I live in a college dorm where there is a communal shower but I live in a room with my own private bathroom. I am very thankful but now I have this irrational fear that if I shower at the same time as someone else using the communal bathroom that somehow germs will get in my water and get on me. I don’t know what to do. I’m actually scared to get in the shower now. What do I do?
Are you currently seeing a therapist?
@LA Gordon Yes
I know what it’s like to have struggles with the shower for me I have an had two where one I’d have to wash myself a specific way in the shower to be clean and two I was abs am lol afraid of sperm and think that it’s in the shower 💕
You might not like this answer but you need to use the shower. That's the only way to get over the fear. We call this ERP therapy. You could start with just a little water on your hand. Then sit with the anxiety and tell yourself you may or may not have germs on you. There's no way to know. Then expose yourself to more water trying your best to remain calm and say " I may or may not have germs on me now"
You flagged me? You do know a therapist will tell you the exact same thing I just told you right? I'm honestly trying to help you. ERP therapy is the most effective treatment for OCD. More effective with mindfulness and acceptance of uncertainty. But ask your therapist if you don't think my advice is helpful.
@StoicGuy I don’t know what you’re talking about. What do you mean by flagged?
@ATLAfan164 Someone flagged my reply to you O have no idea why sorry I assumed it was you:( Honestly I know my suggestion is scary but my advice is what a therapist will suggest. I know because I'm going through therapy right now doing ERP and have read a lot about OCD treatment. Regardless I do hope you find relief.
@ATLAfan164 If touching the water is too scary you could start with touching the tub or somewhere the water touches and work your way up to touching the water. You could also try mental exposure of touching the water before you move in to my other suggestions. Ask your therapist for ideas on a hierarchy and I hope these ideas help.
Hi, this is my first post. I am very nervous reaching out as I haven’t ever done so before publicly. I found out a year ago I had ocd and since then it’s been very clear that I have had it for a long time. I currently struggle with health ocd, death ocd, and I’m sure others as well, I always am scared I have or will develop an illness or schizophrenia. One thing I’m struggling with is depersonalization/derealization. I am under a lot of stress being in nursing school right now so maybe when I’m don’t with school I will feel better. Also I recently switched my medication to sertraline. I have been on it about a month and 1/2 but just increased my dose. It is worse when I first wake up. I am going to go see a therapist again once my PCP gets back to me with one that specializes in ocd. If anyone has had similar situations or recommendations to help me get back to feeling better that would be so greatly appreciated. I am also embarrassed to say I’m scared of getting schizophrenia. The obsessed with that began a year ago when I was taking psychology class. I became so afraid of getting it that I am constantly looking for signs or symptoms. It drives me bonkers. I would like to overcome that fear all together. Please give me advice. Thanks.
I have this same problem repeatedly where I see things online about faking OCD and people talking about how OCD isn’t just cleaning and it makes me feel like I’m faking it and it’s pretty much its own theme now. I have a handwashing problem and since it’s so heavily stigmatized as faking I never do it when others are watching because then I feel like I’m seeking attention. Pretty much all of my visible compulsions I do are behind closed doors or on my own and I can’t do anything about it because if I try to show somebody then I’m attention seeking and faking. If I try to talk about the fear then I’m also attention seeking because now I’m guilt tripping and seeking sympathy and therefore I shouldn’t tell anyone and I shouldn’t show anyone. I’m essentially hiding an entire mental illness because of this, the only person I’ve ever really told about my issues is my therapist, nobody else feels safe.
i have such a fear of psychosis and schizophrenia, so i’m scared that i’m going to develop it and lose control over my OCD thoughts. If im very tired and my eyes get heavy i get so scared that im going to go crazy or that i have one or the other. and if i have a panic attack im convinced im going to develop it. does anyone have any tips on how to work though this? i saw a thing online that said people with these dont know the have it and that scared me into thinking i have it and dont know.
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