- Username
- Lark G.
- Date posted
- 5y ago
NO STOP COMPULSION!! antibacterial etc is most worse.. You must resist to compulsion no feet them!
Sorry Zilen, I’m not a professional, that is just how I deal with mine. I prefer to use methods like this than filling my body with a bunch of medications. It is still important to know more about how bacteria works, in my opinion, because it gives me a more rational argument against my COCD. Of course a professional would have better suggestions in coping mentally, but it is not always immediate and little things like this help me get through bad days.
I had this compulsion no anymore help me a book and my psychologist.. You must stand with anxiety no compulsions
Thanks both. To clarify I’m not looking for compulsion tips, I’m looking for ways to be able to deal with the contamination uncertainty without over sanitizing. Some examples were letting the thoughts pass, focusing energy elsewhere etc.
Yes, of course psychological treatment is the best way to go, and I wasn’t saying my suggestions were a direct solution. I was just trying to share some things that help me cut down on shower time, which is what the original post was asking about. In no way did I ever mean these things to be a permanent solution, but it does make it easier for me while going through treatment. In no way am I professional and I struggle with this also, so I understand what you are saying. However, the OP does not need to take my suggestions into account if they do not believe it would be helpful for them. In my opinion, this is not something that should be continued as a long term solution. But, it is much better to do this on bad days than to break down and cry in the shower scrubbing my skin raw, wishing it all would stop. That was the only point I was trying to make and not everyone can get rid of compulsions as soon or as easily as you might have, or they may compound with other compulsions. For me, my COCD is a significant trigger for my HOCD which can be very dangerous.
You must think that OCD is worse from any bactirial, dirty etc.. And if you stand with anxiety in a few weeks it gone
Good luck
I always carry disinfectant wipes on me so I don’t have to touch doorknobs and stuff like that. They have smaller packages for on the go but you can also take some from a bigger container and keep them in a ziplock bag so they don’t dry out. I also carry a bottle of hand sanitizer for when I have to touch things I don’t want to. They have quite a few antibacterial body washes ranging from dial to hibiclens, which is a medical grade product. There is also an anti bacterial shampoo called Anti-B which could be really helpful for you as well. The important thing to remember with contamination ocd, for me atleast, is that germs/bacteria can be killed with good soap and warm water. It doesn’t need to be an excessive amount of water either, it is the temperature and rinse that kills it off. Another thing you could do is rinse with rubbing alcohol or something like that in the shower before you turn the water on but that can dry your skin out significantly and can be expensive, although I’m sure it is comparable to the water bill if I were to do the math. I would highly recommend investing in more anti bacterial and anti microbial products. another thing that always helps me is wearing long sleeves/pants when I can. Even if it is hot outside I will wear a maxi skirt or tights on my legs or a light cardigan/shawl over my arms to prevent me from bumping directly into other people/things in public. Hope this helps you out a little!
Also Lark, sorry for getting so off track, I just wanted to make my intentions clear. Have you tried relaxation techniques such as mindfulness and meditation? When I am really in a bad spot it can be hard to meditate on my own and clear all my thoughts so I use guided meditations on Spotify, there are tons if you just search ‘guided meditations’. If you don’t have Spotify there are tons on YouTube as well and some of them are visually aided which can be very helpful. A lot of Buddhist sites have other mindfulness techniques of many different types that can be very helpful including stretching, yoga, drawing/coloring, etc. I use this for almost everything from my ocd, and panic attacks to insomnia or even when I am mad at someone or stressed about work/bills whatever. It is a great reset during the day as they have ones that are as short as ten minutes or as long as an hour or so. I think of it as a little mini nap to kind of reboot my brain, so to speak. You should also look into using mandalas to meditate, especially if you obsess over balance/symmetry like I do, this is another Buddhist technique. Although I am not religious, and in no way am I trying to force a religion on to you, the principles of Buddhism focus around self awareness, mindfulness and finding peace in yourself. And who doesn’t want that after fighting a battle in your own brain every day?
I have hocd too. And wash feet it.. Break a cycle
I need help ugh
Hi everyone. First time here. I suffer from Contamination OCD. I have a good support group in friends, family, and my boyfriend, but I have not met anyone else with OCD and I needed to reach out to others to find help. I first got OCD when I was 17 (I am now 33) and was able to go into remission, but COVID brought it back. I was struggling at work (which was outside with the public). I found a therapist and she wrote me a doctor’s note suggesting I be allowed to work from home. My work was not accommodating at all and only offered me FMLA leave, so I took it as my only option and eventually got on Short Term Disability. The whole process took forever and was incredibly stressful. My leave was supposed to be a time of healing and it just made my OCD symptoms worse. My employer basically treated me as though I was trying to get out of work and proved to me that though they talk about the importance of mental health, they don’t take mental health seriously. I ended up having to leave my job “involuntarily due to health reasons” as they would not grant an extension nor let me return with any restrictions/accommodations. My therapist seemed good at first, but it became clear that she wasn’t really helping me. She would often use our sessions to vent about the insurance company and in one session, she basically called me a hopeless case and kept saying “I don’t know. I am concerned. I don’t know how you are going to be able to function” and threw out the word hospitalization, though she did backtrack on that one. I struggle everyday. I am worried that something from outside of the home touched something clean and is now contaminated. I need help working through this. I am constantly looking for reassurance, question if things are clean, wash my hands, use too many disinfectant wipes, and take showers upwards of 50-60 mins. I feel like my mind is being taken over by my OCD, I’m losing time, and it’s straining my relationship. For anyone who is struggling with contamination OCD brought on by COVID - any tips? My therapist never gave me anything specific to work on with this - to help me focus on something else. I am in the process of finding another therapist, but until then - any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
My therapist is getting on top of the way I wash my hands. Its really challenging. I am struggling with bad contamination OCD. It really takes up so much brain space. I would love to hear from other people how their journey is going.
Hey guys. So I just had a pretty big relapse in my ocd, the first one since I started going to therapy. At first it was hard to accept that I had gone back to old patterns, but I’m trying to look at it as a chance to do better for myself this time. A chance to handle it with compassion, kindness and regard for myself rather than the disgust and shame I felt during my first big ocd episode. Here are some things I’ve been doing that have helped: Epsom salt baths- what I’ve realized is that it doesn’t serve me to be anxious all the time. I need to calm my body down so I can feel hunger, and have moments of clarity. And these baths help a lot - the magnesium really helps relax and give you a moment to be comfortable in your body. Remember to eat and drink enough water. Right now, your mind is running wild and your body is responding as if it’s in fight or flight mode- make sure you’re taking care of yourself. Gratitude practice- I know that it can seem really hard to find the positive during a really intense OCD episode. But what I’ve found is that if I make the effort to recognize the good in my life, even if it’s as small as “I had the money to buy myself some epsom salts to take care of myself” or “I’m grateful for that sunset I just saw” has helped me keep my spirits more alive even if my brain wants to pull me into rumination. Crying - let yourself have a release. One thing I like to do is imagine my mom or an older version of myself coming in the room and comforting me. It helps to imagine what you would say to a loved one that just had the day you had. For example: if my head really hurts from ruminating all day - I’ll take the time to drink water and take some medicine. Then I’ll think about what I would say to someone who dealt with the stress, anxiety, and rumination that I just had that day. Well a lot of times (and we want to stay away from reassurance with this) I’ll say to myself “I can’t tell you whether or not your obsessions are true. But I can tell you that I love you and I’m here for you no matter what.” And I find this is a great way of reinforcing your relationship with self as you learn to trust your ability to navigate difficult flare ups. Holding your own hand, being the support you need, can make the world of a difference. Doing exposures in real life. I’ve found that doing exposures have made me feel empowered again, even if that only lasts for a little bit. I’ve found that not planning exposures as much and just going about my life saying “Right now, what would I do if I didn’t have ocd?” Or being spontaneous anyways even if it feels uncomfortable has helped. Look objectively at your day. Are you spending two hours laying in bed in the morning before you get up? Maybe eliminating that or paring it down intentionally will help you reduce rumination. Taking supplements - fish oil, b6 vitamin, vitamin c, vitamin d are all ones I take every day and help keep my immune system up and my brain functioning a bit better. Keep a feelings journal. Staying in touch with your emotions is really important. I’ve found it to really help me break out of ocd as I can say to it “I hear you, OCD. But my inner child is really sad right now, and I’m going to direct my attention towards her rather than engage in rumination.” At the end of the day we can’t help what our brains might want to do. They might want to ruminate, mentally review, make us afraid and anxious and have irrational doubts. But we can control the ways that we treat ourselves, and what we direct our attention towards. May we direct our attention towards the good in our lives, towards care and love and moments of peace, because that will start to being more of that in. You know what they say “What you focus on gets bigger”. And I would say that especially if you are dealing with ocd - you deserve even more love and compassion - and hopefully I’ve been able to give you some tips that might help foster that as well. Feel free to add your own methods of dealing with OCD below. And hey, to anyone struggling through their own relapse right now - I get it. It sucks. But it’s also within your control to make it better - and I believe in you. I’m so proud of anyone out there fighting ocd right now. Fighting for the big, beautiful life that you deserve. Stay strong ❤️ You can do this.
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