One of my triggers is stuff like warts and viruses. I don’t know what sort of therapy would work because they are genuinely contagious ??‍♀️??‍♀️??‍♀️ and while my response is completely out of proportion I can’t think of a way to get better. I have to control so much of my environment just to feel ok it’s a constant stressor

(How can you do ERP when there is a legit concern?) Trigger warning for Contamination OCD/coronavirus. For instance, I’m pregnant right now and have had a resurgence of contamination OCD. (I also have GAD, so I’m never sure which tactic to take with a thought.) Health really is a legitimate concern here, and I’m told I should be more careful. Of course I overdo it, yet ERP seems to be the exact opposite of being more careful and that seems very, very unwise. How do you do exposure for something that your doctor says to not do? How do you do exposure for something like, for another unrelated example, not wearing a mask around other people right now in the time of the pandemic when you’re absolutely required to wear a mask and it’s dangerous to not? ERP basically doesn’t make sense to me. By that thinking I should be changing the litter box and not washing my hands and *I definitely should not do that*. How do you do ERP when there is a legitimate aspect of an actual concern?

I get anxiety every single time I have a stomach ache and you know how often I have a stomach ache every single day I get anxiety every single day about the same things and even more things but it’s not just that so much things trigger it and I feel so misunderstood like people think oh you have a fear of throwing up well no one like throwing up or get over it but it’s not that simple I’m traumatized like I’d rather do something I absolutely hate than throw up. I literally avoid everything I can’t eat this can do that can’t share. i have to take vitamin c everyday to improve my immune system I don’t like travel because I’m scared of motion sickness I get scared on rides thinking someone will Throw up on me I cant drink even though I’m underage and alcohol is disgusting but still I can’t be around little kids because they have too many germs. I always think I have a fever and I’m constantly checking my temp. I’m constantly feeling my head and my cheeks to make sure they’re not hot. I get scared to go to my cousins house because they are always sick I can’t eat at certain restaurant i have to check dates on food. I can’t wear certain clothes. i have dreams of myself throwing up. When I get intrusive thoughts/ images about me getting sick or someone else. I Literally can not function on certain days from the past I got sick there is so much more how will this ever stop how will I ever be able to function I avoid so much and I literally miss out on so much things because of this like I literally want to shut down in my room and never come out that’s how bad it is. I have this extreme fear of getting sick/ vomiting and OCD has latched onto that fear ever since I was little and I have to do all these compulsions and this is just a list of some of the things I have to do. Anyone else relate?

My ocd recently latched onto the idea that I may have herpes, all the signs aren’t there but then again reading about it they don’t have to be. So I’m constantly checking my body, finding a new spot to hyperfixate on and then freaking out. I’ve been in a relationship for almost 3 years so it’s confusing for me to even have it, and have these issues now but they’re so debilitating. I even spiraled a couple weeks ago, and had to have some medical workers look at it, they said it was fine I even had a friend who had herpes look at it (with gloves) and I’m still freaking out and focusing on something else on my skin. I’ve been shaving more lately so I’ve been having razor bumps and now it’s really bothering me. I also heard that blood tests aren’t recommended or accurate So I’m not sure what to do, ERP Wise It just keeps going back to the chance that I do have it and could be spreading it and not knowing.