I took an OCD test..

[TheBluffs]

.. and got that I probobly have OCD. When I asked why, they pointed to my answers, and my eyes traveled to the question which was 'How much time do you spend on your hair a day?
a) It takes me average time.
b) I don't spend timd on this activity
c) I spend twice as much time on this activity.
d)I spend three times time on this activity :cool:

Pfft, they could never understand. :rolleyes:
:D

[Tuntenut]

Bah, what do they know? ;) Besides, what is "average time"? Was it defined in the test? I know most of my friends would say that 1-2 hours to straighten and fluff and primp is normal, while my dad would call anything more than 3 minutes excessive.

And as far as compulsions go, hair preening is far from the worst one you can have. :)

[AshNight1214]

Psh. They're just jealous! :P If you have long hair, of COURSE you're going to take a long time on it. And even if you do have OCD tendancies, you'll be the more gorgeous for it. teehee

[HairColoredHair]

Should get a pass on that question just by telling them how long your hair is. :lol:

[Anje]

I'm with Tuntenut -- they really, really need to define "Average." Honestly, I have no idea how long the average person spends on their hair. I probably spend the same amount of time on my hair as when it was first ponytail-able, unless you count S&D sessions.

S&D probably would put most of us over the top... I do know I get a bit compulsive about it if I start doing it regularly, but I never claimed not to have OCD traits.

[Sunshineliz]

Just another great example that tests only show how well you match the test-makers expectations.

[Seeshami]

Wow.....If that is the only answer you scored obsessive compulsive on it should be ruled as an outlier and investigated further before deciding your diagnosis. If your hair is three times longer then the normal person of course you spend three times the amount of time on it. Are you sure it was a legitimate test?

[torrilin]

Psh. They're just jealous! :P If you have long hair, of COURSE you're going to take a long time on it. And even if you do have OCD tendancies, you'll be the more gorgeous for it. teehee

Really no. I actually have fairly short hair compared to most of my friends. I don't spend a lot of time on it, because my hair gets on well with benign neglect.

Sadly, one of my friends suffers from OCD, and her hair suffers right along with her. She is very prone to pulling out her hair when she's stressed. She feels really badly about herself as a result. OCD can be really nasty in a lot of different ways, but that one? Ouch. The worst of it is her hair is luxuriantly curly, and is usually past hip curly. Super durable, can handle being dyed and straightened. Most of the time, my friend can't see that, or how pretty she is. She just sees her bad habit.

[Pierre]

For me, the time I spend a day would be meaningless. I'd have to average over a month. Then how should I count the time spent sleeping with henna on?

[redheadlynn]

I'm with Tuntenut -- they really, really need to define "Average." Honestly, I have no idea how long the average person spends on their hair. I probably spend the same amount of time on my hair as when it was first ponytail-able, unless you count S&D sessions.

S&D probably would put most of us over the top... I do know I get a bit compulsive about it if I start doing it regularly, but I never claimed not to have OCD traits.

See, this is why I always fail these kinds of tests. :wail:(MPII, employment tests, etc). I overthink the heck out of them wondering the exact definition of some word in the question.

Needless to say, I am still unemployed. :P

Thanks for sharing! What an interesting question. I can see how it might point to OCD, if someone cannot leave the mirror until everything is "perfect". Hmm. I vote poorly-worded question.

[PianoPlaye]

My godma was required to take a test before a new job, made a cob opf it & quite correctly pointed out that it was ageist. Why should she know who current film stars are, when she thinks it all went south after 1960?!
Challenge your tester on their norm tables...

[Audrey Horne]

OCD isn't the worst thing in the world (at least in the most cases). It depends more on your "hair-behaviour" rather than how much time do you spend on it. I could give you examples but hair alone isn't enough to score OCD...

[OneCurlyMan]

You should not go with online tests to diagnose psychiatric conditions, if anything because there are plenty of confounding factors shared amongst several conditions such as OCD (with, for example, anxiety or bipolar).

Likewise, OCD involves obsessions leading to compulsive behaviour, and the obsessions involved are pretty nasty. Perhaps you have Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCDP) in which you seek perfectionism? Wikipedia provides good articles on both disorders if you are interested.

[Audrey Horne]

You should not go with online tests to diagnose psychiatric conditions, if anything because there are plenty of confounding factors shared amongst several conditions such as OCD (with, for example, anxiety or bipolar).

Likewise, OCD involves obsessions leading to compulsive behaviour, and the obsessions involved are pretty nasty. Perhaps you have Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCDP) in which you seek perfectionism? Wikipedia provides good articles on both disorders if you are interested.
Not all obsessions are nasty. The consequences may be, yes...

[JadeTigress]

As someone formally diagnosed with OCD and OCPD, I say screw that test. You should do whatever you want with your hair, no matter how long it takes. :p

[SpeakingEZ]

I think the question is flawed without asking for your reasons for spending so much time on your hair. Is it because your hair length/ quality demand that of you or because you can't stand to not be doing something to it no matter what it needs? Longer than "average" time spent doing something does not equate a compulsion.

[GRU]

Well, isn't "average" time about 45-60 minutes/day? What with all the blow-frying, flat-scorching, etc?

Honestly, I think most longhairs (the vaguely creepy) spend LESS time styling their hair than most "normal" slaves to "fashion"!!!

[HappyMuser]

I'm diagnosed with OCD, and think the question should be if the activity is keeping you from living a normal life. That's the kind of questions I got :p

[christine1989]

I put absolutly no stake in what these "tests" show. Did they even give you what the average is? Do they take length and thickness into account? Nope. These tests are so subjective that they could be read anyway the evaluator chooses and trust me, whenever possible they will try to diagnose you with something. Afterall, psychiatry is a buisness first and formost and their main objective is making money. It is in thier best interest to diagnose you, keep you coming back and haphazarly perscribe you a perscription- don't trust them as far as you can throw them :rolleyes:.

They tried the same sh*t on me in high school when I used to spend an hour each morining straightening and blow drying. Their basic argument was "you spend too much time on your hair. That means you probobly have OCD." Gee, there's a sound argument :rolleyes:. That was the day I tossed by flat iron and blowdryer in the trash.

[Kaelee]

Wow...I've never been tested for OCD but it only took me one look at that question to realize the test is COMPLETELY flawed. I would get a second opinion...and if your doctor thought that question was legit, maybe a new doctor. :P

I spend considerably less time on my hair than I think 'most' people do. I'm compulsive in other ways! *lol*

[teela1978]

Why would long hair take more time? Benign neglect is much less labor intensive than short hair... heck mine hasn't been washed or combed in 3 days.

[christine1989]

Why would long hair take more time? Benign neglect is much less labor intensive than short hair... heck mine hasn't been washed or combed in 3 days.

Most people on here are unusual in the way they care for long hair. True, healthy long hair is cared for with less frequent washing and benign neglect but most of my long haired friends spend forever styling their long hair. If you're washing, blow drying, straightening, applying product.... every morning then it does take much more time than short hair.

[enfys]

That type of question never came up on my ocd tests, which were done by various nhs doctors and nurses. Since treatment and prescriptions are totaly free diagonsis is not a money spiller.
Ocd is very debilitating (in the top 10 according to the WHO) and it comes down to more than time spent on a task.

Does brushing take time because you have long hair, or because you have to do 100 strokes exactly or you'll get tangles later. If you get distracted, do you carry on or start from 1? Then do you panic because it was more than 100, so you can't braid it now because it has been manipulated too much already.

This is something I am planning to write about soon as it is very close to me!

[Chetanlaiho]

May I inquire where you took the test? I have a hunch I may have some OCD tendencies myself and I kind of want to know for sure :) Forgive me my curiosity, I can't help it ^^;

As for the hair question, I do a lot for my hair in the way of deep treatments and gentle handling, yet I spent less time fixing my hair in the morning than my boyfriend with way shorter hair xD

[OneCurlyMan]

May I inquire where you took the test? I have a hunch I may have some OCD tendencies myself and I kind of want to know for sure :) Forgive me my curiosity, I can't help it ^^;

As for the hair question, I do a lot for my hair in the way of deep treatments and gentle handling, yet I spent less time fixing my hair in the morning than my boyfriend with way shorter hair xD

I cannot answer for her but, normally, OCD is diagnosed by a psychiatrist or mental health specialist. A doctor can refer you to one, or in some cases/countries, you can contact a psychiatrist directly.