Hello, everyone. I apologize in advance for any ignorance I showcase. Okay, I am new to this platform and new to OCD in general, so any information regarding the disorder is greatly appreciated. I am here on account of my behavior over the last couple of years and attempting to figure out if I may or may not have OCD. I did some research and here are some of my symptoms: (trying to be specific) - Items that I deem to be infected or unclean, creates an uneasy feeling in me. I don't feel like I'll get a disease or something by touching those items, but I will flip out if I come into contact with those items. I end up either avoiding those items forever or cleaning them until I feel just right. - Checking, although very inconsistent. Only happens on occasion and extremely random. Ex. Checking if door is locked until I feel just right. "Just right" = perfect click, perfect feel, hands placed in the right spot, etc. Could range from 1 attempt to infinty. - Hand Washing. This is by far what I do the most. I wash my hands until my skin is extremely dry and won't stop even when it starts to hurt. I have to feel just right about the wash, any error causes me to wash my hands again. - Perfectionism. I'm not much of a tidy person, but I decided to add this one anyway. Can't hurt. There are certain things that always need to be perfect, I don't know why, but they need to be just right. Ex. Pens in my pen case all need to face the same direction. If they are not, It will be all I think about until I change it. Thank you, to anyone that responds. It will be greatly appreciated. Once again I apologize for any ignorant comments in the above paragraphs.

Keep posting and share your thoughts and feelings.

Also will look into taking the 90 minute interview with professional.

Sounds like pretty classic OCD behavior to me! Treatment for OCD is pretty standard across all themes: CBT, ERP therapy, and mindfulness training. You can learn more here: https://ocdla.com/cognitivebehavioraltherapy Since you’re just figuring this out, I’d also recommend grabbing a book on OCD. There are tons out there to choose from but here are some recommendations: https://ocdla.com/ocdreadings Welcome to the community!

You are not alone. All of those themes trouble me as well...

I have EXACTLY the same contamination issues you described, also showering till feels alright and perfectionism that I now getting less. Yes, sounds like you have mild OCD. There are a couple apps or websites you can do a survey to see how you rate (kinda).

I think you might like this book – "The Complete Guide to Overcoming OCD: (ebook bundle)" by David Veale, Rob Willson. Just $5.

Have I got OCD? Only a trained health professional can diagnose you as suffering from OCD. The following is a screening questionnaire from the International Council on OCD. 1   Do you wash or clean a lot? 2   Do you check things a lot? 3   Is there any thought that keeps bothering you that you would like to get rid of but can’t? 4   Do your activities take a long time to finish? 5   Are you concerned with orderliness or symmetry? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions and it causes either significant distress and/or it interferes in your ability to work or study or your role as a homemaker, or in your social or family life or in relationships, then there is a significant chance that you have OCD. This test can be a bit over-sensitive to diagnosing OCD, so if you think you might have OCD, it is best to talk to a health professional and get appropriate help.

Thank you so much for your comment. Extremely helpful. Will definitely look into the book you recommended.

Here are some key ways in which you can lessen your OCD and improve your life. 1   Imagine how you would like to be different, in terms of how you feel and behave. Picture yourself being this way in your mind’s eye. 2   List all of your hopes, dreams and aspirations. Imagine how being utterly free from OCD would help you towards them. 3   Develop a mental image that represents your OCD when it is trying to force you to carry out a mental or behavioural ritual –a bully, a demon, a computer virus, Nazi propaganda on a radio or choose your own mental image. 4   Develop a mental image that represents defeating your OCD. 5   Find inspiration for overcoming adversity –choose a role model or metaphor that helps you to stick with progress and resist the urges to check, wash, seek reassurance, review or analyse in your mind. 6   Identify someone who you can share (and celebrate) your progress with. Help them to see that you need cheering on in your progress, NOT reassurance or debates over safety etc! 7   List all of the strategies that you employ in your mind and in your behaviour that are maintaining your OCD. View these like bad habits you are going to train yourself out of and do not respond to such urges by giving yourself reassurance or try to suppress such thoughts and urges. 8   Imagine that you have a twin, who is the same as you in every respect, but is free from OCD, and use them as your guide in changing your behaviour. 9   Test out treating your problem ‘as if’it’s a problem of worrying too much or being too cautious. The trick is to do this even though you’re not 100 per cent sure. Remember that looking for certainty is very much the problem, not the solution. 10   Find a metaphor for treating intrusive thoughts as events just passing through your mind. Traffic passing in the street or leaves on a river are just a couple of examples. The trick is to allow your mind to take care of itself, without interfering with or responding to the intrusive thoughts. The flow of thoughts in your mind should be as much left to its own devices as the blood flowing through your veins. 11   Deliberately practice refocusing your attention on to the things you can see, hear, smell and feel in the ‘real’outside world, here and now. 12   NORMALIZE your doubts, images, thoughts and impulses. This means fully accepting that your intrusive thoughts, images and doubts are normal and part of being human. 13   Embrace each time you have an intrusive doubt, image, thought or impulse as an opportunity to accept them willingly into your mind. Think of it as keeping your friends close and your enemies closer! 14   Practice assuming the best. OCD has a habit of knocking your rose-tinted spectacles off so get back to normal by assuming the best rather than the worst. 15   Listen to music that helps you to get into the frame of mind to drive your true values and aspirations straight through OCD and out the other side. 16   Focus on getting better, more than feeling better. Measure your progress in terms of your levels of distress and ability to function across the course of a couple of weeks. 17   ‘OCD loves a vacuum!’As you recover, fill the gaps in your life that your OCD might leave behind with hobbies, exercise, education, friendships, deepening relationships with loved ones or furthering your career. There’s evidence that doing so will help you keep OCD out of your life.

https://youtu.be/pJp9vlp84Wk Check out these YouTube videos.

Thanks for your comment! The information you provided is greatly appreciated and will not be wasted.