Obsessing on a Swine obsession!

Sure, we have snickered at them, snorted at their eccentricities and ridiculed their compulsive disorders. Remember Jack Nicholson as Melvin Udall in ‘As Good as it Gets’? This dogmatist absolutely refuses to use the same bar of soap twice. He abhorrently carries his own plastic cutlery to diners which seemingly and very justifiably infuriates the staff. Most of us may shun these traits of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but with the current pandemic scenario do we dismiss them as whimsical and eccentric?

Image copyright of TriStar Pictures.

Another lovable victim of the OCD is Adrian Monk, played by Tony Shalhoub in the TV series aptly titled ‘Monk’. Apart from having germophobia, this ex-cop has three hundred and twelve fears, from milk, ladybugs, harmonicas, heights, risk and imperfections. One sees Monk grossly refraining from pressing lift buttons, staircase railings. With his assuring and endless stock of tissues, this detective goes about his business in the most immaculate manner.

Image copyright of USA Network & NBC Universal.

Interestingly, with contagious diseases raging rampant, Udall and Monk's ridiculed pathological germophobia give them an edge! Aren’t precautionary measures for Swine Flu obsessively ringing a bell?

So the next time you see an OCD victim, remind yourself, this victim of the boon might end up living longer than you!