- User type
- OCD Conqueror
- Date posted
- 2y
My first post.
When have I completed a successful exposure and response prevention? When is it okay to wash my hands? I started therapy in January. Primary: OCD-Scrupulosity Secondary: Contamination (hand washing) I carried out self-initiated and self-developed ERP tonight against OCD-Contamination. I touched both garbage can handles as I brought them in from the curb. Normally, I would put work gloves on before handling the garbage cans. I used my bare hands. I picked up garbage that blew into my yard from other people's garbage. I used my bare hands. Gross. It was mostly different types of wet cardboard as it was raining. There was a toilet paper roll. Broken down boxes. A plastic candy wrapper. A McDonald's beverage lid. There were rabbit or deer droppings on part of the lid. Gross. I touched the side that didn't have droppings and shook the droppings off of the lid. The whole lid looked dirty, however. Gross. I brought everything into my garage and laid them on the floor to dry out overnight. I didn't wash my hands. I wiped off a minimum of the moisture on a paper towel. I put away my garbage cans, touching other items that have previously been contaminated by hands that touched my garbage bags. I touched the handle on my car door and then the inside handle and closed the car door. I drove my car into the garage. Once inside, I touched my gloves which were in my coat pockets. I touched the coat zipper and snaps. I touched my scarf. I touched my purse and items inside of it. I brought my pet bird cage into a small room. I took my bird out of the cage and he perched on my finger. My bird's perches in his cage have poop stains on them. His claws touch that. His claws were now on my finger. Gross. I put my bird back in his cage. I touched the container of my carryout Pho dinner. I touched a fresh microwaveable soup bowl. I poured the Pho into the bowl. I touched the microwave door as I put the bowl of Pho inside. After microwaving, I touched long strands of sticky rice noodles and put them in my Pho bowl. I touched my dish rag and used it to wipe Pho juice off of the counter. I lightly rinsed the dish rag with plain water. My hands got wet. I did not use soap. I dried my hands on a clean dish towel. I touched my phone. I touched a dirty napkin to wipe my face. How am I doing with ERP? Can I wash my hands now and call it a night? Normally, by now, I would have probably washed my hands about 10 times. I don't wash my hands longer than anyone else. I just wash them one time after every dirty item that I touch so that I don't contaminate clean items. I haven't washed my hands since I left work at 5 pm. My hands feel sticky. I want to wash my grapes. Normally, I would wash my hands with soap and water before touching my grapes (because I handled potentially poop-contaminated McDonalds beverage lid and my bird's poop-contaminated claws). But I will touch my grapes with my dirty hands and only wash them with plain water. I'm sick of this OCD, so I want to attack it head on...or dirt on.