Good evening, Does anyone has good tips on how to manage the handwashing because I try some many ways but I still manage to backfired. My problem is I don’t count right so I have to constantly start over
Think about this: experts recommend washing your hands for the duration it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice, which is about 20 seconds. This effectively removes 99.9% of germs. Achieving 100% germ elimination is impossible. let's say you wind up with 0.1% possibility of germs. So you think I will wash more to get to lesser percentage. Problem is, by you doing so, you damage the skin, increasing infection risk. So basically the remaining 0.01% have now far greater possibility to infect, because you eliminate the first line of defense against germs, which is your skin. Therefore, washing for the recommended time is optimal for hygiene without harming your skin is the safer way. Got it?
@hanysm@gmail.com Thank you.
@hanysm@gmail.com Any other methods that also works too
@Lisa_1698 Use time instead of counting. 20 seconds max.
@hanysm@gmail.com Thank you
This is one of my compulsions. Even if I count out loud, I somehow catch myself skipping a number and I have to start all over.
If you're dealing with contamination OCD, consider using a watch or alarm clock to help time your activities initially. Over time, your internal clock will adjust, and you may find you no longer need the timer. This approach can be useful for showering and bathing as well. It's also important to pay attention to how frequently you wash. Allow your skin enough time to rebuild its outer layer, the epidermis, between washes. This usually takes a few hours. Only wash again if there's a specific reason, such as using the bathroom or if you notice VISIBLE dirt. These should be rare exceptions. Even in these cases, try to keep washing under 20 seconds unless it's an extreme situation.
Does anyone have any tips that helped them? Mine is due to a specific person and I work with them so it’s been really difficult. I’ve started ERP which has been reaaalllllly challenging and I would love to hear from anyone else that has gone through any type of contamination ocd and how they have overcome or are fighting their way through it. Thank you!l
Do any of you avoid cleaning because it makes you more anxious? I haven’t worn any makeup on in awhile except for my eyelashes and lipgloss , but after keeping them in my makeup bag for too long I get scared. I dropped these Bobby pins on the floor the other day in my bathroom and mind u I haven’t done a full bathroom clean since I left for Florida on the 6th and I came back the 13th. The Bobby pins were still clipped on the paper package (if that makes sense) and I didn’t touch the floor fully but the side of my finger touched the floor. I don’t think I immediately washed my hands after but eventually I did. I ended up getting some lipliner from my makeup bag and I purposely didn’t overwash my hands bc I’m trying to be better about not excessively washing them. I feel like touching the floor and not washing my hands right away caused a flare up. I do wanna put on a full face of makeup but I’m scared that I’ll get a wart or an infection on my face. I know I’ve talked about this numerous amounts of times but I had a wart the first week of February and sometimes I feel like the virus is still on the floor. I haven’t soft scrubbed the floor but I’ve used a lot of Clorox wipes to wipe the floor. Like I said though, I haven’t washed my floors since Florida and I think it’s just anxiety. I’m trying to let my mind settle and doing the “maybe or maybe not methods.” I just feel like that wart on my foot traumatized me. I wanna empty all my makeup out … like all the brushes and even the bag. I know it’s such a waste of money but there are times I’ll go buy the same makeup brushes bc I’m scared to get it contaminated. Ugh and when I fo go out and buy them my ocd kinda flares bc then it’s saying “maybe someone returned this makeup brush and used it and your gonna get a wart that way too.” 😣 It’s like I can’t win. And then I think to myself, “am I gonna get punished or will something happen to me if I do get a new brush?” 😞 it’s very exhausting! Please any advice would help!
does anyone else just count for no reason? like their steps or how many times they move. just a few minutes ago i was scratching an itch on my leg and and caught myself counting how many times i scratched😂😂 and recently i’ve just been counting to ten randomly just in my head it’s so random or if i catch myself tapping on something i tap ten times. i got rid of it kind of like i used to do things 37 times or 3 times or 7 times 😂 3 and 7 or just the number 37 was the number for about like 10 months it was BAD. and i also have to turn on a light switch the right way but i don’t know what the right way is tho and it never feels right so i have to literally stop myself and walk away but i usually end up coming back cs ill think about like an hour from then and how ill have this weight on me because i didn’t turn the light switch the right way or the right amount of times but then i literally usually always forget about it so like idk am i weird orrrr does anyone else do thissss 😬😬😬😬
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