Hi all, I'm currently struggling with getting my hand washing under control. I have a rather intense fear of illness (due to nearly dying at 11) and as cold season approaches, my washing gets to the point of cracked bleeding hands. Any advice on how to approach this? I am also in therapy however would like to ask you all just incase!

I like your idea of following the surgeon approach. Hadn't heard about it before myself!

I have to disagree with using the surgeon's method (unless you are actually performing surgery). I am sure the commenter meant well but I have been dealing with hand washing compulsions off and on since I was 6 years old. My hands frequently bleed from washing too much. I even had my dermalogist tell me to STOP because I was going to end up getting an infection from the broken skin. When you feel the urge to constantly wash your hands even though

*youve already thoroughly washed them, let the thought exist but resist the compulsion. Tell yourself it's just your OCD talking and try to resist the compulsion. It's much easier said than done - trust me I struggle with it constantly. Ocd will get weaker when you accept that your fear is coming from your OCD and then resisting the compulsion. It's so hard, I know. Hang in there and know you're not alone. Also, aquaphor helps!

My suggestion was more something to start with – sorry if that was unclear. It was meant to help you get the compulsions themselves under control and to limit them; it isn't a permanent solution by any means. It's somewhere to start until you can make progress in therapy. OCD treatment usually starts with little steps – my compulsions are routine-based, and my treatment began with helping my compulsion to wear only certain articles of clothing to bed. It began with me changing my ankle socks to tube socks.

I don't want to sound critical but I also have OCD- hand washing issues and I don't even wash for 3-5 minutes. That is way to long. And frankly, the suggestion is a tiny bit triggering to some with that OCD. There is a reason surgeons wash that long but we are not all surgeons. I can assure you, no amount of hand washing will protect you from ever getting the flu again. It's not like you can avoid that. I mean you can...if you live in a bubble but that's no fun. I've had the stomach flu so often I'm building an immunity. And I wash my hands and I still happen to get it. It is unavoidable but you can't live in a bubble. But I do agree that it would be very hard to cut out hand washing cold turkey. You can start by lessening the length of time. Or if you feel the need to wash when you really know it's an OCD compulsion, delay the compulsion for a little bit. It's hard and something I struggle with too, but it's possible! Talk to your therapist. I hope they are knowledgeable of ERP and how to help you fight through this urge!