my life (whether it is my studies, athletics, eating habits, etc.) These "smaller obsessions", if you will, change daily and do not cause me the same anguish that my repetitive "focal obsessions" do. Being so particular about these areas of my life, in my opinion, is a product of my obsessive personality/OCD.
Just by the detail-oriented nature of the occupation, there is undoubtedly a substantial percentage of doctors that have obsessive personalities, and this personality trait is certainly a requirement for the manifestation of OCD (There is a distinction between obsessive personalities and OCD, in that they are not mutually inclusive). That said, OCD is certainly not a black and white disorder; rather, it is a disorder that lies on a spectrum of severity. Where a sufferer falls on that spectrum depends not on the content of the obsessions (which is all too often assumed), but rather on the time spent obsessing, the amount of anxiety and anguish that is experienced, and the functionality of the individual. Given this information, I would say that there probably are a higher percentage of physicians with OCD when compared to the general population.
Finally, I would just like to say that this disease totally f***ing blows and every waking hour of my life is a battle with my obsessions. OCD has caused me an unbelievable amount of pain and suffering. During my lowest points, it has really helped me to speak to others that have the disorder. I am not looking for sympathy; I am simply extending myself to any fellow OCD sufferers who need someone to talk to.
Best,
TK
TK,
Although I am displeased that there is another fellow OCD sufferer out there, I'm glad that you corrected the common misconceptions. I was recently diagnosed with OCD--just about four weeks before I arrived as a first year medical student. I noticed something was wrong when I could not turn off thoughts I was having with religious and moral themes, and I am not normally a very religious person (even though I do have many morals).
The thoughts were disturbing and I was in emotional distress, had been drinking to sleep, and when I saw the therapist for the first time I was a three-day solid insomniac. I then began treatment with the SSRIs and gave up alcohol, and then I discovered that OCD ran in my family. I would logic that both my father and a sibling have the disorder as well, but I know it is probably not been as severe for them as mine got. I would add for those who still do not know enough about the disorder that it is an anxiety disorder, so when anxiety compounds in your life you have episodes with it.
I'm now doing therapy once a week while in medical school with a great therapist, I'm seeing a psychiatrist, and I keep finding out what sort of Hell I've put myself through all of my life without knowing. It turns out I've had this so long without knowing that it has affected the way that I perceive the world, it has affected my ability to form new friendships, relationships, and has overall only made my life even more miserable since I found out I actually had it.
The truth is that OCD could possibly help you in college, but if you are a real OCD sufferer medical school is going to be hard for you. I was a summa cum laude at a really great institution, but in medical school you do not have time to obsess about any particular class. You have to learn all of the information they throw at you with good time management and proficiency.
Right now, while I'm in school I get depressed when I score below the 85th percentile on any part of our exams because I know I should be getting A's as much as I study, yet I have had rough weeks of adjustment because of all the medications I have been on for sleeping, anxiety, and depression. I finally had to stop taking Xanax and Trazadone because they were causing me to have dreams during classes, fall asleep during classes, and were impairing my memory to some degree. I also had to decrease my SSRIs because of the recurring myoclonus, hypomania, and headaches that I began to suffer as side effects from the Luvox.
I want to go off of the medication and just do therapy, but my therapist says it is far to risky with me being in medical school right now. Otherwise, I'd be off the drugs and doing only therapy. At the same time, my psychiatrist told me that all the drugs I am taking can impair my studying abilities, so you just never know. Hopefully, I will have an M.D. mentor soon that understands what is going on and can help give the right guidance. I'd like a stellar residency, but grades can impact the highly competitive ones and it all comes down to the USMLE and the "who you know" aspect.
Although I am happy being in medical school, and I love what I learn--I would also say that I am depressed and miserable another half of the time.
Naturally, because I have an obsessive personality and I get bored easily....trust me the last thing you want to do is give someone with OCD a lot of free time to think....I have been encouraged to get an MD/PhD and do research. Apparently, I would not be happy as a standard clinician according to all of the psychiatrists and therapists I've spoken with thus far. Right now, I'm thinking of doing a double neuro/psych pathway and getting a PhD either in neuroscience or neuropharmacology.
There's a good book you should read, and really anyone would benefit from reading it....called the Imp of the Mind. It was written by the top man at Mass. General Hospital's OCD Clinic.
That and hand-washing and things being straight, etc. I am also a total control freak, which I definitely think most pre-meds/doctors are. 
