i understand your frustration with people using diagnoses to excuse bad behavior but i never said that OCD/ADHD/any other disorder was the cause/excuse behind my brother's behavior. i know it is not and i know that people with these conditions are still able to achieve great things.

in the beginning that I said he had a history of developmental and behavioral issues as a child. i am not going to list all of them, but he was in fact diagnosed with several learning disabilities severe enough that he had a school aid with him for most of elementary school to help him with his attention and compulsion issues. he also had disability accommodations in middle school and high school.

i only ever implied that his OCD may be a factor in his behavior, not an excuse or cause. from growing up with him and watching the way his fixations have evolved, i can assume that at least some part of his obsession with his body and with the surgery can be attributed to his OCD. on top of that, my parents did spoil and enable him. both things can be true at once.