Ugh, something new AGAIN

I think I know what to do here. Got up in the night for the washroom... Brain is now going "what if you touched your face when hands are dirty" and I've given in and washed my face a few times... oops. Well this time it also went, "what if you washed your face BEFORE your hands and now there's pee germs in your hair from the water?" I went back to bed and now it's screaming my bedding/shirt/etc is contaminated... I want to change the pillowcases/bedding/clothes... It could use a wash anyway, but in this instance I think I need to wait until my brain calms down about this issue, even though I don't want it to escalate to "now the house is contaminated! And your hairbrush/the drawer it's in/everything in it!" If I did the bedding I know I would start spiralling. Ah yikes. I don't even know if this is even true, I don't think I would do it this way, I know better. I hate this. I wish I could accurately remember.

Jennica B.

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y

Just sit with it. It’s so hard but if you keep giving in to the compulsions the ocd won’t stop. It stops when you say “ eh well everything probably IS dirty. Well cool!” Haha treat it like you are a bratty teenager that doesn’t give a shit and then sit with the uncomfortable feelings. It’s hard trust me I know how hard but try to focus on something else and let he feeling be there without doing any compulsions. It will eventually go away. Do this every time a ocd thought comes up.

--anonymously--

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 2y

I have definitely been here and end up back here often. @Jennica B.'s approach helps me navigate it. I work to think of all the people who don't care about dirt/contamination and they are fine... It takes a while for my mind to calm down, but it does eventually. Also, Sometimes it helps if i create enough space to 'forget' the fear so I can move on from it

Ancient-1

Date posted: 2y

Thank you all for the advice! I don't worry about myself getting sick or dirty, but that I am contaminating a space for other people... it's more about feeling guilty that I'm not going around scrubbing and washing when I have these thoughts. I really appreciate your input folks, it means a lot to me!

Caitlin

Date posted: 2y

@Ancient-1 I feel that I have that too like breathing on their cutlery and splashback from the sink on their plates or cutlery and I’ll have them go under the two a certain way to keep them clean because of my ocd

Ancient-1

Date posted: 2y

@Caitlin Yep I've been there too. There was a time where I washed every piece of cutlery and utensils we have, including the drawers and the little trays they're in so meticulously because I believed they were contaminated by something I'd done/possibly did (still can't be sure to this day!). I was overwhelmed by shame/guilt/fear of making someone sick... actually that kind of kicked off the "my (bathroom) germs can't be on anything/anywhere/anyone" thing that I am STILL struggling with over half a year later. Just gotta come to terms with the fact you can't prevent everything and that yes, no matter what, I WILL spread my germs somehow. It's inevitable in some small ways, but also true for everyone else as well. Some people do much worse and rarely wash their hands... and we're all fine for it. Good luck to you!

Caitlin

Date posted: 2y

@Ancient-1 Thankyou you too 🥰💞

Caitlin

Date posted: 2y

I’ve been there before 🥰💞💞💞

eliza34

Date posted: 2y

I’ve been there! Trying to do a mental review and figure out exactly what happened can amplify the anxiety, but I know it’s so much easier said than done trying to just let the thoughts ride without questioning them. Wishing you well 💗

oneday.x

Date posted: 24w

Worried about bathroom contamination

Sorry if this is tmi. In advance, I know some germs are fine - I'm all for that, and it definitely does ease some contamination anxiety. But I have lots of anxiety surrounding going to the bathroom, specifically number two. Again I'm so sorry if this is tmi. I went yesterday, and obviously my hands were contaminated because well, they are when you go to the bathroom. But also because I accidentally brushed the back of my hand against myself. When you're done in the bathroom you obviously put underwear back on, and trousers or whatever, but I wash my hands before touching my trousers but not underwear. So I do that bit before I wash my hands, but my hand, the very contaminated part, touched like a bit of my skin at my waist. At the time, I brushed it off, thinking that my trousers will cover that anyway for the time being. But then today, I wore leggings that are kind of small on me and they weren't as high waisted. And then I got in my bed, and had a t-shirt on, and probably touched so many things. I changed my t-shirt, meaning it touched my hair as I took it off. So now I'm paranoid I have poop particles all over me. I'm convinced I need to have a full shower again and wash my hair. I'm okay with having a shower, but I barely have enough energy for that let alone washing my hair too. I don't shower every day, so with my schedule, I'm not due to have one until tonight. I just want to be able to get up, get dressed, and go about my day. But how do I do that when my bed feels contaminated and I feel like I need to change the bedsheets. How do I cope when it feels like poop particles are in my HAIR. And that could totally be possible. I know some germs are fine. But I just don't know what to do.

flowerpetals

Date posted: 9w

spiraling over anxiety

contamination ocd has really been messing with me the last couple of days. usually i only struggle when i can connect something to possibly throwing up, but this time it doesn’t matter. so earlier, i took a shower and i also use a wash cloth to wash my body. after i showered i cleaned up my dirty clothes and towels. then when i came back to grab my phone, there was a soap speck on my phone so without thinking i just wiped it on the back of my crewneck i was wearing. well that then spiraled into me thinking what if the soap was from my dirty wash cloth. i know most of you are probably thinking it’s clean since you use soap to clean ur body. well i clean every inch of my body, including my bottom so that’s where my anxiety is gravitating towards. this sounds so ridiculous saying it out loud, but i just have so much anxiety over it. i tried my hardest not to change but i did. at first i just changed my crewneck, but then i had to change my shorts cause my crewneck touches my shorts. but then i changed my shorts. and now i feel like my shirt is contaminated cause i was wearing it with my other shorts before changing. moral of the story, i just have so much anxiety over it and i feel like i shouldn’t because it’s really not a big deal. and i don’t want to change again because that seems ridiculous to me. plus now i’m connecting the contamination to my bed since i was laying on my bed before i changed. i hate life, this sucks.

Contamination OCD

miss_anonymous

Date posted: 6w

Here we go again..

Hi guys I know I keep posting but I having real bad anxiety rn. My bathroom sink was plugged and my dad came and fixed it but he put the drain stopper on the top of my bathroom counter which got me frustrated. Mind you it was dirty water with like black particles on my COUNTER!!! I tried to keep my composure and told my dad that I appreciate him doing this and I know he has a way of doing things , but told him to not do that. He kinda got annoyed but I told him it really bothered me. He finally unclogged the drain and everything’s fine now. During him fixing it, I was there watching him closely n I watched as he put the drain stopper on top of my counter it got on the side of my gel that I use for my hair. Now I’m having false memory that the water splashed on my skin care products. Like what if the bacteria got inside my cleanser? I don’t even wanna wash my face. I thought about cloroxing each item but it seems like no matter how much I wash them, nothing helps and I keep wanted to buy more and more Clorox . I don’t wanna buy another cleanser bc 1.) it’s 11:23pm and 2.) it will make things worse. I’m scared but I’m gonna cleanse my face with it anyways . 😞 please any advice would help

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