I’ve washed my hands until I had contact dermatitis before and my hands bled. I’m on top of that now. I was with only water unless they are really dirty then I use soap. My brain keeps on telling me that this isn’t enough and it is dirty. Can someone give me a bit of common sense please so I can avoid scaly hands
Well I have been on both sides of washing and not washing but dirty world is fun world! I know this from first hand experience yet I'm struggling again! I'm trying to make the quality decision to live in dirty world again!
@Janeen Dr Grayson is who taught me dirty world is fun world!
@Janeen It doesn’t feel fun to me. I’ve been dirty before too and people were really mean. That’s why I’m bothered that I’m washing my hands properly.
Also one more thought is they have no idea the trauma and suffering involved when we feel driven to wash because of ocd.
@Janeen I have OCD. Contamination is one subtype. I wash my hands, but it’s never been a main compulsion for me. Cleanliness and symmetry are big for me. My OCD revolves around the bathroom. I feel it’s silly, but I question myself that I did everything after using bathroom. I don’t focus on washing hands, but that I just left things neat, and did each step.
If they are mean to you for living in dirty world then I'm so sorry but they probably aren't being honest about the way they live either people that do not have ocd do all kinds of things they aren't aware of getting dirty all the time. Dr Grayson for instance gave an example on a workshop saying college people sit on the floor all the time and then will eat popcorn for instance while on the floors....
You asked for common sense - never more than what the CDC recommended for COVID regardless of what you are trying to wash off. The only exception would be something like grease from automotive work that may take more to get off.
I am still trying to get a hold of this compulsion. I wash for damn near everything and it gets worse if I’m anxious,sad,depressed etc. it’s an endless cycle because it is a necessary thing to do but it’s so hard to figure out why you can’t stop. I am constantly battling scaly hands with prescription cortisol cream and unscented hand soap. Nothing helps aside from avoidance and erp but it’s been the most difficult thing for me to work on, personally. I would say just work on agreeing with the thoughts that you’ll never be clean, you will always feel dirty, everything is dirty, and then you can kind of realize that washing won’t make you a good or bad person and that you just are caught in a loop. Take time to sit with being dirty and slowly overtime you can learn to control the compulsion.
I'm so sorry. You're human. Do you have a lotion regimen to reduce the impact*
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!
Hello, i have ocd and find myself washing my hands after touching almost anything that I feel is unclean. I worry that if I don’t wash them then contamination could occur or it could negatively affect me somehow. It’s gotten to the point where I think so unrealistically of when I should or shouldn’t wash them, causing me to not know what to do so I just wash them to be safe. Could anyone help me with ways to fix this issue or lessen it please.
I've been having some contamination OCD recently, and it's been affecting my hands a lot. My brain tells me that everything is dirty, and it results in me washing my hands way more then what's good for me. The skin on my hands is getting red and cracked. If anyone knows how to help me out, it'd be awesome!! ☹️
Share your thoughts so the Community can respond
