Hand Washing

Does anyone else struggle with hand washing/contamination OCD? I feel like it’s not talked about enough that OCD although it’s a mental illness it can have a very real physical impact on a person as well. For me, I used to struggle with compulsive hand washing. It wasn’t so much that I would touch something, and need to wash my hands, it was more so I would just sit at the sink and need to do it over and over again until it felt “right”. But I have gotten better with it, and have done a lot of exposure therapy for it, but my hands and arms still suffer from the brutality of it with the harsh soaps and excessive washing. It feels like my hands and arms are always really dry and despite how much I try to moisturize, just from the amount of time I spent doing it my skin was really damaged. Let me know if anyone has struggled in a similar way?

Contamination OCD

Username: NicaNica

Date posted: 2y ago

Hand washing and contamination/germ OCD are extremely well known and that’s what you see the most when OCD is represented.

Username: AnonymousAnonymous

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y ago

Yes, I find that being obsessed with germ contamination has me washing my hands and arms for several minutes each time until it feels right. I even find myself washing the handles with soap each time. I’m working on trying not to wash my arms which is a baby step for me. Baby steps work for me. I’m not good at going cold turkey. I have my routine- wash hands, arms for several minutes, put soap on handles,rinse hands and arms for several minutes, rinse sink out, rinse handles off, one more hand and arm rinse and finished. This takes a good part of my day since hand washing happens often.

Username: Lulu_20Lulu_20

Date posted: 2y ago

@Anonymous Baby steps should be celebrated! I know how hard that is to try to resist the routine. And it used to take up a huge part of my day as well, you are not alone at all with that, I completely hear you with all of those struggles it’s a horrible thing to experience. Something that I found helped me when I was trying to recover was completely removing myself from the sink, just washing my hands and then leaving the sink, and trying to prolong the compulsion. It again isn’t cold turkey, but it allows you to take some control back and you decide when you do it, not the OCD.

Username: Forest13Forest13

Date posted: 2y ago

Yea I’ve been doing it most of my life, have super dry hands right now.

Username: luverlytwizzlesluverlytwizzles

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y ago

I too struggle with compulsive hand washing and I had to switch to a fragrance free dye free soap. It helps somewhat. It got so bad that I presented it to my dermatologist as an eczema issue (before I was diagnosed with OCD) and I have to apply cream almost daily to keep painful red patches at bay. I have to wear rubber gloves around the house when I’m cleaning or touching something that will make me want to wash. It sometimes is helpful. I don’t even know why I do it I just need to to feel right. And since my diagnosis I have found I wash more when I am stressed or anxious. Sometime this even spreads to me washing my face to much. I hope you all find ways to cope through this I’m at the beginning and it feels daunting most days.

Username: Forest13Forest13

Date posted: 2y ago

@luveytwizzles I’m so sorry, you must be suffering so much. Starting with therapy and erp is daunting and terrifying because there is so much work ahead and you don’t feel you have the energy for it. I’ve just started and my therapist is taking it super slow with me doing really easy tasks first and we slowly work up. You aren’t alone I’ve been rubbing my hands raw since I was a kid, but we’ll get through this

Username: Lulu_20Lulu_20

Date posted: 2y ago

@luveytwizzles I wash more when I’m more anxious or stressed out too! Although I don’t wash my face compulsively, I do have a shower routine that I find that if I’m more anxious I will spend longer in the shower trying to wash my body multiple times. I also get painful red patches of dry skin and it’s so uncomfortable especially on my arms when I have the washing compulsions. You are not alone with that, and I completely understand wanting to wear gloves to avoid it, it’s awful and it’s painful. You will recover from this, you are doing the best you can, and just know that we all understand and are here for you too.

Username: luverlytwizzlesluverlytwizzles

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y ago

@Lorna_20 Thank you! It’s honestly been relieving to have other people understand. Sending you love!

Username: Anonymous

Date posted: 7y ago

Hi all, I'm currently struggling with getting my hand washing under control. I have a rather intense fear of illness (due to nearly dying at 11) and as cold season approaches, my washing gets to the point of cracked bleeding hands. Any advice on how to approach this? I am also in therapy however would like to ask you all just incase!

Username: Rochel

Date posted: 2y ago

My therapist is getting on top of the way I wash my hands. Its really challenging. I am struggling with bad contamination OCD. It really takes up so much brain space. I would love to hear from other people how their journey is going.

Contamination OCD

Username: Silverfox

Date posted: 1y ago

It Really Does Worsen With Age

Prisoner to contamination OCD here and the "things" I "have to" do to stop the. feeling of some imaginary plague overtaking me just keep multiplying. The whole Covid lock down and sanitization really made my OCD spiral. I'm still wiping groceries. I can't touch anything public or money without sanitizing. I wipe any surface I come into contact with or have some kind of plan of how I will conduct myself (what to wear, if I can cover my head, come home change, shower) just to make it through, say a dentist appointment or a manicure. Yes, I can complete the tasks, but the thoughts of the ritualistic washing just looms and makes me more anxious and depressed. I know not to go into specifics here, but can anyone chime in? I only have a good day when I don't have to come into contact with things or use my coping compulsions. Unfortunately nocd doesn't have an available therapist that accepts my insurance. Anyone here have success with ERP? I just think it would be extremely difficult.

Contamination OCD

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