Therapy Question of the Day

DearMary:

I've never told anyone this before, but I think I'm a little crazy because I like to tap doorways a certain number of times before I walk through them and I lock and relock my front door 3 times when I leave the house.  Does this make me OCD?

Signed,

Check and Recheck

Dear Recheck:

Like most things in life, there is a continuum for Obsessive-Compulsive symptoms.  The symptoms you describe definitely sound compulsive in nature.  The question is - are there many others?  Do these compulsions disrupt your life?  Meaning your employment, relationships, social life, or mood?  If not, well, you just have some compulsive quirks.  If we put you under extreme stress, I'm guessing these quirks might multiply and you might need to seek a bit of help with them.  If they bother you enough to do something about them, you might seek out some cognitive-behavioral help to extinguish the behaviors.  You don't mention obsessive thoughts - any trouble there?

Stop by the Cafe anytime,

DearMary

Rash Guards

Is it just me, or is this a terrible name for a piece of clothing?

Field Trips

My daughter's choir director announced with excitement that she is taking the children on a field trip to celebrate a year of hard work.  A field trip to a big amusement park three hours away.  I am not pleased.  Daughter was counting on a party at the local waterpark.  Now that the plans have changed, DearMary and ProfessorDad won't be letting her go.  Daughter is 8.  Some of the choir members are as young as 6.  There's no way we're sending her on a trip like that, and with "the current economy," taking the whole family isn't an option right now either.

What's wrong with it?  If you really need ask:  1. a long car or bus trip 2. the danger of getting lost in the crowd at the park 3. this sort of trip should be saved for much older kids - Daughter is still happy about receiving stickers at dr. appointments!  Do the words age appropriate mean nothing?

Silver Fox

My husband sheepishly admitted to me yesterday that he has been receiving a senior discount when he goes out for lunch. When I met ProfessorDad, he was 25 and gray.  He is now 41 and silver.  He looks a little like Steve Martin.  But younger (have you seen Steve Martin lately - when did he get old?).

Proper Footwear

DearMary, in her current unemployed state, has just shelled out well over $100 for a pair of high tech running shoes.  But DearMary does not run.  Apparently, years of excessive foot pronation and a penchant for dancing on arthritic feet is leading me down the path to the motorized scooter at the tender age of 38.  I trotted off to the shoestore, my podiatrist's recommendations in hand.  The salesman smiled when I told him I don't care much for athletic wear.  After trying on the large selection of white/black - nurse/priest shoes, the athletic shoes looked pretty good.  Pearl Isumi is the brand name, and they do wonders to stabilize my feet.  This little episode took me down about 5 notches on the self-esteem meter.  I did regain a few esteem points when, with proper measuring and fitting,  my shoe size went back down to a more socially acceptable 9 1/2.