I hate these shows as they give people with actual OCD type behaviors a bad name.
I was diagnosed with OCD back when I was a sophomore in HS, but like most disorders I had been suffering all my life. I did the whole hand washing phase. I checked locks, oven knobs, plugs, car doors to make sure they were either unplugged or locked. I've worried about pointless shit that makes no sense to others and is really not relevant but at the time seemed like the end of the world.
One of the toughest things is to explain to someone that my compulsion is just part of my OCD (usually they give me weird looks as to why I kept checking to see if something was locked for the 4th time). That was back before this reality TV bullshit. Now when I say I have OCD people automatically assume that I am like all these unique sufferers they see on TV and I am crazy or to stay away.
But not all people with OCD are like that. They usually are only showing the most drastic compulsions. Sure, I check stuff a couple extra times, I worry a bit, I do a lot of things in 3's. But if I had never mentioned it and you weren't for it, you would probably never realize I have the disorder. These shows are the absolute worst thing for people with OCD as now when you mention your disorder your get put into the same exact category as the people they see on TV!
