Anal compulsive disorder

We all know those people who need to have things just so. Their tendencies might be the target of jokes, but those with real obsessive-compulsive disorders can find that their need to have things just right or their need to repeat things over and over again can ruin their lives. We all know those people. We call them anal-retentive, we call them OCD. In order to be diagnosed as obsessive-compulsive, there are some criteria that have to be met aside from just liking things a certain way and insisting that things be done in a certain manner or order. Those with OCD can have obsessions, compulsions, or both.

The term anal-retentive or anally retentive is one of a variety of examples of Freudian terminology that have found their way into common usage with a slight shift in the original meaning. In common usage, the phrases "anally retentive," "anal-retentive" or "anal" are used to describe a certain style of behavior, and it is implied that this is due to a person clenching their anal sphincter, causing retention of feces. This is not necessarily literally the case, nor usually even intended literally. A person characterized as anal-retentive is perceived as worrying excessively about "passing feces": little details of fecal consistency, color and aroma or as otherwise being overly uptight or distressed over ordinarily normal evacuation. Today, however, the term is often used of anybody seen as overly worried about small details and unable to adopt a philosophical attitude toward mistakes.

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