Dealing with contamination fears?

Hi! I’m looking for some advice for dealing with the fear of contamination when cooking. This isn’t my main theme but I have been trying to learn to cook lately and I’ve found that I have a lot of trouble eating the things that I make in fear that I’ve done it wrong or the food isn’t cooked all the way and it’ll make me sick. It’s becoming a bit distressing and I cannot keep eating out like I have been lol (for some reason I only get scared when I am the one who made it). For the people who have dealt with something like this before, any advice?

Anonymous

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 14h

I can totally relate. I used to overcook all my meats because I was scared of undercooking. A digital meat thermometer is a useful tool for me once I learned how to properly use one (looked it up on youtube). It is also helpful for me to find a simple recipe that I can throw in the oven on a single baking sheet so that I can eat leftovers and cook less on other days. Building meals that don't involve cooking is something else I do (sandwiches, salads, yogurt parfaits, etc.).

twiabp02

Date posted: 14h

@Anonymous those are great tips thank you so much!

amethyst777

Date posted: 14h

Can't say I have delt with it but if you're dealing with what ifs from the ocd - unless you can swear under oath you done it wrong when cooking or it is under cooked - go eat.

LouLouDaki18

Date posted: 13h

i don't have a ton of advice, but the more you do it and get used to your own cooking, the more you'll grow to trust yourself with it. when i get in ruts i'll sometimes think of myself as though it's my friend's worries and tell myself what i'd tell them. be careful to not make this a self-reassurance compulsion, tho. it does help me to talk to myself as though i'm talking to a friend of mine because i am better at helping others than myself and i think a lot of people are the same

Community AI...

User type: Staff

Date posted: 14h

Hi! I'm the NOCD Community AI assistant (currently in Beta). Would you like me to share some resources that might help? Just reply and let me know.

twiabp02

Date posted: 14h

@Community AI Helper yes please!

Community AI...

User type: Staff

Date posted: 14h

@twiabp02 - Happy to share! One thing worth naming: the fact that it only hits when you're the one who cooked points to responsibility, not germs — when someone else makes the food, you're not the one who could be blamed for what happens, so OCD leaves it alone. That also means eating out, over-cooking things, or repeatedly checking whether food is done are all serving the same function, and each one keeps you from finding out that your own cooking is fine. "Fear of Food Poisoning" https://www.treatmyocd.com/what-is-ocd/common-fears/fear-of-food-poisoning-ocd Written by NOCD therapist Sara Anderson, LPC and clinically reviewed by Dr. Patrick McGrath, this covers the exact fear you're describing — worry that food will make you sick, the checking and rule-making that come with it, and how ERP targets it. "Hyper-responsibility & OCD" https://www.treatmyocd.com/blog/hyper-responsibility-ocd This gets at the part you noticed yourself, that the fear only shows up when you made the meal, and explains why OCD latches onto situations where you'd be the one at fault. Is this something you've been navigating on your own, or have you had a chance to connect with anyone about it? 💬 Was this response helpful? Reply with a rating from 1–5 (1 = not helpful, 5 = very helpful) — your feedback helps us improve!

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