I feel my OCD is worsening. Just now, I was asked to put food wrappers in the bin, and felt disgusted when touching them. I proceeded to wash my hands multiple times, excessively, due to how unclean and contaminated I felt. Even in the mornings, I’m using kitchen roll to lift the kettle and open cupboards. I feel awful whenever someone touches me and I pull away, feeling repulsed. I don’t know what to do, or how to help myself.
Hi, sorry you’re dealing with this. I found ERP helped me a lot with contamination issues. I don’t know if you’re already doing that. Hope this is something that you can deal with.
@jj5678 Additionally, something that has helped me is almost kind of assuming that everything is indeed contaminated. But, ya just gotta live life and do what you have to/want to do!
@jj5678 Thank you for the advice! I’m currently on a waiting list for the mental health services, so unfortunately I’m not able to get help from a professional. Although, I find this app helpful, especially the SOS button when I need to use it. But I will try using this mindset, thank you. 🤍
@Cat.x I hope you’re able to get professional help soon! In the meantime, great job making use of this app :)
@jj5678 Thank you again for the support, you’re doing so well! 🤍
ERP helped me big time with contamination OCD. I worked closely with a counselor in the NOCD network and I was able to change my life greatly. I didn't think ERP would actually work, but it did. Wish you well, you too can beat this.
@NoleGuy Thank you so much for the support! It’s nice to hear how people struggling with OCD have had such a positive change in their life from this app. 🤍
I used to have this when I was younger and it was absolutely dibilitating. I couldnt hardly do any action without it being altered by my ocd. This was before I knew i had ocd and since a huge part of my contamination was that home was dirty and school was clean i decided one day to contaminate school with home germs and knowing i couldn't clean things at school, i got a lot better after that. I still do have some leftover contamination things but i basically did an extreme form of ERP because I was so tired of it. It's exhausting but with ERP, you will get through it. Best of luck. I'm still working on what's leftover now
@Anonymous Thank you! Can I ask what it was you did to contaminate your school with home germs? I’m willing to try anything at this point as I am on a waiting list for the mental health services, so can’t get help with ERP. 🤍
@Cat.x Basically everytime i would sit in the car i needed to sit on a clean sheet since i thought the car was contaminated and i had to use hand sanitizer after leaving the car. One day i decided to go to school without putting a sheet down and not sanitizing my hands so once I touched my school locker and sat down in class there was no going back since i knew i couldn't decontaminate at school. This might be extreme for some, this was a long time ago so I'm not sure how I felt about it at the time or how quickly I moved through ERP. But it does help to start with small things you know you can resist the compulsion or delay. I suggest working with a therapist for sure, i went a little rogue back then lol
@Anonymous I’m not sure if I can get in touch with a therapist since I’m from the UK and I’m only 16. I feel similar to you, accept I feel my home is clean, and school is unclean. When I get home, I refuse to touch anything in fear of contaminating it, as I have been sitting on bus seats and just from generally being in school. But I will try my best to make an effort, even though the thought of it is making my skin crawl. Thank you for your advice! 🤍
@Cat.x Having ocd when you're a teenager is so hard. Mine started around 12 and was at it's worse when I was 14 so I know how you feel. It might help to read up on ocd and ERP, until you can get a therapist. I've heard that even delaying compulsions is a good start. Do what you can, ocd is extremely difficult esp when ur a teen and don't have a therapist trained in ocd treatment. At least you know you have ocd, back then i didn't even know what was up lol. Best of luck!!!
@Anonymous Thank you so much! 🤍
I have contamination OCD and sometimes I don't feel like cleaning. I have a huge pile of blankets on my floor that feel contaminated and I have two dogs and seven cats. I don't really touch them anymore like I used to since my OCD got worse. One of my dogs like to pee on my floor a lot and sometimes I'm too lazy to clean it, because I'd have to get the carpet shampooer out and actually clean. Sometimes I do it because I don't want to wash my hands over and over, so I just avoid it. Now I'm scared that the dry urine is on my feet and are now in my bed. I know that I should just say well maybe it did or maybe it didn't and just go about my day, but it's hard. For the people who conquered contamination OCD how did you get through stuff like this? Thank you in advance to anyone who answers my post.
I don't know what to do, my hands have become so numb and bruised because of constant washing hands, i have started hating each and every furniture around me, beacuse i feel they are not clean although they are being cleaned regularly but i cannot stop these thoughts. I clean my phone, bluetooth, charger with wet wipes each day, i don't touch any object around me, i am not being able to focus on my studies or anything else because of my ocd ihave stopped going out, everyone around me is so fed up of me. I have consulted so many therapists and been taking ayurvedic supplements too but nothing works. It is getting worse and worse, please if anybody can suggest me how to overcome these thoughts!
all morning i have been feeling like there is dirt and grime on my skin. i showered last night. i washed my hair on tuesday night and i will wash it tonight. but i feel like there is dirt in my scalp and in my hair and i feel like i haven’t showered in weeks. i don’t want to feel like this anymore. every day i am anxious about how clean i am and its taking over my life. any tips?
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