Contamination ocd got worse

Today i started job of coordinator at a school. I wanted to come out of my comfort zone which is actually my room and i wanted to come in the outside world. I thought i would get better if i spend some time outside but my ocd just flared up. I felt like the environment was not clean enough. I felt like people coming out of the restrooms contaminated everything. I felt the doorknobs and all the stuff was contaminated. Now i feel i am contaminated. After coming home i touched alot of my stuff which is also contaminated. But i cannot wash everything everyday so may be i would delay it to the day i leave the job which i dont want now. I want to do it least few months. I also have magical thinking ocd. I think if i get married and met my husband or his family in my contaminated clothes something is gonna happen and their house will be contaminated too. So i have to wash my whole wardrobe. I am feeling so anxious right now. Cannot do anything but sitting with thoughts

Contamination OCD

Username: DahliaStranner29DahliaStrann...

Date posted: 46w ago

I can really sense the struggle you're going through right now after starting your new job and I'm so sorry you're feeling this way. That bravery you've shown by stepping outside of your comfort zone is truly commendable, and it's important to recognize the courage it takes to confront your OCD fears in such a direct manner. The anxiety and the intrusive thoughts you're experiencing must be incredibly burdensome, especially with your fears of contamination and magical thinking. 😞 Interestingly, I've been using this tool called "unstuck" (unstuckmyocd.com/try) that I heard about in my OCD support group, and I really wish I had known about it earlier. It could be particularly useful for you because it provides a personalized, step-by-step approach to handle difficult moments like you're facing, helping you navigate fears of contamination and magical thinking much like an OCD therapist would. You know, it can be so helpful to have a tool just a few taps away when OCD strikes. Remember I am here for you if you need to know more about this tool or just to talk further.💪

Username: anaaanaa

Date posted: 46w ago

Thank you so much for your understanding and for being here. I will definitely try this tool. Thanks for sharing it. So much of my life is taken away by this ocd.

Username: Rebecca.DwyerRebecca.Dwyer

Date posted: 46w ago

You’re not alone. I feel exactly the same way and dealing with those feelings is astronomically difficult. Don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re here. On this journey and that is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Username: anaaanaa

Date posted: 46w ago

Its really hard for me. Like i woukd have washed everything if i knew i wouldn't go there again but i just started the job and i have to go there. How do you deal with such thoughts when you have to go to that environment on a daily basis where you feel contaminated? I don't know how am i going to handle it

Username: Rebecca.DwyerRebecca.Dwyer

Date posted: 46w ago

@anaa Absolutely! I completely validate that. After having our son back in November, I was terrified about to navigate all of the things that come with having a newborn. The hardest part is that my husband doesn’t understand it and it’s caused many arguments. The only thing that helped was to talk about it. And to allow the behaviors to exist. But not dominate.

Username: anaaanaa

Date posted: 46w ago

@Rebecca.Dwyer I am sorry to hear that your husband doesn't understand your situation. Its really hard when people around you doesnt understand what you are going through. Its something that we don't want either but our mind just tells us to do the compulsions to feel better.

Username: Rebecca.DwyerRebecca.Dwyer

Date posted: 45w ago

@anaa - Exactly! It's not like we're personally choosing to indulge in the compulsions. Which is literally the hardest part. Another thing that really helps me too, is to give myself some grace. No one is perfect. You're in a very difficult situation and not too many could navigate that. Especially when we feel the way that we do.

Username: anaaanaa

Date posted: 45w ago

@Rebecca.Dwyer Exactly. Don't get upset when someone doesn't understand you. Nobody can understand the suffering of the ocd sufferrer. We might understand each other because we go through the same. And yes, no one is perfect. I hope everyone get cure from this disease.

Username: Rebecca.DwyerRebecca.Dwyer

Date posted: 44w ago

@anaa Absolutely! We all deserve to be happy and healthy. Free from this disease that can cripple you. You’re going to succeed and should be proud of yourself!

Username: anaaanaa

Date posted: 44w ago

@Rebecca.Dwyer Thanks dear

Username: AnonymousAnonymous

Date posted: 5w ago

I feel the same way everyday. I do the stuff everyday after i come home from outside. Which is insane and literally exhaustive . I feel you. The chain of these cleaning tasks gets added for even small thing you do and as you want to clean each and everything to make sure others wont get hurt because of that contamination.

Username: Anonymous

Date posted: 2y ago

Trigger warning OCD is taking over my life

I can’t deal with this OCD bullshit anymore. It’s to the point where every time I walk out my house and come back in I have to sanitize my shoes then the floor where my shoes stepped. I even have my boyfriend doing this and he doesn’t have OCD. I can’t even enough life like I use to anymore I have constantly be cleaning and disinfecting. All these chemicals that have gotten on my skin I know that can’t be healthy. I’m scared the thought of even walking in with my shoes and not using disinfectant triggers me so badly that it ruins my whole day. This all happened when weeks ago I saw a skunk at night walking through the apartment complex I lived in. Then I took my dogs to the vet to get their vaccines. Even though there was no contact I still freak out about rabies. Then the vet assured me that everything was ok. Then I see this stray cat that walks around the apartment complex and he is always trying to come up to my apartment door or the walkway then I’ve seen him walk we’re the skunk area was so now I’m like what if this cat has rabies and I walk where it walks and track it in my house and get rabies. God forbid. It’s to the point where we have a shoe rack and we have to disinfect every time we walk in and out. The other day I had guest and when they left the whole entire house was mopped and I even had bathe my dogs too since they were walking around where everyone was stepping. I even threw away their dog bed and bought them new ones. Please help I can’t live like this anymore.

Username: Anonymous

Date posted: 2y ago

Really Stressing!

I have been dealing with severe contamination OCD for awhile now and for the past several months it has been around laundry. I have been working with my ERP therapist here and taking baby steps since this is at the top of my hierarchy. I was slowly making progress however my husband once again has triggered me back to the start and this is not the first time he has done this. I simply asked him to let me do the laundry and I had a system, I will say an odd system however that was working for me while I continued with the baby steps and keeping my anxiety at a manageable level. Now I just feel so angry, at myself, at him and at my OCD. I have already replaced the washer twice. I just feel like I can't catch a break and now I am forced to sit with the anxiety, not by choice because I can't afford to replace it again! 😢

Contamination OCD

Username: Anonymous

Date posted: 1y ago

OCD and menstrual cycle

My aunt and her family came in from out of town, and we all want to go on a road trip. I was already anxious about it before and now because I got my monthly a couple days earlier, I’m even more anxious as my contamination OCD is always so much worse when I’m on it. I feel like going would be a great exposure for me but at the same time I don’t know if it will be too overwhelming for me staying in a hotel, and just generally coming into contact with all of these germs. I know going will be a great exposure for me, though I don’t know if I’ll even enjoy my time and I don’t want to ruin it for anyone else. Ugh OCD can be so debilitating.

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Contamination ocd got worse

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