- Date posted
- 1y
Don't know how to stop ruminating
I used the bathroom, washed my hands, and changed into my pajamas. I washed my hands a second time shortly after and then when I was done, I noticed a drop of water had gotten onto my pajama shirt at some point. I'm still not sure if: a) It splashed onto me during my second handwashing session (which I'm fine with) b) It splashed onto my stomach during my first handwashing session and transferred to the new shirt when I changed clothes (which I'm still fine with) c) It is toilet water that splashed onto my stomach when I went to the bathroom, then transferred to my new shirt when I changed clothes (which I'm not okay with at all) I know the water is likely from possibility (a) or (b). I never felt toilet water splash on me, and I spent a long time washing my hands both times. After washing my hands, water splashed a bit when I went to dry them, giving plenty of chances for water to splash on my shirt then. And if toilet water had gotten on, me it would probably never even show up on my new shirt because it would have dried by then, hence the drop probably wasn't toilet water. But it doesn't matter. The possibility of it being toilet water still terrifies me, even with all the evidence against it. Because of possibility (c), I decided to change my shirt a third time...and then the third shirt brushed against the spot on my stomach which would have been wet in the first place. I decided to not change shirts again. For a moment I was able to tell myself "it's OCD." But internally I am freaking out, because now I doubt that. I don't know if I'm endangering my family right now. I feel so lost. I feel like something always goes wrong and it ends up consuming my thoughts for hours. I just wanted to relax tonight, but my brain keeps repeating "What if, what if, what if," repeating everything that happened over and over again, repeating this internal debate about the situation with myself. I feel like I can only resist the physical compulsion of changing my shirt at the cost of my own sanity. Because I can't stop ruminating. I have no idea how.