I know what you mean here, but valuing small rituals is normal and not anywhere in the same ballpark as OCD.

True. But for me sometimes when I’m stressed (usually related to some lack of control) I may get very precise about how the dishwasher is organized among others. It’s annoying for people around me, but at least it’s not hard drugs.

That doesn’t sound like OCD at all to me. It sounds like you have a personality that values order and control over details. Annoying perhaps, but normal.

If it’s getting to the point where it impedes your social life, you could see a psychiatrist, but I’m pretty sure the diagnosis wouldn’t be OCD.

OCD is characterized by strong feelings of anxiety which can only be temporarily subdued by compulsive, repeated behavior. The classic example is “can’t leave the house without washing hands 20 times, sometimes 40”. The anxiety is still there but slightly dampened by the compulsive ritual. If you don’t have crippling anxiety, you don’t have OCD.

Ok yeah I understand that it must be annoying to people with real OCD to read stuff like my comment. Apologies.

> It seems so based on the study.

I would argue that it does not, as we have no "no pill" baseline.

All it shows is that if the author is stressed, chances are he is less stressed one hour later.

Hmm indeed. But the no-pill is very hard to placebo.

I have a sensitive stomach, and I’ve found peppermint oil to be a fairly good supplement to help. I’ve also noticed that my stomach is more irritated when I’m anxious and stressed. The act of taking the peppermint oil, whether my stomach is acting up or not seems to be one of the biggest anxiety relievers to me.