Does anyone worry that if you've been I. A restaurant that the seat you sat on my have had corona and transfered to your clothes so you bring it home? I'm trying to do ERP with not changing my clothes but finding it difficult. I've agreed with myself that if I'm in a bar or something all day or have been in a few places that day I'll change my clothes and if I've just been to families houses etc or one place in that day I won't change my clothes.

Contamination OCD

Estrid

Date posted: 4y

Follow the guidelines, I havent heard anything about changing clothes and I think you shall try to make it an exposure.

sierra nevada

Date posted: 4y

Good question... sometimes I'll do whatever my brain is telling me will make me safe, as long as it doesn't interfere much in my life. Sometimes I try to get myself to accept that the thing I'm scared of may happen but I try to reason based on science why it's unlikely. I've spent a lot of time learning random health stuff based on whatever disease I'm convinced I currently have. I've used this technique more for harm OCD, but a therapist taught me to imagine a stream with leaves floating down it and put my distressing thought on a leaf and watch it float away. It sounds kind of dumb but I think it's a type of ACT and has helped me a lot

catattak

Date posted: 4y

Studies have shown that fomite transmission is not the main way this spreads. Inhaling it is the real problem. That said, I change my clothes but I have contamination ocd haha

Rosie38

Date posted: 4y

Lol see that's the thing, I know these guideline but can't help but think that it still might and I don't want to end up washing my hands 18919928299128 times in my own home. But I'm gonna have to take that risk as my partner will not change her clothes

Estrid

Date posted: 4y

@Rosie38 Sometimes it can help you to think that the "but can't help but think..." is the OCD speaking. You are not supposed to follow that voice. I know hard it is but you can do it.

Rosie38

Date posted: 4y

@Estrid Thank you, I have to me more aware of what an ocd thought is and follow my partner in what she does as she wants to keep safe as much as I do I guess

Estrid

Date posted: 4y

@Rosie38 😊👍

Alyosha

Date posted: 4y

That’s a great goal! I’d say try your best to stick to the boundaries you already set for when to change and when not to and just see what happens.

WhatATripp

Date posted: 4y

How did you do with this today?

Rosie38

Date posted: 4y

I did OK. I went out a walk and came home and didn't change my clothes. But that was an esyone as I didn't touch anything or sit down anywhere. But my partner came down the stairs in jeans that she wore outside and had sat down places etc and that triggered me. I started to feel Anxious and started to ruminate. My partner started saying something to me but I couldn't respond as I was ruminating but she got pissed off and that snapped me out of it, I then rolled a small cbd joint and that calmed me down and I just got on with things. The thoughts and the discomfort popped up and I debunked the thought in my head but ultimately I rode it out. Though these are esy ones. I hope the next time with harder things I can do the same. I have to say though I'm not myself at the minute and that's hard as I'm quite flat and distracted and no interest in sex which is really hard for my partner. To be fair to me though it was the 1yr anniversary of my mum's passing yesterday.

sierra nevada

Date posted: 4y

I haven't worried about that for covid but definitely have in other situations in the past

Rosie38

Date posted: 4y

And how do you deal with that?

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