Turning the TV volume to an increment of five. Stepping over cracks on sidewalks. Lining up the paper exactly parallel to the table. Each person has his or her own idiosyncrasies. For most people, these actions are harmless; they turn the volume to 15 or step over the crack and they move on. But for some, the seemingly simple action of washing their hands or chewing their food can turn into compulsive, repetitive behaviours, to the point where their daily lives are affected by these time-consuming rituals. The line between simple idiosyncrasies and compulsive actions is not clearly defined. Where is this figurative line and why does it exist?
As a race, we humans are very similar. Besides the small nuances like complexion, hair, height, and weight, humans are biologically almost identical. Strip away the layers of the skin and many of us would be unidentifiable from each other. Why is it then, that one individual is able to walk out his front door without a pause while another must stop and repeatedly lock the door 27 times? Why does one person spend five minutes in the bathroom getting ready while another person spends two hours combing her hair, making sure not a single strand is out of place? To answer that question, we must travel even deeper than skin, to the body’s center of activity and thought: the brain.
~Wilson
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