A Pluses and Minuses

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" Obsessive-compulsive people have a lot going for them -- and a lot

working against them. Although they tend to see every issue as right

or wrong, black or white, their Type A character traits are a mixed

bag. Some are good, some are bad. Color them gray.

TEN DESCRIPTIVE TRAITS OF A TYPE A PERSON ARE:

1) He is extremely moral.

2) Although torn between rebellion and obedience, he generally

chooses obedience.

3) His appearance is neat and clean.

4) Organization is one of his strengths.

5) He is an outstanding student.

6) He is conscientious.

7) He is very punctual.

8) He has a heightened power of concentration.

9) He performs well on the job.

10) He enjoys competition.

All of these traits are positive. No one would object to being

described as a moral, well-organized, conscientious worker. But

there's a flip side. We might call these the " A " minueses.

TEN EQUALLY ACCURATE WAYS OF SUMMING UP AN OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE

PERSON ARE:

1) He is stubborn.

2) He worries constantly.

3) He cannot relax.

4) He can't tolerate criticism, but he's critical of others.

5) He is insecure.

6) He adheres to strict rules as a way of covering his uncertainty.

7) He refuses to assume blame for his mistakes.

8) He wants to be perceived as being perfect.

9) He is stingy with money, love, and time.

10) Secretly he often questions his own salvation.

While the first list of traits suggests success, the second assures

anxiety. Unfortunately, today's society encourages and rewards

perfectionism and workaholic behavior. In part, this is why anxiety

currently is the number one mental health disorder. Life in the

1980s zooms by at a fast-forward pace. In medicine nearly 50 percent

of all medical knowledge is outdated every five years. The pressure

is on to keep up with the changes and ahead of the pack. There are

books to consume, journals to study, lectures to attend.

In business, living in the future is in vogue; the practice of

viewing life in one-year and five-year blocks (labeled short-term

objectives and long-range goals) is the management style that

everyone champions. As soon as one set of goals is reached, the next

set is adopted. The idea is never to have a final destination, but

always to be in transit. On the surface, this constant motion agrees

with Type A persons. Since their natural bent is to push hard, they

enjoy a system that rewards players who put forth the best effort.

The unhappy byproduct is that many young executives are developing

hypertension, ulcers, and other physical disorders as well as

burnout and the emotional and spiritual complications that accompany

life in the fast lane.

Even if the obsessive-compulsive person can control his

perfectionism to make it work in his favor on the job, he can suffer

its effects on the home front. There, his rigid point of view

doesn't change, only the scenario. He still sees everything in black

and white, wrong and right terms. If he falters and makes a mistake,

he can't bear the guilt. If he slips into an extramarital affair,

for instance, he often develops overwhelming anxiety. He gives up on

himself, believes he is beyond redemption, and moves to the other

extreme. He resigns himself to a sinful life. "

Copyright 1989. " Worry-Free Living " , Written by Minirth, M.D.,

Meier, M.D., and Don Hawkins, Th.M., published by

Publishers.