Greenery99
- Date posted
- 2y
OCD and bathroom
Does anyone fear spreading things to others by using the bathroom? Do you keep needing to wash over and over?
Erin PErin P
- Date posted
- 2y
I used to - big time. Yes. ERP helped this a lot.
Greenery99Greenery99
- Date posted
- 2y
Did you go through a therapist on here? What's one thing you did that helped most?
Erin PErin P
- Date posted
- 2y
My case is too severe for NOCD so they gave me some referrals. But my initial appointments were good and I will use NOCD when I’m back to a better level with my OCD. Hard to say what helped most but I would say having a good hierarchy of fears and a good therapist to encourage and support me during / after exposures. My OCD was much better due to ERP pre-pandemic but the pandemic tp shortage, trying to get my son to do homework after he had remote learning all day and other stressors related to the pandemic and life / family and trying new meds that made me worse have set me back. But I’m not in the horrible state I was in before extensive ERP treatment. And I can pee in public restrooms on a mostly non OCD way without fear of harming others - so that part of the treatment has lasted. My issues are more around self contamination with other restroom trips. Sorry it this is TMI - my ramblings probably mean I need to get some sleep.
Greenery99Greenery99
- Date posted
- 2y
Oh ok, how do you know when something is so severe and do they give referrals for in person therapy? That's ok since talking about it helps esp when someone is going through same or similar things. What mainly causes you to fear contaminating others? Sorry you went through all of that. During the pandemic a lot of people were affected. It wasn't easy to find a therapist even. If you ever want to talk let me know we can exchange emails or something .
Erin PErin P
- Date posted
- 2y
@Greenery99 Thank you for your kind offer. An ERP therapist uses a number of factors to determine severity and what level of treatment is needed. They have a referral list for higher levels of care (which are in person). I was afraid people would get sick if I contaminated them from restroom or my germs - ERP resolved that part of my fears.
🫧🩷🪷🫧🩷🪷
- Date posted
- 2y
Yes it’s my number one fear. I don’t touch anything in the bathroom. Not even the toilet. I have to put toilet paper down on the seat before I use it, and if the tp slips off and I sit on the toilet, I get in the shower and scrub my whole body because it feels so DISGUSTING. I also wash my hands up to 15 minutes sometimes. Because of this, I waste a lot of money, toilet paper, and soap. so fun right!! lmao
Erin PErin P
- Date posted
- 2y
@ocdtingz ERP can help for this. I used to clog toilets bc I used so much to to wipe the seat and then I’d still put a protector and/ or to on the seat. Now it’s a pretty quick seat look and wipe. So much less stressful than it was before treatment.
🫧🩷🪷🫧🩷🪷
- Date posted
- 2y
@Erin P omg i’m glad i’m not the only one who messes up the bathroom because of my ocd lmfao.
Erin PErin P
- Date posted
- 2y
@ocdtingz You are so not alone in this. But I am glad I did enough ERP that this part of my OCD is in the past. It would help you too.
Greenery99Greenery99
- Date posted
- 2y
If you don't mind me asking is there a particular fear of it you have like contracting or spreading something? I totally understand you. It takes up so much time. It's exhausting! Have you ever tried Erp therapy?
Related posts
S. L.
- Date posted
- 25w
Contamination OCD
Does anyone have any tips on how to handle contamination OCD?
oneday.x
- Date posted
- 24w
Worried about bathroom contamination
Sorry if this is tmi. In advance, I know some germs are fine - I'm all for that, and it definitely does ease some contamination anxiety. But I have lots of anxiety surrounding going to the bathroom, specifically number two. Again I'm so sorry if this is tmi. I went yesterday, and obviously my hands were contaminated because well, they are when you go to the bathroom. But also because I accidentally brushed the back of my hand against myself. When you're done in the bathroom you obviously put underwear back on, and trousers or whatever, but I wash my hands before touching my trousers but not underwear. So I do that bit before I wash my hands, but my hand, the very contaminated part, touched like a bit of my skin at my waist. At the time, I brushed it off, thinking that my trousers will cover that anyway for the time being. But then today, I wore leggings that are kind of small on me and they weren't as high waisted. And then I got in my bed, and had a t-shirt on, and probably touched so many things. I changed my t-shirt, meaning it touched my hair as I took it off. So now I'm paranoid I have poop particles all over me. I'm convinced I need to have a full shower again and wash my hair. I'm okay with having a shower, but I barely have enough energy for that let alone washing my hair too. I don't shower every day, so with my schedule, I'm not due to have one until tonight. I just want to be able to get up, get dressed, and go about my day. But how do I do that when my bed feels contaminated and I feel like I need to change the bedsheets. How do I cope when it feels like poop particles are in my HAIR. And that could totally be possible. I know some germs are fine. But I just don't know what to do.
Anonymousss7
- Date posted
- 22w
Questions for ppl who don’t have contamination OCD
i have contamination ocd and i have a hard time knowing what’s normal- please help me get back to normal!! do you worry or clean under your fingernails when you wash your hands? do you specifically wash your thumb? if so how? do you pay attention to the pace you wash your hands at? do you ever feel the need to do things a certain amount of times or count while doing things? in the shower do you wash your hands at any time? especially after washing private areas? question for the girls!! how many times do you wipe after you pee? how do you all pee so fast?
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