Sleeping with a baby blanket

I have been sleeping with the same blanket all of my life(I am now in my mid 20’s). Once my contamination OCD developed I began to use it as a sort of “air filter” that I would put over my mouth and nose when sleeping. I can’t tell if it is the sensory aspect of the blanket that I am attached to, or the fact that it is now affiliated with my compulsions, but I cannot sleep without it. I recently moved in with my boyfriend, meaning we now share a bed. My bed has always been a safe space for me, so opening it up to another person was hard in itself, and the idea of getting rid of the baby blanket seemed too daunting to fathom. I am so embarrassed and terrified of living the rest of my life relying on a baby blanket to sleep. I feel so stuck and any advice would help.

Carly :)

Date posted: 11h

Hi so, I definitely wouldn’t feel shame about this. I just turned 30 and I sleep with both mama bear and cherry my stuffed animals I have had since I was a baby.. even with my serious boyfriend ill grabbing my teddy bear as we drifted off. I honestly think it’s like hot girl behavior lol. I know that sounds so silly for me to say that, but a lot of my male friends say that allot of women have stuffed animals or blankets that they sleep with from when they were young. I think it’s a nice form of comfort.. I feel like maybe your ocd grabbing on more of the fear of being judged rather than your attachment with the object. And your ocd is disguising it as a problem or weird so you are less likely to get hurt. It sounds like your have a new reality shift living with someone else. Change is scary and your brain is probably on high alert and OCD wants us to live in extremes. So that we are certain of the outcome. That’s your bed too now and it’s ok to have a create comfort 💗 Like an example of an extreme would be if you’re taking your baby blanket to the mall and breathing in to it for support. that’s an exposure you’ll need to confront with your therapist. But from what you said it just sounds like its away to comfort you to sleep :)

Carly :)

Date posted: 11h

Also maybe run an exposure of just hugging the baby blanket while you sleep. The filter definitely needs to be avoided if you can and trust the space your in. So maybe not getting rid of the blanket and just hugging it is the exposure. The blanket isn’t bad it’s your fear of the germs.

Nicole T

Date posted: 10h

Hi, I think it's perfectly fine to sleep with a baby blanket if it helps. I have a few stuffed animals that I've had since I was a baby. I agree with what @Carly said. I also think it would be a good exposure to try just hugging the blanket.

ebpink

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 10h

I’m 32 and I sleep with a plushy that my fiancé bought me when we first started dating, and I just bought a large squishmallow which he likes to use sometimes, and I even bought a little pink blanket because I wanted something else comforting. My fiancé loves anything that makes me feel safe and comforted and I don’t think it’s anything to be ashamed or embarrassed about, no matter how old you are ☺️

PurpleRain91

Date posted: 10h

I'm 35, been engaged and in a few other relationships with my baby blanket. Had it since I was born too. It's because we experienced some kind of trauma when we were younger as kids.

RoxyEno

Date posted: 7h

I am almost 33 and I sleep with my baby blanket in my bed and I have to check and make sure my plush spider is where he is supposed to be

Be a part of the largest OCD Community

Share your thoughts so the Community can respond