Counting things....

OK, I've got a friend who bravely posted some things about herself and what led up to her diagnosis with her emotional health.

One of the major things she complained about was constantly counting things and obsessively worrying about her home..like did I forget to turn off the stove, etc.

Co-dependency of the controlling type not the kind associated with the spouse of an alcoholic. I guess there's a wide range.

And along with the OCD, Co-dependency, depression and NOS. Personality Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified.

OK, on another board I visit, I've recently posted what NOS is....so since I wrote it, and referenced correctly, I'm going to share it here as well. I hope it's of help. I don't usually come to the OCD section. Though I've some OCD tendencies, it's nothing personally debilitating. I stick to the gen mental/emotional health and ms.

{The 1st 2 paragraphs are written by me, then followed by quotes from the book I listed below}

I'm going to include the 1st two paragraphs about this disorder, to place everyone on the same page of understanding about what NOS really is. I, too, have a friend who has this diagnosis, she said it was rather 'new'. She mentioned that she was suffering from some depression plus was diagnosed with co-dependency. The 'need to control' one v. the married to the alcoholic one. When I asked more about NOS, I got no response? It took her almost 2 years in therapy to get this diagnosis.

From what I'm reading here about NOS, it appears that unless one of the Axis I anxiety or depressions is present, then medication is ineffective? or at least unproven to be effective with this disorder. It appears combining group and or marital therapy can help effect the outcome of this disorder. Looks like, as with all the disorders, unless the individual is willing to accept that they need to change, it's hard to treat? The chapter also makes mention of assertiveness training/courses.


------------------------

From "Handbook of Diagnosis and Treatment of the DSM-IV Personality Disorders"(Sperry)

Chapter 12 Personality Disorder Not Otherwise Specified(NOS)
"This category of personality disorder not otherwise specified(NOS) is for disorders of personality functioning that do not meet the criteria for any specific personality disorder. An example is the presence of features of more than one specific personality disorder that do not meet the full criteria for any one personality disorder, but together cause clinically significant distress or impairment in one or more important areas of functioning(e.g., social or occupational). This category can also be used when the clinician judges that a specific personality disorder not included in this classification is appropriate. Examples include passive-aggressive personality disorder and depressive personality disorder. The passive-aggressive personality disorder, which was included in the DSM-III and DSM-III-R, was regulated to Appendix B in DSM-IV because it was considered too narrowly defined and as more reflective of a symptom cluster than of a personality disorder.
This chapter describes the passive-aggressive personality disorder because it is quite commonly seen in clinical settings, and is particularly challenging for most clinicians." ...

"Comparison of the Passive-Aggressive Style and Disorder"
Personality Style{healthy}
-Fulfill their given responsibilities
-Cannot be exploited, but can comfortably resist unreasonable demands.
-Are relaxed about time, are Type B.
-Are cooperative with others, and comfortable with groups and family members.
-Are not overawed by authority

Personality Disorder{unhealthy}
-Resist fulfilling their given responsibilities through procrastinating, 'forgetting', sulking, or being argumentative.
-Protest, without justification, that unreasonable demands are being placed on them.
-Seem to work deliberately slowly or do a bad job on tasks that they do not really want to do.
-Obstruct the efforts of others and fail to do their share; are uncooperative.
-Resent useful suggestions from others concerning how they might be more productive.

{including}
Characteristics of Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder
1. Behavioral Appearance: Indecision, procrastination, tardiness, oppositional, forgetful, mistrustful; pessimistic;envious, 'sour puss'
2.Interpersonal Behavior:Uncoorporative, dampens others' enthusiasm; socially ambivalent(impulsive role shifting); insecure, dependent, victimized; guilt peddling, injustive collecting.
3. Cognitive Style: Conflict-assertive(defiant) vs. pleasing(reliant); 'He has no right to do X-I'll retaliate(direct anger)--but he'll really get me then'(passive anger)
4. Feeling Style: 'Smiling' Resistance, resentful
5. Parental Injunction/Environmental Factors: 'Don't count on things staying the same.' Moderator/switcher role in conflicted family rivalry; replaced by younger sibling.
6. Biological/temperment: 'Difficult infant'; affective, irritable; hormonal/premenstrual symptom
7. Self View: 'I'm competent, but not competent'(and other contradictory appraisals)
8. World View: 'Life is a big bind. It's unfair, unpredictable, and unappreciative. Therefore, vacillate, temporize, and anticipate disappointment and betrayal.'
9. Self and system perpetuant: Learned vacillation(+) oppositional behavior -->inconsistency and rejection --> increased ambivalence --> reinforcement of passive-aggressive style."