Fear of contamination

When I’m in contamination OCD situations similar to this, I often use the following phrase to help me embrace the uncertainty. “I’m feeling anxious because ——, I can’t be 100% certain that isn’t true or won’t be in the future, I accept that uncertainty and am willing to live with it happily.” I then try to sit with the feelings produced without giving into compulsions. Overtime, with ERP and therapy, it got easier for me. I started to get some more mental relief from OCD than I previously had. But that came with time in ERP, as well as consistency, vulnerability, and willingness. ERP really helped me get some mental freedom from OCD. I hope this helps in some small way!

I have contamination OCD too, though my fear is excrement not blood, but I understand the distress of cross-contaminating someone or something. Since you are on this platform, please forgive me for assuming the following: 1. That you understand that me giving you reassurance that your bf will be okay won’t help you get better, 2. That you’re willing to do ERP and stay with uncertainty to some extent. I’m learning how to use ACT skills during exposures, and found these two micro skills helpful in a “what if” contamination event: 1. Name the obsession - I find naming it something funny or silly like Fatality Banality takes the perceived severity away. I personally use Poopy Loopy a lot. Whenever I start obsessing about fecal contamination, I’ll say, “Poopy Loopy!” and carry on with what I’m doing, like making tea or whatever. 2. Choose a value to hold on to while you sit with the uncertainty, for example if you choose the value Curiosity (if that’s a value for you), then stay curious and see if anything happens to your bf after a day. Then see what happens in 3 days, a week, until the fear goes away. I’ve been using the value Daring, to touch things I’m afraid of touching, for example. I hope this provides you with something to help you through this OCD event. Also, don’t call yourself dumb. I do this to myself too, but self-blame only makes a bad situation worse. I’ve been practicing gentleness and grace on myself, and it’s made the OCD “crises” less stressful to bear.

Do you have an infectious disease? I might not be giving you the “correct” answer but I would think the easiest way to not worry would be to get tested…then who cares if he cut himself. Again, this is probably the wrong answer but contamination is one of my fears and it’s what I would do to feel better.

You’ll be fine. I hope we beat these stupid intrusive thoughts!