Contamination OCD - Community

I hate feeling contaminated, food makes me feel contaminated not necessarily that the food is poisoned but just the feeling of eating food and having food in my stomach feels so terrible and gross like my whole body is dirty Also breathing and air makes me feel Contaminated but you have to breath. But it's feels so bad. Also my shirt sleeves have wholes in them from using them instead of using my Hands so now they also feel contaminated and like they aren't working properly. Also it's allergy season so everyone is coughing And that is super triggering

I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel for me. How will I ever get over these fears if I’m terrified to do ERP because the fears are so real!? I want my life back and I’m tired of avoiding things and people.

Hi Everyone, I had a quick question and I’m looking to see if someone in this community might be able to help. I added a trigger warning because I wanted to be sensitive to the community, though I don’t believe there’s anything that could be too triggering here hopefully. My girlfriend is diagnosed with OCD. We’ve lived together for 6 months and it hasn’t been the easiest, though, I’m trying my best to make it work because I truly do love this person. She will constantly ask me for small favors which include: - grabbing food for her while she stays on the couch to not have to clean her feet or take her socks off before walking on the ground. - having me washing the clothes all the time, because she feels that I use overall less amounts of cleaning products therefore it’s less intoxicating for her. - getting up to get alcohol wipes because her dog licked her hand and she thinks her dog’s mouth is dirty - get up to wipe my dogs butt after she poops because it could be dirty. These are all small examples, however they will happen constantly. I try my best to not let them bother me, however, I’d like to think that any person would be bother if they were asked to do something and they had to drop what they were doing in that moment or risk their partners getting triggered. I understand that sometimes she will need help, and truly I don’t mind doing most things for her, however, often times her “asking” me for things comes out in a very demanding way. She will often times demand for things to be done without asking “please” or kindly. This bothers me and I’ve expressed this to her. Tonight, she told me that she wanted to have certain pants washed so she could use them tomorrow. To which I responded kindly, “yeah that’s great I’m sure you can get them washed by tonight”. Her response, “I wanted you to wash them”. I responded by saying, “can you wash them yourself this time?” She then proceeded to getting upset and putting them to wash. In all honesty, I would have been 1000% more inclined to do it for her without any “buts”, however, it was the way she asked or rather told me. If she had just asked “hey do you think you could please do this, or do that for me?”, I wouldn’t even care at all. So the big question, tonight she claimed that her OCD is what isn’t allowing her to say “please” or ask kindly for favors. I understand in “triggered” stages that could be more common and I wouldn’t expect someone to take their time to ask for things nicely when they are triggered or panicking. However, for simple favors in order to avoid them going through certain routine OCD rituals (hand washing, cleaning, etc) is it normal or common for someone with OCD to just simply not be able to say PLEASE or ask nicely if I’m doing a favor for them? I was raised in a household where asking politely and showing others respect is a must. I’ve explained this however, she claims that she isn’t capable of doing this because of her OCD. Is this a real or known thing? I appreciate any feedback, insight or support with this matter. I truly don’t mind doing 100% of the things in the house, my only request is that I’m asked respectfully or politely to do them. Is this asking for too much?

I had undiagnosed OCD for a while but have only started the journey of being open about it and now I'm going to therapy for it. My family really don't understand why I get so anxious about things that I don't 'need' to be anxious about and I find it hard to explain to them because I know my fears and intrusive thoughts are irrational but I do still get nervous by them. How did you explain having OCD to friends or family?

I feel like working on my contamination OCD isn't worth it anymore, given the current state of the world. I really wish I got help before 2020, when it seemed somewhat possible. People are becoming even more selfish with covid, and mandates and restrictions are basically gone. The virus is still rapidly spreading. I can't leave the house without having panic attacks and feeling like I'm covered in germs. The (vaccinated) people I live with took the pandemic seriously until things started "becoming normal" again. Every day, I feel like someone is going to bring home the virus and I am going to become severely sick, even though I managed to push myself to get vaccinated and boosted (which was a whole other OCD battle). I was like this before with germs and diseases, but with the conformation of a potentially deadly virus existing, it has amplified every element of my OCD.

Developed contamination OCD once pandemic started. I’m still cleaning groceries, quarantining items, changing clothes, showering, excessively washing hands, etc. Its gotten to the point where I avoid leaving my house because of the rituals I have to go through to disinfect myself. Looking for support from people who were able to get back to normal or making progress. Anyone successfully unlearn the things that we were told to do at the beginning of the pandemic that are no longer necessary?

Hi All, I’m new to NOCD and any kind of online forums, this is my first post ever, so please be kind! I’m looking to see if anyone has any advice on struggling with OCD, particularly contamination focused, and struggle with lack of control, and dealing with living a partner and their dogs. I have struggled with OCD for as long as I can remember and moved in with my my now wife last year. Since we have been living together, I have found it incredibly difficult to manage my OCD in terms of not having full control of things and situations (which comes with living with a partner) and incredible anxiety around the dogs and how “dirty” and “contaminated” they make me feel. I struggle with dogs being all over the house, on the bed and on the sofa etc., and don’t feel I can cope or sit down anywhere through fear of where they have been, what they have been doing, and them making me feel “dirty”. Due to this I find I spend extended periods of time stuck in my office and my relationship with my wife id incredibly strained. Any help, advice, or support would be greatly received, thank you

Idk, whenever I’m trying to be happy, the ocd is like “you seem a little too happy why don’t we change that” and then something happens and now I have to worry about that

Does anyone else ever think or feel like they are touching something but they aren't even close to it? I get this with everything and constantly asking people to check im not touching it. I can see it with my own eyes but yet my mind still believes I'm touching it. It drives me up the wall

What’s self filtering in ocd?

Hey guys! Does anyone else’s ocd get better after their period up to ovulation where their mental health is doing well and the ocd thing isn’t fully on their mind it kind of moves to the back an goes quiet?

Hi everyone, looking for some advice. I have contamination OCD…as of the past few years I have a big fear of poop lol, mine and others and animals etc. No core fear that I can figure out. Funny thing is I work with kids with OCD too so I know how treatment works and have been in treatment myself before. I really want to go camping with my boyfriend but the thought of going to the bathroom outside is hard to deal with. Any suggestions for exposures? Thanks!

I went out and had so much fun with my friend but as soon as I get home the compulsions start again about being clean and all those things which makes me feel kinda sad like will I live worry free anymore?

thoughts of events from the past come back to me again and again as if they were real now... always the same ones. In some cases I am afraid of something that I don't remember if it happened but my mind has made it so real that now I doubt it. Any advice? Thank you!!

Trigger warning, contamination ocd, female anatomy, sex. Do u ever feel disgusted by your own body and how do you deal with it? Sometimes I feel like I can never be clean enough. If you're a person with a vulva you know there are a lot of "nooks and crannies" and I feel like I'm probably missing an area when I shower or that I'm not doing a good enough job. I feel disgusting and like if I am intimate with someone I'll probably gross them out. It doesn't help that when I was like 12 I got bacterial vaginosis because my mom never taught me how to properly clean myself (she was super repressed and old fashioned and barely taught me anything!) It was so embarrassing when i started having symptoms and she took me to the gynecologist and the gyno said I had bv from not properly washing. I have a lot of shame from that. I don't wanna let anyone go down on me because I'm afraid I might be dirty. I use a mirror to make sure I inspect everything down there and if I don't do that for a few weeks or months (and actually start to feel happy again) then I start to feel gross again and like I need to obsess over it again. But the thing is sometimes if I'm not obsessing, I *do* miss a spot. And so when I find that I am like, "see, thats why you need to obsess over it!"

I wonder Does anyone have transformation obsessions around here? Like something unknown wants to give you someone else's characteristics or turn you into someone (usually a person you don't like). Please text me, I would love to share experience, I've never met someone with the same problem as mine.

So I have contamination OCD. I work in a laboratory and use different chemicals. I ruminate alot if I did get chemicals on my clothes and spead to my loved ones. For example, I spilled some solution on my shoe. I did wipe it off my shoe and I did research and the solution does not look dangerous. But the what if is killing me from the inside. I am scared that, I did spread to my loved ones and doubt if the chemical is dangerous. I am even scared to touch the shoe, because it feels contaminated. If I touched it I start to wash my hands. And scared to wear it when I am close to them. It made very tired and the anxiety is killing me. I just wanted to vent and don't seek for reassurance. Also ERP looks so scary. Because the experience feels so real, I don't want to hurt my loved ones. But I think that's the only option.

Contamination ocd so bad I can barely leave my bed let alone my house. The floor in my whole house feels contaminated and I have to clean my feet with hand sanitizer every time I get into bed, even though I’m walking around in socks and slippers, so I really don’t have the will to get up and get myself food. I feel awful and hopeless.

does anyone else know the feeling of disgust or fear when they go into a crowed place. i feel i’m inhaling illnesses. what type of exposure is good for this.

Anyone else out there currently stuck inside the house or have had spells of being stuck indoors due to OCD?😔

MAJOR ED/EATING TRIGGER WARNING I think my OCD has given me an eating disorder but I don’t want to say it’s true (also not asking for people to diagnose me either, just wondering if people feel the same). I’ve researched a lot, but the most part seems to talk about weight, and that’s not the thing that I’m afraid of. I’ll put another warning here because I don’t want people to be triggered by what I’ll say. I won’t go into detail as again I don’t want to inadvertently distress someone but my contamination and health OCD makes it extremely hard to eat. I think I have an ED, but now I’m thinking it might be my OCD telling me that I have one. The thoughts are so confusing. What thoughts are mine? What thoughts are my OCD? Obviously something is wrong, because I know that I’m a terrible eater, plus every now and then I get dizzy and often feel like I’m going to pass out. Last time it happened was yesterday, I fell straight forward into a door, and it’s happened again today where my mum said I was extremely pale and I had to lay down just so I didn’t lose consciousness. I feel like it’s ironic how things like this is what my OCD tries to avoid, but it makes it happen anyway. I think it’s a mixture of extreme distress, anxiety, sleep deprivation, malnutrition; just all of the above that’s making it feel like my body is actively working against me. If I didn’t lay down just now, I would most likely be conked out on the floor. Don’t know what I even want to ask with this post. All my confused thoughts are distressing me and everything feels like it’s going wrong. It just feels as if I’m always going backwards and can’t manage on my own no matter the amount of help that I receive.

After two and a bit weeks trapped indoors due to OCD, I've now been outside twice in two days 😇 it took a week of building up to it and it's certainly not super comfortable but it's good to be fighting back.

Is cleaning OCD and unwanted thoughts OCD are related? A person who have cleaning ocd is it must that he is having unwanted thoughts also??

I was pretty sure i washed my hands after disinfecting the 7 doorknobs with clorox and toilet paper and was pretty sure I used gloves but now my brain is telling me that I didnt and all the germs from the doorknobs and toilet paper and all the grime were on my hands and that I touched and changed my clothes with those hands and touched other surfaces. It’s making me feel very guilty and like I need to shower again. And i was wondering since I have contamination ocd why on earth would I do such a thing but my brain tells me that I did that because I was vaping for the first time in a long time and it made my memory bad so that I forgot to wash my hands. Clorox was seeping through the toilet paper so if I was not wearing gloves then I dont know what would make me not wash my hands after I was done. But my brain is very convincing right now. My therapist told me not to shower again today. I feel like a bad person for not showering again and I really wanna put my blankets in the laundry bc I laid there after this whole thing. I really hope this is false memory but I will never know. I don’t want to spread covid by wearing clothes that I may have touched after touching 7 dirty doorknobs. Even if I put clorox on the tissues before wiping the knobs, not all of the tissue was covered in clorox and the dry parts were also touching parts of the knobs. I touched all of those tissues so if I really did not wash my hands then I don’t know how to get over this. Should I just wash my clothes, shower, and wash my sheets and blankets incase?

I have been on crisis mode for the past few days. Please share opinion if you can. I really need help on this. So as you are probably aware if you’ve seen my last posts, I was scared to touch my mom’s doorknob bc she is sick coughing and sneezing. I did an erp where I touched her room knobs and my room knobs and then rubbed it all over my covers and laid under them breathing in all the germs that I rubbed there. My biggest fear is spreading covid germs and being the reason that people die from it. I couldn’t take the guilt of doing the erp and the next day I asked my mom to do it thinking I can live with what I’ve done if my mom does it without feeling guilty. Instantly regretted it bc I made her use the main enterance doorknob. Which in my opinion is most contaminated of them all. So anyway, she did it and I felt twice as guilty to the point where I felt I needed to die. But my pastor talked me down. However, the next day I remembered that the day my mom did the exposure, she had to go into work using taxi and I had followed her because I had a hair appointment near her job. I had a funny feeling behind my nose as if I was coming down with a cold. But I still went. This is the part that I cannot get over. My biggest fear is killing people with covid and yet why did I go with my mom if I believed the risk of spreading the germs from the doorknobs would be doubled? I got tested for covid the next morning and thankfully I don’t have it. But why did I go to the city with my mom that day without being sure of anything?? Whether or not breathing germs from doorknob together will spread germs or whether or not my mom and I have covid? To be fair, my ocd has always made it seem like we are immune from covid and I can only give it to others outside my family. But why do I feel like I wasn’t thinking that way that day? And even if I was, what about the part where I believed my mom and I breathing in door knob germs could spread covid? And to make things worse, my boyfriend said he has a sore throat but I still went to see him that same day. Did I know in the back of my mind that it is just a regular cold? Or did I not care that whole night if I spread covid or not. I’m thinking that since (whether rational or not) I thought breathing the germs from the knobs and being with my mom increased the chance of spreading covid from the germs that got on us and in our lungs from the erp, I feel like I ignored that thought and went on the taxi anyway. My question is, why did I become so irresponsible and bad? I cannot forgive myself for this. It’s driving me insane and I’m once again feeling like dieing over it. No joke I am really questioning if I can continue my life. Completely depressed and sobbing. What is wrong with me. Did I snap? I wasn’t sure about anything and yet I did something so irresponsible. Twice! Going with my mom in taxi to manhattan and going on an uber to long island city to see my sick boyfriend. I can’t forgive myself. What do I do? I made my boyfriend also get a covid test. I did rapid and also a pcr. The negative result for some reason doesn’t even matter to me. Why am I so irresponsible all of a sudden? Why am I a bad person all of a sudden. And can I ever forgive myself?

Help I’m freaking out!! I saw dog poo around me on the street and I thought that I probably stepped on it but nothing actually stuck to my shoes so I went into my house as usual , and then thought maybe there was a trace of bacteria and it’s all round my carpet should I be worried

TRIGGER WARNING- suicidal thought mention! Specifically as a result of an OCD episode - Hey folks! I wanted to share that recently I have been recovering from a contamination OCD episode, and I am very proud of myself for surviving what happened. I realized looking at it as this “I can’t believe I got that bad” was only making me miserable, so, Instead I am telling myself, I am thankful I survived, and that I was able to call my therapist and have her help me. I was convinced I was contaminated, and my only option was to die, and she helped me come down from being convinced of that.

I have deal with mental illness since I was 9. I never had friends and I recently have to cut out things with almost every member of my family because they are horrible. And this past weeks I been feeling really alone, and I know it's a feeling that pass and that's true. But still there because I really don't have friends.

My room is so bad at the moment. I have no motivation to clean it or do anything about it but it’s disgusting. I’ve got rubbish and plates everywhere and I know that when I clean it it will be so much better and will make me feel better I just can’t do it. I also know that when I do clean it my ocd is going to make me freak out. Someone please give me some advice :) x

Tw: self harm So I self harm and have done for 4 years, I've tried to stop but it doesn't happen and recently I've found that before I do it I'm getting really paranoid about getting infections and I have to clean that I'm going to use, clean my skin and everything around me and I feel like it's normal to worry about getting an infection but is it normal to need to clean everything. I think it's connected to my ocd because there's other things that I worry about getting ill or infections from.

Hi! I was wondering if anyone has been successful with any OCD and depression medication that doesn’t make them gain weight and is considered weight neutral. I am on Luvox now and it’s not helping much. I have been on Zoloft but that ofc isn’t weight neutral. Please let me know! :)

My time of month coming up really messes with my mood and anxiousness, I've been trying not to wash my hands as frequent but find that I accidently do, the forgetting if I just did is what really affects my ability to say no to the ocd. It's really hitting me but gotta keep strong.

Am I the only one that be reading youtube comments, but then when I skip over a comment I have to read it again or say it out loud?

I keep washing my hands again and again and again. I touch things and don't stop until it's perfect. I am confused about my sexuality. I rethink things that I have done and sometimes I have to force myself to stop thinking that something bad will happen to those I love. I tell myself to be positive but at the end of the day I'm still not able to fight it. I tell myself tomorrow I will be different. It will all stop. Next day there I am repeating things and the worst feeling is when it's pulling me towards it even though I'm trying hard to fight back. It's never enough until it's perfect.

It has been a GOOD week for OCD in my household. I was able to cut showering back to once a day and hand washing down to only after I use the bathroom. I still have a long ways to go but I have had so much less to do these past few days. My intrusive thoughts are still there but I am finding myself being much better about ignoring them! If you’re at the end of your rope with OCD just know I was there just a few weeks ago and it WILL get easier.

A song I think really relates to ocd that is chill is everything is alright by motion city THAT ONE IS SPOT ON TRUST ME PLEASE CHECK THAT ONE OUT they literally talk about checking repetitively and counting as well as cleaning Another one I relate to ocd is making plans for Nigel by xtc That one feels like when the voices r in control rather than u n when the compulsions make u feel like things r good If u guys like heavy metal you should listen to ocd by suicide silence And look up the lyrics cuz it’s relatable to the emotions you feel with ocd

Anyone else trying to manage nursing school while suffering with OCD? I can’t imagine inserting a catheter on someone and you can guess why. I suffer from Pocd, harm ocd, and contamination ocd mainly so it makes nursing really tough. The nursing tasks are extremely distressing for me, like I can’t do them but I literally need to for my (future) job. 😭

Can anyone give tips on how to stop excessive hand washing? Any tips on how to ease into it or set a limit on how much to wash hands normally in a day?

Hello, I'm new here, I seriously can't keep going with perfectionism ocd. Everyday i start with my day 1 of recovery trying to do things to make my life better but when i reach day 2 or in rare cases i go till max day 4, i start getting thoughts and strong feelings that i didn't do day 1 "right" or didn't do a task "right" and I should start again to make it right. I can't even complete a week. What should i do now i have my university opening from this week and i don't know how will i study while battling these thoughts. How do i stop myself to starting over and over from day 1??

guys, today THE UNIVERSE was testing me. I went to the gynecologist (doctors scare me) and a woman SNEEZED in my direction!! she was without a mask and I was hit by the sneeze 🤢🤢 I tried to stay calm but almost passed out. I didn't go to the appointment, came home and took five showers. I think I'm still dirty 😖 conclusion: USE A MASK 😷

I just cannot fight anymore.

I have ocd and i was treated for hand washing and stuff but, i have started to notice intrusive thoughts of sexual images and things like that, i really don’t enjoy that and i’m not sure what to do about it. I thought my ocd had gone away but it just shifted to a new form. and these images are so random and not pleasurable at all, so now i am confusing attraction and intrusive thoughts and it’s really terrible

Hello all, new to the group. Today’s been a really hard day of suffering and I’m so glad that I just found this app.

I’ve been having this anxiety for a good couple months, before COVID-19 I never had contamination ocd or really worried of getting sick but since covid started I began to have anxiety of getting it and it just progressively got worse as the time when on I am cautious and use wipes when I touch things like doors and stuff and wear a mask, and I’m also vaccinated but if I get a stuffed nose or I will have a panic attack and not know it so my chest will tighten I will think it’s covid and I will begin to have shortness of breath. This has been an pretty much everyday occurrence and it’s so hard to get away from it when you see it on tv, phone, and apps. I just don’t know what to do it’s really stressful… I would love to hear advice from anyone or even similar situations I would greatly appreciate it!

My friend who has Contamination OCD just doesn't know how to cope. She cries, has had breakdowns, and has screamed out loud to herself to fight the paranoid OCD Fear. For example, if a thought comes in mind that says "There is mud on that", she will scream to herself "There's no mud on that" and after that will break down crying sometimes. ( She doesn't have paranoia about mud that's just to convey what she does) She's getting so frustrated and angry about her mental struggles with OCD. She feels more angry now, more bitter and like she just wants to give up so she can just be at peace and not suffer anymore. She just wants to be done with her OCD once and for all.

Help need some advice I was exposed on an outing with a gay person and I was freaking out still am bc of it and then I tried going in a store to distract me but then it happened again at that point I was so shaken up I was in shock and the fact I can't clean anything is horrible I don't want to go home bc that's my safe place and I don't want to contaminate it I know I'm not supposed to clean but I'm super uncomfortable😑🤧😰😭

I’m having bad anxiety. Today I’ve been anxious because I didn’t sleep much and just really busy with school. Then when my husband comes home, he was talking to his mom. Afterwards I asked what happened. Nd he didn’t really wanna tell me. But then he said how in gutamala, someone is doing witchcraft on like his brother. And I’m scared it’ll effect him and I and I am just so anxious and I feel like everything is contaminated with negative energy. I’m not even certain I believe in shit like that but I have felt like bad vibes before and that’s why I’m ugh maybe I do? My husband doesn’t believe in it. Idk but I’m trying to do my exposures like “maybe something bad will happen, maybe not”. But with any new exposure, it feels like hell. Any advice?

Just felt so attacked after spending a long time in the bathroom due to my contamination ocd. I took a long time but I'd assumed the rest of the family had all been to the toilet and gone to bed. I was almost done when 3 others came and started ranting about wanting to use the toilet which in turn caused me lots of anxiety and led to further ruminating. I just thought that I'm so considerate about others as I barely eat and drink to avoiding going toilet so others dont have to wait, but when they want to go they lack any sort of compassion for me and the excruciating mental pain I'm in. I really felt like crying but dont feel comfortable doing so in front of my family so I had to suck it up and take it. Any advice on how to recover when you have zero support?

How do I find a therapist that specializes in contamination ocd?

Contamination ocd with mold.. found some white spots inside a helmet. Now I think everything I touched after that is contaminated with spores. Me and my family might get respiratory diseases and die. Is the ERP to just try to accept that this could happen?

Guys, my wife is suffering from contamination OCD since the out break of corona specially as we got our first baby during the epidemic , she can not stop thinking about the matter she keeps washing her hand after everything and wash for like 5 or 10 mins , her hand is got eczematic due to the overuse of the soap , even after vaccine she still afraid . I do not know how can i help her i feel distress as well and sad since i find my self clueless about what i should do ?

I just experienced two cases of "unintentional ERP" back to back. I was in the middle of doing a compulsion that just wasn't working, and in the end, it didn't. It was not recoverable by means of just another compulsion to make up for it, I ended up not being able to fully follow through with or carry out the compulsion successfully, as it was just no longer even a physically possible demand that my OCD was asking for at this point. I didn't expect I would cry, but I did. I broke down, because I'm just not use to it, like I can't even remember the last time I didn't just give in to a compulsion because it "felt" absolutely necessary, when I "logically" knew, and still know, that its not. Tonight, it was just some ridiculous thing again as always, a matter of my clean clothes and/or accessories brushing up against something that I perceived NOT to be clean, like specifically, the old tissue that I had lazily just left sitting around, forgot to throw out, and now have forgotten what I even used it for in the first place. Based on that, I don't know what's "on" the tissue, all I know is that it touched my glasses. I had already had a very stressful shower, filled with compulsion after compulsion of overly-perfected washing related actions, that usually always adds up to about an hour of me having run the water, so at this time, I just didn't have the energy or the willingness anymore to rinse off my glasses, smear soap all over the lenses, and probably still have some dried up soap on them by the end of it, just making it hard to see through them. So I cried again, for the second time in just 5 or 10 minutes, this being after my clothes had "already" come in contact with something in the bathroom before I had even gotten a chance to change into them yet, causing me some sort of irrational distress that most people would not get, as they just wouldn't care. It's not even a public bathroom for god's sake, it's my own bathroom in my own house. I have convinced myself over the years that I should avoid at all costs, touching the floor, the counter, the mirror, the doorknob, the light switch, with the palm of my hand, unless of course...I wash my hands right afterwards. I can touch all of these things with my elbow however, and I have trained myself to be able to turn some things on and off with that part of my body. As for anything else, I can resort to maybe the back of my hand. Anyways...moral of the story if you've even managed to get this far, is I haven't been able to start ERP'ing from a "voluntarily" standpoint, despite really wanting to, because my OCD is just that stubborn, and I hope that ERP will eventually become something I can more easily practice, but ya, perhaps it was a good thing that this exposure to discomfort happened (even if by accident, involuntarily, and unplanned), so I could get that first taste of what ERP is like. Now there was nothing NOT emotional about it. I know that ERP can sometimes stand for Emotional Response Prevention, but there was definitely an emotional reaction. But I'm sure this is okay and not unheard of in the beginning of ERP treatments for others as well. Anyways guys, I'm exhausted...

I went to the city with my family today and decided to have an ice cream in a cone. But when they gave it to me, I accidentally touched the ice cream. I shaked a hand with our host before it and didn't wash it so I am currently freaking out. I ate it all because I decided it could be a great erp but I am not so sure now.

Does anyone ever have moments where your brain convinces you that you've done something that you haven't? (Example: it makes you think you touched something dirty even though you know for SURE that you didn't. But you have to go wash your hands anyway just in case) But then it also convinces me that I did not do something that I definitely did do. Then I have to recheck what I did a bunch of times.

Not feeling good today. My husband is threatening to leave me and I’m being told To grow up, get my priorities straight, and there are bigger things in the world to worry about. Like obviously I know that but I can’t help that I have anxiety and ocd. I wish I didn’t, trust me I’m not trying to get attention. I just had an extremely bad day yesterday.

Does anyone with contamination OCD live with a partner? How do you ask them to wash up? How not to always argue about cleaning

Does anyone else get anxious when going out of town and staying in a hotel, resort, etc and worry about how clean it is? I feel like I had this issue before Covid though. The bathroom is what gets me.

Had a really bad day today. I had a lot of exposures and my anxiety is really bad and the compulsions I have to complete are going to take days to get over it. My husband doesn’t understand, no one understands. He says I’m being ridiculous and there are bigger things to worry about in the world. He sees how much it affects me, I’m mentally exhausted. I had a baby 10 months ago and I have never had a break since except maybe to go run errands. I was already at a breaking point and today just threw me over the edge. I can’t go anymore.

I feel really dirty... I know I am not contaminated, but it just makes me super miserable when a normal bodily function puts me into so much of a spiral that I am nearly drawn to tears and close to breaking down, that was exactly how I felt a little bit ago. I feel a bit better now, but I am still very nervous and my muscles are still sore... I am just disappointed by this point... Any advice-?

I don't know where to begin, all I know is that OCD is ruining my life. My mother is crying because I'm like this. I never want to cause anyone pain because my mind is broken. In the past month I can't shower normally or do anything bathroom related. That part of my home disgusts me for some reason and there is no thing I can do normally in there. Neither pee nor wash my hands nor brush my teeth. What the hell do I do? I am talking to a therapists but nothing. And I've changed quite a few of them.

I have strong unconscious reactions to thinking about saliva, feeling saliva in my mouth, brushing my teeth and spitting out into the sink, and certain textures in my mouth. I physically start uncontrollably gagging. I have been struggling with this for a while and have gotten stuck in a loop of obsessive disgusting saliva thoughts many times, but I am working on it. I'm on a medication that has really helped me with my nail biting and nail picking compulsions, but a side effect has been dry mouth. This has been a terrible problem when combined with the saliva OCD stuff. I know there are certain over the counter mouthwashes and products for dry mouth, but the slimy mouthwashes trigger those unconscious, uncontrollable episodes of gagging. I'm trying these things called Xylimelts to help, they are like little mints, but when I start thinking too much about them my obsessive thoughts get really bad. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to improve dry mouth without slimy mouthwashes or any other comments on these issues? Thanks! 🙏

I'm feeling guilty about something I've been avoiding due to my contamination OCD. A friend left a very thoughtful gift basket on my doorstep months ago, and though I've opened it enough to peek (so I could thank her), I've avoided fully opening all of it because it's frankly too much work to sanitize each item. She's asked about it and I always have some silly excuse. I haven't told her about my OCD and I don't plan to share that with her for a variety of reasons. One day I will open the gifts, but each day that I don't do it I feel so guilty and unappreciative. I feel like I'm running out of excuses. Not sure what I'm looking for here, if anything. I guess I just needed a place to vent. Thank you to anyone who reads this.

Regardless of the fact that PMS is making me feel tired no matter how much I sleep, I wanted to share something that has helped me keep track of my ERP exercises better, now I do still log them on the app but I find noting them down in my notebook has helped me see how many ERPs I'm doing in one day and the dates I'm doing them also which just helps me do my ERP exercises better as I write down my thoughts/feelings I have during the exposures. I hope that helps someone, it's a small thing but its definitely helped me be more efficient in my ERP therapy.

Currently limiting touch to this phone because my dad has a very slight cold 🥲

I know I have posted a lot today and I have asked for quite enough advice, but I am genuinely lost and stuck in one position currently (not physically, mentally) I can't get myself to sleep and I have no idea what to do about it bc I am tired af

After 3 days of 'not very severe OCD doubts' , it's back. Just don't understand how I am able to believe something which has not happened. I mean just a few seconds back.

Pretty much all my themes are attacking me rn... I have gone down a rabbit hole tbh I go back to classes in 19 days from now and 15 days till a welcoming event for back to school. I have no idea what to do but it's been two days now that I've felt like this, I am just so lost and trying to exposures myself is doing jack sh*t for me- Any advice...? I have a little over 2 weeks left to tackle the majority of the problems before classes.

I'm looking for help coming up with an ERP exercise for the following contamination compulsion: Every morning I use an antibacterial wipe to clean the remote control for our downstairs TV. I sometimes repeat the cleaning if I see my husband use the remote after touching something I consider "dirty." This is just one of the things I'm constantly wiping down, but it seems like a good place to start with my ERP. I'm just not sure how to go about it though. Do I just get up tomorrow and not clean the remote? Just accepting that it might have touched whatever, and accepting that when I use the remote it might not be free of germs? Not trying to neutralize the perceived contamination or cross-contamination by washing my hands or wiping down other surfaces I touch after using the remote? Am I setting up this exercise correctly? Any advice or tips are much appreciated.

Random question and maybe it’s been addressed before. Has anyone found that their OCD is noticeably worse after being fully vaccinated for Covid?

Feels so light and relaxed going to bed without any doubts on my mind. After a long time, nearly a month of continuous hyper false memorycontamination OCD episodes, I am on my bed without any doubts, hope I get a good sleep tonight. I don't know how it happened but every time a doubt (false memory)came to my mind it automatically went away instantly. I am continuously trying to train my mind that whatever doubts I get about contamination are false memories. May be it's working. I know I am going to have a relapse sooner or later but atleast for tonight I am relaxed. It was as if I was watching my false memories or doubts come from a third persons point of view, like I was out of my body for that moment.

Anyone struggle with hair??? Also, is anyone else freaking out when your pets hair gets on your face???

ahhh i lied down in the grass today! i have not done that since i was a child because i've been worried about bugs/contamination. my five year old cousin really wanted me to lay in the grass with her so i did- guess peer pressure from cute kids works?? im not sure. it really wasn't as bad as my brain dug me into thinking. no bugs, no dirt, i was okay. it was hard convincing myself, but im realizing it really wasn't that bad. im not quite at the roll around for fun faze, but it felt good knowing i could do it (even if for a minute). we got this y'all <3

HOW DO I CHANGE THE CORE BELIEFS ABOUT SEMEN & URINE HOW TO STOP FEARING EM

Does anyone have scarred or red hands from hand washing. My hands were still red even after they were healed and not dry anymore. Is this just how my hands will look from now on?

I’m panicking cus I accidentally didn’t close the toilet lid before flushing

Is taking a shower after cleaning your bathroom/toilet a normal behavior or a Contamination OCD compulsion? I always struggle with knowing what “regular” people would do and what my OCD is just telling me to do.

Hello. I just wanted to Thank you and all of the NOCD staff for all your live stream YouTube videos. Because of your team I'm getting the help I need and getting better everyday. So thanks to you again, It's greatly appreciated. 🙂 Big thanks, to Jenna Overbaugh. I want to personally Thank you from the bottom of my heart. because of you I was able to get the help I needed all because of the NOCD live streams you do. Thanks to You, Molly, Medina, Dr. McGrath and Kyle, Payton, Amanda, Kristina and Anna. I am taking it one day at a time and getting better and making progress. I even found an OCD Therapist to help.

Anyone have any advice on excessive hand washing and cleaning? I have to wash my hands a certain amount of times after using the bathroom, worst part is I constantly have to start over again through fear I skipped a number it was counting wrong (despite knowing I didn’t) - this lasts HOURS. My hands never feel clean until I’ve spent 90 minutes washing and starting over, it’s exhausting. Can anyone relate/ suggest anything to help? Thank you!

Literally spent well over an hour in the bathroom just doing a pee. As a Muslim I needed to do wudu to pray which consists of washing certain body parts. On average most people take 5 to 10 mins doing this but I take so long. I actually feel so tired and drained that it is even hard for me to type this. Is there anyone out there in the same situation? I really wish I knew someone who's been through the same thing.

A bit of a TMI warning and can be really triggering depending on the person reading this, I don't suggest reading if you have or have experienced an eating disorder of any kind. I don't want to run the risk of causing anybody harm by ranting or putting my thoughts out there. Please be safe and have a good evening. I got anxious in the bathroom as I usually do, once again. It was super hard to deal with, but don't get me wrong, I am still anxious. Pretty much, I took a #2 and I felt like it could have either been incomplete and I tried too hard or really unsanitary and disgusting. This triggered a list of thoughts: 1. What if it was incomplete? 1.1 What if I shart myself because it was incomplete? 2. What if I tried too hard? 2.1 What if I popped a blood vessel somewhere in my body or even my brain? 3. This is really unsanitary! 3.1 I need to shower instantly! 3.2 If I don't get everything off of me, I could contaminate my clothes... 3.3 What if where I sit immediately becomes contaminated because I missed something? 3.4 I can't sleep in my bed tonight 3.5 I need to wash my hands as much as possible! I need this off! 4. I now have to restrict my evening activities (digital art and speedpaints, YouTube, eating, drinking, sleeping, etc.) 4.1 You shouldn't eat tonight, you don't deserve it, etc etc 5. You let one year drop down your face, you are such a crybaby, completely immature, you should feel very ashamed All of this and more are very hard to deal with, I am so sorry for ranting so much but I honestly don't know what to do, if anybody has tips, please feel free to share them with me. Sorry if I did trigger anyone...

Okay... for some reason I am convinced my hair touched the underside of the toilet lid- I don't think it REALLY did, but the possibility that it did is keeping me up, I can't do anything about this and nobody cares Not to mention I just washed my hair today, it's be a pain to do it tomorrow for no good reason other than my hair POSSIBLY touching the underside of them toilet lid

I have chemical contamination ocd and I am afraid of being poisoned by household chemicals. I do compulsive hand washing after handling household products. I just touched a bottle of nail polish remover and got some on my hand and ever since then I keep imagining that I drank it and I feel like throwing up and like my throat is burning. Is this normal?

Hey everyone, I have a weird mix of obsessions and two are disgust based contamination and fear of lying. I'm going on a trip soon and am so scared. I have to fly somewhere and stay at an Airbnb for a night and I'm so disgusted at the thought of having to sit on a plane and sleep on someone else's bed. I'm terrified of bed bugs. I already plan on bringing my shower shoes, towels, and sheets which I won't use once I get back. I have to shower at least twice a day as it is at home and change my clothing multiple times but I don't even know if that'll help. On the flip side, I'm also really anxious about not being anxious. What if I get there and I don't mind being dirty for two days? I worry that makes me a liar and proves I've been taking my ocd. Any help with either of these problems is appreciated. Thanks!

I’m having a panic attack I need help

If anyone has gone to an outpatient program for their OCD do you think it has helped? I’m considering my options as I am having a really difficult time right now. My day is full of intrusive thoughts and compulsions, and although I’m doing the most ERP I’ve ever done I feel like I’m fighting a uphill battle.

Hi everyone. First time posting. I’ve had contamination obsessions for about 5 years now. In a few hours I’m getting on a plane for the first time in a few years. Trying to sleep but no luck so far. Not looking for reassurance, I guess I could just use support.

Right now I have this fear that certain surfaces, such as my wall and book shelf in my room are contaminated. I get intrusive thoughts telling me that if I touch it, I would get ALS or cancer. Therefore I would have the need to wash my hands or body part that made physical contact with the surface, and discard any object that came into contact.

Does anyone else have an obsession surrounding raw eggs or meat? Whenever my family eats them and touches the faucet to wash their hands I make them wipe it down afterward because I don’t want to get it on my hands and get food poisoning.

So I have contamination OCD bit mine is more based around food or medicine. Well all week I have been having to take an antibiotic so that's been awesome! 🤣🤣 but you know it's stressful and when stress is added to the mix ocd loves it. So the past 2 nights I cooked myself dinner and ocd has hit both times trying to make me fearful to eat because something maybe wrong with it. It might be poisoned, might be spoiled and make me throw up, I might be allergic to it. It literally just made me so scared I had to put down my food. But guess what. I called ocd out and went back and ate more food. Even when ocd thinks it's gonna win we don't have to let it. I paused, called it out and ate more. We can apply this to anything we face.

Hello. Just want to share. Im at a hotel and there was a brown spot on my wash cloth so i think it was either poop or blood and now im scared ive contracted a disease lol ugh i mean i would think anyone would be wary of that but im actually concerned lol

please share your personal way on how you achieve the fear of cross contamination.

Is anyone else just exhausted whenever your intrusive thoughts let up/get better? Like I just found a really good med that I’m on that helps a ton, but now I’m just exhausted.

What’s something you do to help with your contamination OCD?

Two Part Question: Has anyone dealt with severe OCD related to fear of fatal food poisoning , and if so, any tips to deal with the fear? Second, does anyone have severe acid reflux that seems to appear when anxiety has increased?

Hey everyone, I am wondering what was the most difficult exposure you guys have done so far? & how did you cope with the anxiety when exposing? It Because this week I'll be pushing myself to expose with something I haven't exposed to before. I've been exposing w my OCD for a few years now but I still find it difficult to expose sometimes.

I’ve been struggling with ocd regarding rabies. I lately have been obsessing about accidentally touching my tires or car door and if there’s roadkill on it and getting infected. It ends up with me excessively washing my hands and worrying if it’s on my car. Not sure what erp to do for this, any suggestions would help!

I have ocd and a phobia of throwing up and I’m sick and I don’t know what to do and I’m so scared I need help

I’m actually surprisingly doing a lot better than i was a few weeks ago, i’m so proud of myself…

My daughter who has religious and contamination ocd is asking to be excused from a a family vacation because she will not be able to eat or sleep or do anything. Nor will she be able to sleep in her bed when we return. Should I let her stay with grandma while the rest of the family goes on the trip? Should I make her go with us even though she will be miserable and make her siblings miserable through her behavior? Such a difficult decision! She is 14 years old and refuses to actively participate in therapy. She said she like her life the way it is and is fine with the restrictions she has placed on herself. My thinking is that if she goes and sees how much fun everyone is having she might start to realize she has a problem and cooperate more with treatment. Any suggestions are greatly appreciate! Thank you!

OCD is so weird for me because like *I know* it’s illogical but the anxiety is still there. I feel like I’m not making progress but at the same time it’s interesting cause now I’m aware it’s just false stuff and mainly anxiety/what if fear. Just something I wanted to say