- Date posted
- 49w ago
Hello, I hope everyone's doing well
How do you guys deal with emotional contamination?
How do you guys deal with emotional contamination?
I don't know how to explain it, but Everytime I study when Im uncomfortable or if someone that I dont like or that I think I have uncomfortable thoughts about (Like I dont like that person or I dont like the way I thought about that person?) touches my books I just want to rebuy them. That happened maybe like twiceOr maybe someone that I think I had a bad past with which may sound not sensible but it happens... I reassured myself said first past this year and order new ones in the summer. Or recently something happend and I still havent touched the stuff that has something to do with it. I avoided touching them. I feel like my stuff gets contaminated by my thoughts. Its not severe but I wanted to share
@sepsomeone yes! I get this so much like if I think it relates to a bad thing that happened I will avoid that object
@ambermayx Im so sorry that you can relate, but Im glad that we aren't alone in this, we will get through it!
@sepsomeone We will it can be so hard
@ambermayx For sure
You should sit with uncomfortable feelings, but you shouldn't suddenly do this. If you can, use therapy. If not, you should learn about not engaging with your mind. They are just thoughts. Learn to be an observer, and then allow your feelings to come up and let them go later. Do the opposite of your OCD. You can educate yourself and then start ERP. If you're still not ready, you can use a wet cloth and a little soap, or even just a clean and dry cloth, to clean the book that they touched. Later, tell yourself that it's okay, whatever feelings you have about them, and let the emotions go. Doesn't need to buy a new book and shouldn't at least give you a little resistance in front of your OCD, but not buying again or throwing out.Remember, you have to break the cycle of OCD; otherwise, it will become harder and create new rules. Cleaning is only temporary relief.
Thank you very much, I actually used to take thetaphy but I left now I go to my phsychiatrist once a month. Im taking medicines and I hope they will help too. I know thoughts doesnt have to be the reality but something I just cant help but overthink it. Ill try my best. I was diagnosed with ocd maybe a year ago or not sure. That is true its a temporary relief... Ill seek for more advices by explaining my situation more detailed to my therapist. Thank you for your message I appreciate it
@sepsomeone You're welcome. I have contamination OCD too. Also, try meditation; it is very helpful. If you are a fan of reading books "Letting Go" by Dr. David Hawkins is great. Also, "From Stuck to Unstuck" by Matt Codde is for OCD. It is also important for your therapist to be a specialist. Wish you success on your journey
@Anonymous here Ill make sure to check them out, and Ill try meditation. Thank you and I wish you the best with your journey as well, we will succeed :)
@sepsomeone Thanks. Yes, we have to believe in ourselves, have hope, and never give up.
@Anonymous here Exactly ❤️
I even feel like my stuff are emotionally contaminated from what I avoided mentioning,
I’m losing it completely, I’ve never had a flare up like this with contamination. I’m so burnt out seriously , I feel like I’m going insane. My hands are cracking and bleeding from washing them and my family’s getting very tired of me , they think I should go stay in a hospital or something for a while because of how bad it is. OCD as taken away my relationships with people , I can’t sit on the couch anymore with my family , I can’t hug my dog anymore , I can’t relax ever. I just needed to write this down as I really can’t process my feelings right now as I have too many thoughts , any advice?
I have contamination OCD that causes me to excessively wash my hands/clean items with disinfectant wipes. I know I just need to start with small exposures but how do I do that without spiraling? I tried a while back by just touching the outside of my dishwasher and not washing my hands after and it led to me being unable to even exist in my house. I basically lived on my couch for three weeks as it was the only 'safe' space that I had not touched with my dirty hands. I had to take a week off work to clean my house to make it somewhat liveable. I still haven't got round to cleaning everything though so things like my kitchen are still no-go zones that I don't enter. I just don't know how to start ERP without it making everything worse. Any advice would be appreciated. I am not seeing a therapist at the moment due to financial constraints.
back in october i made my first post about my specific type of ocd, how it mixes in with my day to day and how i “deal” with it. i talked about the starting point, how it gradually got worse, and then how it was going just a few months ago. i always think it’s insane how much can change in just the course of a small to a large amount of time. right now, i honestly feel like garbage. to be quite sincere i really want to give up, i’m barely holding on by a thread. and if i cut that thread, i really doubt anyone would care. i’ve never considered myself to be a suicidal person, and i still don’t consider myself that right now. it just gets to a point where it’s just, a lot to deal with. i don’t really enjoy things a lot nowadays. sure i have good days like everyone does, like today, when i was just enjoying my day without worries. but then it all comes crawling back twice as bad the following days. i take online college so i’m usually just stuck at home most of the time. but, when i do decide to actually go out and leave my house, my ocd just explodes because i have this whole routine i need to do or else i feel like i’ll contaminate wherever i end up going. i’m not going to go really deep into my compulsions because it’s hard enough to live with them, much more having to type them all out in detail. but when i go out my compulsions go from wiping down all my stuff i’m going to use after showering, to washing my clothes/cleaning the washer + dryer. i also have separate things (or two of the same thing) i use specifically in my house, and items i use when going out. such as shampoo/body wash, deodorant, lotion, hair curler, etc. as if that’s not draining enough, i also feel the need to fast a couple days prior to any plan i make because i’ve forced myself to believe i need to feel empty in order to be clean. i’m not sure if that’s my past eating disorder talking, or my ocd, but my brain can’t help but think any food in my house is utterly and completely contaminated. i’m so tired of this feeling, feeling like nothing will ever be clean again. feeling like my ocd is trapped in my childhood home. feeling that wave of diseases rushing through my veins the moment i step foot into what’s supposed to be “home”. and i’m so scared of therapy because what if i do get healed, and then everything comes rushing back the second i step into my room. i’m planning on moving somewhere far from my current house in this next coming year, so sometimes i feel like just waiting it out. but it’s insufferable when going to hangout with someone. i miss my friends, my family, and my partner. it’s crazy to me that i’m dealing with all this at the young age of 18 but, i’m sure lots of people have it way worse. i just want to find a way out, any possible way. but i keep pushing myself deeper and deeper that when i finally find a way, it will no longer exist.
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