burning at the centre of time

I remembered today (O HAI BAD SHORT TERM MEMORY THAT IS NOT ADD) that I had meant to write some stuff about neurodiversity in that post I made yesterday. Oops.

But then something else came up: trouble's search for fiction books dealing with disability, as seen at FWD (go help out!), reminded me of something else I had thought about posting on, then didn't. This was due to the whole OCD failishness on Glee. (By the way, we're not going there with the RHPS thing...Roz Kaveney had an interesting take on it, but I don't know if I'm entirely with her on her reading--as in, I don't give the showrunners as much credit as she does. She does make the important point that TRHS/RHPS has always been a commercialized market vision of transness and queerness, which I had not considered before.)

So, I'm ISO fictional representations of OCD. In discussions about this with people like raanve and revena at WisCon, we postulated that there aren't many, just as there aren't many of clinical depression, because it's not 'dynamic' enough to merit a plot, for most people. Except for compulsively cleaning and fear of germs, god fucking forbid.

So here's what I know of:

Melvin Udall, As Good As It Gets: Could be worse, really. I think the film does a fair job of portraying the inability to interact with one's environment and the inherent frustration causing one to be...socially difficult. It's kind of irritating that the whole Love Of A Good Woman thing comes into play, also. I have a great story about being told how FUNNY Melvin's actions were and nearly losing my shit.

Howard Hughes, The Aviator: Obviously based on real events. Someone I know who has OCD saw it and said it was possibly triggery but an excellent portrayal. I've not seen it personally, because at the time I was a bit low on spoons and I tend to keep forgetting about it. (see: poor memory. I'll probably remember I want to see it again for about a day, then forget.)

Adrian Monk, Monk: We do not speak of Monk and we do not discuss the ever so clever tagline 'The Defective Detective'. Also, Monk's case of OCD is highly atypical, particularly the whole productive attention to detail thing.

Han Qing-Jao, Xenocide: I have massive issues with Orson Scott Card due to his EVERYTHING FAIL (and that includes ableism both here and in other ways), but the depictions of OCD behaviour as performed by the godspoken of Path are one thing that he does accurately, at least in my personal experience. It's a very difficult thing to capture and I have no idea how he managed to do it, seeing how much of an arse he is.

Roy Waller, Matchstick Men: I haven't seen this film, and apparently it's one of many comorbid conditions Roy has. Anyone who can speak more, let me know. I've heard the film's worth watching, though I don't know if it's a good portrayal of OCD.

Emma Pillsbury, Glee: Much as I appreciate that Jayma Mays doesn't want to hurt anybody, I'm still not best pleased with what I hear, or what I read in this article...it's just part of her personality? Then it's OCPD, which is not the same at all--OCD is ego dystonic, meaning that performing ritual runs contrary to a person's self-image. Not that this is that big a thing, but still, the little cuts, my friends.

Tell me more! If there are any, that is.

ETA: I'm so glad that there's a term for the inherent frustration and disparity between the person with OCD's condition and self-understanding--ego dystonic. WIN. I just found this out yesterday.