I touched a GIANT SLIMY SNOT yesterday on the work printer (it stick to my documents and I didn’t see it till it stuck to my hand) I washed excessively yesterday, showered etc and this morning I disinfected my desk and washed my hands more I had to use the printer again today now I feel like o have undone it all and I need to wash everything again How do I deal with this?

Use the printer! Dont let yourself avoid it....it will only make it worse. You will feel a spike in anxiety...but do NOT avoid the printer.

Okay went straight to town and bought some new stuff to wear I went straight from work. I have washed my hands loads today but I was tempted to wash them again before I left the work building and avoid touching my phone until after buying stuff because I see my phone as contaminated by putting it on my desk through the day I didn’t wash them I just left and I had my phone in my hand I also ended up walking past some grubby looking man, some unidentifiable liquid on the floor and also served by someone I’d rather not be ha But I managed it. And I bought a bottle of water and unscrewed the top without washing Baby steps haha

Also do NOT shower as soon as you get home,or buy new clothes. I used to throw clothes away too when I felt like they were contaminated. Imagine if everyone threw their clothes away! All that money wasted. You need to sit with the anxiety. This is a good opportunity for exposure response Therapy. You will feel intense anxiety....but eventually it will fade. Could take a minute...could take the rest of your evening.

You got this!

Use the printer, and do your absolute best to avoid performing compulsions. It's hard, I know. You can do it!

Just remember to breathe...

I can relate to this. Similar things happen to me but Even sitting with anxiety it does not go way. For example. Blood is my trigger. I saw blood on the floor and I know I didn’t step on it but I have sat with the anxiety for almost a year now and I can still not wear my shoe. Same thing happened last week and I wanna throw away my shoe so bad. I know even if I don’t do that it will last many months without the anxiety and contaminated feeling going away. They say erp helps by letting you sit with the anxiety but I sit with it everyday and it doesn’t help even one year later. Any tips?