Actually, it never is. I don’t know how many times I have heard or read in online support forums and lists people with OCD saying their OCD can be helpful in certain ways. Or asking if others found that to be true. Uh, no.

Most of the time this is the old silk purse out of a sows ear kind of thing. A person has to try and live with this disorder and so they look for anything positive. If I were to do that I could look to the fact that I have had only one cold in the last 20 years. I wash my hands. A lot. Has that helped with not catching colds? Sure. Genetics helps more, I suspect. My mother hasn’t had a cold in longer then that and she sure isn’t burdened with OCD. But even if my washing/cleaning is responsible for not having colds it doesn’t balance the scales. I rather have a cold 24/7/365 then the OCD.

OCD is a malignant soul eating disease. There is nothing helpful about it.

Apparently Rosie O’Donnell said something about her having OCD and how it was helpful recently.

This blog from a therapist talks about that and anxiety. This is the money quote;

The problem occurs when there’s too much anxiety. By definition, any “OCD” is not helpful. This is because OCD is obsessive compulsive disorder and if something’s a disorder, it’s causing difficulties, distress, and impairment.