Hermione (Re: [Ron Week]: More Questions)

[Demelza]

No: HPFGUIDX 16293

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., heidi.h.tandy.c92 at a... wrote:
> Even though I did some work on cases involving OCD when I was in law 
> school, to refresh my recollection to counter your claim about 
> Hermione's studying being a sympton of OCD, I did a little research 
> on Webmd.com - check out 
> http://my.webmd.com/content/article/1680.51712 for more - OCD is a 
> likely biological-based neurological problem that can manifest at 
any 
> age.

I wrote the qualifier "potential". If Hermione's obsession with 
studying begins to affect her activities of daily living (so far it 
hasn't), then and only then can a diagnosis can be made. For the most 
part, obsessions are considered 'normal' until they interfere 
substantially with thinking or other mental functions. Usually, it is 
only when a behavior affects a persons' daily living that it is called 
a 'disorder': some people manage to tiptoe on the brink until some 
sort of stress tips them over. But that does not negate the existence 
of the behavior. 

But this raises the questions why Hermione studies so much when she 
clearly knows the material and why would her greatest fear be to fail 
classes? It could be that Hermione equates her self-worth with her 
grades. But then, why should she equate her self-worth with *academic* 
success? In other words, what is the origin of this and how does this 
affect Hermione's interaction with others? This opens a can of worms 
concerning Hermione's psyche and can explain how she regards/treats 
others. 

Demelza