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Top 10 Extreme Cases of OCD
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, was discovered only in the late 19th century, even if it existed before it was named a disease. This anxiety disorder is characterized by repetitive and obsessive behavior, bizarre rituals and irrational worrying, which make „living normal” almost impossible. However, the line between madness and genius is thin, and we will see that many inventors and leaders of the world were suspected of OCD. Here you have 10 extreme examples of OCD.
10. Nikola Tesla (1856 – 1943)
We all know that Tesla was one of the greatest inventors of the 20th century. He put the foundation of modern electrical engineering, he invented the X-Rays, the radio and the radar, but what we don’t know is that Tesla had an obsessive mind. Probably it helped his remarkable brain to focus on the experiments, but on the flipside, Tesla had chronic symptoms of OCD. He was obsessed with the number three, which made him walk three times around every building before entering. Also, he always used 18 napkins and estimated the mass of his meal before eating. Tesla also had a phobia of round objects, especially earrings and jewelry, hair and shaking hands.
9. “Jean”, in Obsessions and Psychasthenia (1903)
The French psychiatrist Pierre Janet wrote in his book “Obsessions and Psychasthenia” about a 30 year old man, named “Jean”, who is a memorable example of OCD. The man was obsessed with health and his death. The psychiatrist wrote that his patient was checking his heartbeats all the time, was unable to go to funerals or go in front of the city hall when death announcements were taking place.
8. The William Hammond Case (1879)
The US military neurologist William Hammond discovered a case of OCD in an 18 year old woman, obsessed with being contaminated by everything around her. This was one of the first OCD cases in the history. The woman was afraid to have contact with any surface without washing her hands. Because of that, sometimes she was washing her hand over 200 times per day. When she was going out, she was gathering her clothes up to avoid people to touch her.
7. Martin Luther (1483 – 1546)
The leader of the Protestant Reformation suffered from obsessions and repetitive behavior, which made modern specialists to think he was affected by OCD. Luther had constant feelings like wrath or envy against any person around him and even if he tried to block them, he didn’t manage to take it out from his mind. He felt always confused and disturbed, which is a classic symptom of OCD.
6. Richard Wallace (1950 – )
Richard Wallace, a resident of UK, is a famous case of OCD. The man has a huge collection of junk in his living space. In 2011, it became so big that he needed a larger area than his house to deposit it. The junk pile is so big that it can be seen on Google Earth.
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