- Date posted
- 3y
- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 3y
What do you struggle with exactly? For me... the other day I stared at the walls for hours. I didn't get anything done. But what I did was focus on a small task and was finally able to get myself to do that one. I didn't do the 5 tasks but I was able to put all my focus on the easiest one. I gave myself permission to stop too.
- Date posted
- 3y
I honestly wish I had tips for you but I struggle with this as well. Especially laundry. There are areas in my house that are “contaminated” and I put that in quotes because my OCD tells me they are. But when folding and putting away laundry I might think it touched something that was over 2 feet away, therefore I have to rewash it. And sometimes I just throw the entire load of laundry that was just washed back in my dirty laundry hamper. It’s so stressful, time consuming, and I suppose a waste of money because I am constantly running our washer and going through so much laundry detergent. So I guess to sum it up if anyways has any tips for OCDsufferersince2000, let me know if there is anything I can try
- Date posted
- 3y
Comment deleted by user
- Date posted
- 3y
Yes very hard! It’s much easier when someone is there coaching you on. Not reassuring you, but I guess holding you accountable would be a better term!
Related posts
- Date posted
- 24w
I work a job at my grandparents house cleaning around their house. For example, pledging areas that need it, using glass cleaner to clean dirty glass.etc My biggest problem is my mind as it’s constantly taking over. When I finish cleaning or doing a task, I literally have to ponder on if I completed the whole task (I stand there for a long time going through “ok, did I get this whole spot clean?” and I ponder on things like did I complete the task and have to stand there until I remember yes I did clean this whole spot. I struggle with moving from task to task. Do you guys have any suggestions for how you can tell your brain this is done without pondering if the task really got done or not? Thanks so much!🩵
- Date posted
- 22w
Does anyone have any tips that helped them? Mine is due to a specific person and I work with them so it’s been really difficult. I’ve started ERP which has been reaaalllllly challenging and I would love to hear from anyone else that has gone through any type of contamination ocd and how they have overcome or are fighting their way through it. Thank you!l
- Date posted
- 14w
Hi all, I’m new here and just recently got diagnosed. I’m trying to make sense of a lot of things and could use some perspective. I feel like I’m the only one who has contamination themes and does not have the compulsion to clean things, but rather to run away from the mess. I would really love to hear from someone who can relate, because right now I feel like I’m making it up. Details which might either be useful or triggering: My kitchen is the best example. I might leave a dish or two in the sink and say “I’ll clean it up soon, it’s no big deal.” But then—because of a combination of factors—it will probably sit there for a couple days. Around day 2 or 3 I develop an aversion to dealing with it. It gives me ick. And the longer it sits, the ickier it becomes—realistically and in my imagination. And because I’ve stopped doing dishes, they really start to pile up, and each day, getting started feels like more work and more confrontation with disgust. I will start thinking about how I need to do dishes, or take out the trash, and then get hit with a horrifying mental image of bugs (I’ll spare you the details) or other really disgusting things happening. That image brings me shame and makes me scared to deal with the mess. When it really piles up, I start getting images of the nastiest hoarders’ houses I’ve ever seen, and I start catastrophizing about the future I’m doomed for. So mostly I just watch tv to get my mind off it. (I swear I’m not just lazy 😔) This is true for food too. I will be unsure if something in my fridge is a little too old, so I decided to hedge my bets and I avoid it. I let a lot of food go to waste this way. The biggest problem here is I don’t throw it away when I decide it’s bad. I just side-eye it. Maybe because I know it’s silly to decide 6-day-old soy milk that smells fine has a “bad vibe,” and I think I may be able to get over it later. But then the food actually spoils and I don’t want to touch it to throw it out. I actually had a week or so in June where I couldn’t open the fridge because it smelled bad. It took every ounce of emotional energy and an external deadline to force me to clean my kitchen. I had a couple of meltdowns but it felt great to get my space back. Of course, it’s a cycle and it got bad again. The crazy thing is, I love to cook and I even like doing dishes. And I do dishes every day at work, no problem! But I’m spending so much money on takeout because my kitchen is always trashed. :( Is this super crazy? Does it even sound like contamination ocd? Am I alone in this? Any feedback would be helpful.
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