Sunflower 🌻
- Date posted
- 5y
CMomCMom
- Date posted
- 5y
I’m new here, too, but it’s my teenage daughter who suffers from contamination OCD, and I’m looking for information and ways to help her. She’s suffered for the past five years (at least that’s when she was officially diagnosed), and has been in therapy since then. Trying medications for the past year, but haven’t landed on one that works for her. It kills me to see her so low and suffering every day. I’m so sorry you’re all going through this, and I hope you have some support at home.
Lark G.Lark G.
- Date posted
- 5y
Hi Cath. I was told ERP is the best solution for contamination ocd but I’ve been struggling. When I was in my younger teen years I struggled with it too but didn’t know to get help or even talk about it so it’s great you are helping her.
Lark G.Lark G.
- Date posted
- 5y
Washie. Great points. When I cut down on sugars and carbs I find my ocd decreasing but I don’t know if that is a coincidence. Sadly I’ve been consuming a lot of both lately b
washie washie
- Date posted
- 5y
Lark: I know, it's hard to keep strict diets going, even if it works. I've tried a few for a week or so (that's how long my diet motivation lasts?) If I find something that works 100%, I would stick to it. But if not, it's not easy to have ocd AND lots of diet restrictions. I need some comfort eating now and then :) But cutting down on sugar is always a good idea. I did some reading on a "Low glutamate" diet as well, but it's so restrictive and it just seems to be in "everything". Btw, I'm also going through a really bad ocd period right now, do you think wintertime could be worsening it? Days with less sunlight affect serotonin, and that's already a problem with ocd so.. ?♀️
washie washie
- Date posted
- 5y
Same ocd and same goal here :)
Lark G.Lark G.
- Date posted
- 5y
Same! This has been a rough week and I couldn’t leave the house this weekend. I’m so afraid to go back to school and my job and I’m breaking down in tears.
washie washie
- Date posted
- 5y
Cath: Hello & welcome to the app! :) Like Lark, I am struggling with ERP too, so at the moment I'm looking into supplements/diets to help. I've also seen some research pointing to elevated glutamate as a potential contributing factor in ocd. I am sorry you are going through this as well. I know ocd is hard to deal with, both for the person who has it and also for family. I hope your daughter finds the right therapy/medication and starts seeing some progress soon. Wish you the best of luck! :)
Lark G.Lark G.
- Date posted
- 5y
Yes! For sure wintertime doesn’t help but summer aggravates it for me lol. I heard exercise and gym helps a lot too but I work and go to school so time is an issue and also gym is my trigger so gyms add an hour to my contamination rituals. It’s so hard. I’m curious about glutamate and will read about that.
Lark G.Lark G.
- Date posted
- 5y
Oh my!! I eat a LOT of glutamate heavy foods. Oh my!!
washie washie
- Date posted
- 5y
Yeah, mine is pretty bad all year round too, so I dont know how much I can really blame on winter haha. If you Google ocd and glutamate, the connection is explained well. I try to focus on just cutting down on the high glutamate foods, I feel like that's restrictive already. So I'm counting on magnesium + b6 (to hopefully boost serotonin) and just eating healthy in general. Guided meditation is also great, but I always fall asleep lol
Related posts
mary.94
- Date posted
- 18w
Hi, I’m new and wanted to make some friends w/OCD!
I’m 19 and struggle with health anxiety, contamination, harm, and magical thinking OCD and would love to meet people with similar experiences and hardships because I have never had an opportunity for such a supportive community!
Emeee
- Date posted
- 13w
Just starting here
Im new here so im not exactly sure what im supposed to be doing but my therapist recommended that I start using this platform. I have had OCD my whole life as does my mom and her parents, but I never had a formal diagnosis until about 5 years ago. Recently my OCD has been absolutely taking over my life and it is just so mentally exhausting. I know there’s nothing “wrong” with me but I really wish that I just didn’t have OCD. I really just want to be able to exist without all of these obsessions. I’ve seen a few posts from people just talking about experiences so if anyone has any tips on how best to use the platform that would be great! On a funnier note - I’m pretty open about my OCD and I mention it to a coworker and there response was “Do you really have that or is that just something you say”. And my response was oh yeah no I really have it and it really impacts every minute of everyday in my life and they were just like 😶
Sierra01
- Date posted
- 11w
My first post
Hello! I’m new here. Unfortunately I’m not able to afford a therapist but I’ve been doing a lot of research and I think a lot of my symptoms/thoughts align with OCD. I want to share some of what I experience and see if anyone else experiences the same and what resources helped you. I think I mostly experience contamination OCD. I’m constantly worried that something I do/touch is going to make me really sick and/or die. Especially with food, I’m constantly worried that I’ll accidentally have something on my hands when I eat, then I’ll touch the food and get that on the food, eat it and get sick. So I’ll wash my hands every time my hands touch any little tiny thing again and again before I eat, same with any forks/spoons, or I’ll even think I touched cleaner a few hours ago and I’ve washed my hands several times since then and I just washed them again but they still feel dirty so even if impractical I’ll use a fork and if my hands touch the part of the fork that touches the food then I can’t eat the food any longer or use that fork. Also at work I have these thoughts that I know are ridiculous but also give me very real anxiety. Like “if I don’t finish this order before that machine beeps its a sign I’m going to die” and then I have to rush to make sure I finish fast and then I’ll be like ok that’s so stressful I’m not going to think like that any more it’s ridiculous but then the thoughts keep coming back so I have to keep rushing. This is just a little tad bit of what I experience and I would love to hear from others as I haven’t met anyone else like me before. Thank you!
Be a part of the largest OCD Community
Share your thoughts so the Community can respond