Aa
DO U BELIEVE I SUFFER FROM OCD?
Hello everyone! I hope this isn't long. I have been afraid of germs for less than a year now but it keeps getting worst some days r worst than others. It started by me being afraid of stds and now I am still very afraid but it seems to be spreading to germs in general. I refuse to touch door knobs and I hate when people touch me or even pass by me and touch me with their back or anything. I don't lend people my phone or let them borrow my belongings. I carry sanitizing towels in my purse all the time in case I touch money or so. I don't touch things other people have touch specially in my house such as cups and all that. I wash my hands a lot more than I can even think about I finish 1 bar soap a day and my hands r so dry they r peeling off. I will wash my hands over touching the slightest things like my shoe laces, after using the hair straighten, and anything u can imagine. Sometimes I get so tired and stressed I feel like laying down and not getting up at all. Please help me this is ruining my life and I don't know what to do. Do I need to seek professional help? Any advice would be good. Thank u everyone for reading this far God bless u all!
Hello.
I have contamination fears. I can say that I understand exactly where you are coming from.
As JGF said we are not Dr's and we can not diagnose you, but from my personal experience and struggle with OCD, I will say that you definately have the symptoms.
I have fears or germs and contamination and I too will not touch things that belong to other people, I hate when people use my things, and it drives me insane to be in a public washroom. I wash my hands more than the average person that is for sure, I too have had dry peeling cracking and extremly sore hands from over washing. At one point when my OCD was untreated and out of control I would wash my hands three times in arow because I am also a counter and that made me feel clean.
I find the fact that you use that much soap and wash your hands that often to be worrysome. You definately need to see a Dr and begin treatment for this because as you are noticing it is getting worse. OCD is like a monster and the more you feed the monster the bigger and meaner it gets, and everytime you wash your hands, or avoid a situation, you are feeding the monster and giving more power to the irration fears that you are feeling. Even if you know they are irrational, at this point they have become too big for you to handle on your own. And that is ok. OCD is a difficult thing to deal with and without the proper tools it can and does get out of control.
Just because you have OCD does not mean that you cannot have a normal life however, and you can definately get back to the things that you once enjoyed. You do however, need to see a Dr about this becuase left untreated it can get worse and you should stop it before it gets to that point.
I know it is hard. Trust me, I totally understand the contamination fear, I really do. But you have to try to slow down your hand washing, by chapping your hands you are putting yourself at risk for infections. Get a good hand cream, and apply that after you wash your hands. Try as hard as you can to limit your hand washing. I know it's hard, but you can do it.
OCD is about fear and the unknown. When it comes to germs I feel they fit into both of the categories perfectly. It's hard to know the facts when you can't know what germs you are dealing with. So, this is what I do. Perhaps it will help you as well.
Germs are everywhere. We need germs, not all germs are harmful. That being said there are some germs that are harmful, and as OCD sufferes our mind goes to worst case, so worst case... what germ could you get that would cause a serious health risk by casual contact? Im not thinking very many at all. sure, you could catch a cold, the flu, possibly a virus but nothing that will kill you or put you in an serious situation. And that is what I tell myself. Sure I may get germs on my hands from sharing a pen, the telephone or well doing anything really. But these germs are not going to kill me and ultimately that is my fear. I find strength in that fact. I may not know what germs I come into contact with each day and I am thankful for that, but I do know they will not cause any serious risk to my health or life, and beacuse of that I am able to shrug some of it off. I myself have lots of work to do and a long way to go, but I make progress and feel damn good about it. And I have faith that you can too.
.Please go to a Dr and see what can be done for you. I have a feeling that OCD is the issue. Any new stress in your life?
You came to the right place, there are many of us on this forum who can share your experieces, lend an ear and a helping hand.
I have contamination fears. I can say that I understand exactly where you are coming from.
As JGF said we are not Dr's and we can not diagnose you, but from my personal experience and struggle with OCD, I will say that you definately have the symptoms.
I have fears or germs and contamination and I too will not touch things that belong to other people, I hate when people use my things, and it drives me insane to be in a public washroom. I wash my hands more than the average person that is for sure, I too have had dry peeling cracking and extremly sore hands from over washing. At one point when my OCD was untreated and out of control I would wash my hands three times in arow because I am also a counter and that made me feel clean.
I find the fact that you use that much soap and wash your hands that often to be worrysome. You definately need to see a Dr and begin treatment for this because as you are noticing it is getting worse. OCD is like a monster and the more you feed the monster the bigger and meaner it gets, and everytime you wash your hands, or avoid a situation, you are feeding the monster and giving more power to the irration fears that you are feeling. Even if you know they are irrational, at this point they have become too big for you to handle on your own. And that is ok. OCD is a difficult thing to deal with and without the proper tools it can and does get out of control.
Just because you have OCD does not mean that you cannot have a normal life however, and you can definately get back to the things that you once enjoyed. You do however, need to see a Dr about this becuase left untreated it can get worse and you should stop it before it gets to that point.
I know it is hard. Trust me, I totally understand the contamination fear, I really do. But you have to try to slow down your hand washing, by chapping your hands you are putting yourself at risk for infections. Get a good hand cream, and apply that after you wash your hands. Try as hard as you can to limit your hand washing. I know it's hard, but you can do it.
OCD is about fear and the unknown. When it comes to germs I feel they fit into both of the categories perfectly. It's hard to know the facts when you can't know what germs you are dealing with. So, this is what I do. Perhaps it will help you as well.
Germs are everywhere. We need germs, not all germs are harmful. That being said there are some germs that are harmful, and as OCD sufferes our mind goes to worst case, so worst case... what germ could you get that would cause a serious health risk by casual contact? Im not thinking very many at all. sure, you could catch a cold, the flu, possibly a virus but nothing that will kill you or put you in an serious situation. And that is what I tell myself. Sure I may get germs on my hands from sharing a pen, the telephone or well doing anything really. But these germs are not going to kill me and ultimately that is my fear. I find strength in that fact. I may not know what germs I come into contact with each day and I am thankful for that, but I do know they will not cause any serious risk to my health or life, and beacuse of that I am able to shrug some of it off. I myself have lots of work to do and a long way to go, but I make progress and feel damn good about it. And I have faith that you can too.
.Please go to a Dr and see what can be done for you. I have a feeling that OCD is the issue. Any new stress in your life?
You came to the right place, there are many of us on this forum who can share your experieces, lend an ear and a helping hand.
I have contamination fears as well. It really makes it hard to be out in the world, worrying about all those germs out there. BUT....the germs have been there all our lives. They didn't just appear one day and target us. It's the thoughts that we have in our heads. Life isn't going to stop for us, nor will it slow down. We have to share this world with others, and learn to trust that all will be well.
Please seek treatment. There is actually healing in knowing that you have shared your information with someone who is trained to help you. It's also comforting to know that you are not the only one out there who has these fears.
Take care.....God Bless You.....I know this is hard.
Please seek treatment. There is actually healing in knowing that you have shared your information with someone who is trained to help you. It's also comforting to know that you are not the only one out there who has these fears.
Take care.....God Bless You.....I know this is hard.
Hi there and welcome to the forum.
We have several people on here that have the same contamination issues that you have. I'm sure they will see your post and respond.
In any event, it does sound like you have OCD. We are not doctors on here so we cannot diagnose you. From what you have said it does seem to be escalating and that is because you don't have the proper tools in place to help yourself. You do indeed need to see a psychologist. They can teach you cognitive behavioral therapy. It is going to be a baby-step process. Remember...it took you a year to get to this point and so it isn't going to go away overnight. So make an appointment as soon as you can and make sure that the psychologist teaches CBT.
In the mean time, know that your thoughts are just that...irrational thoughts that we conjure up on our heads. The ideal thing is to not even give them any credit. I'm sure deep down inside you know that you are not going to get anything from these people, surfaces, etc. That is the worst part. The knowing and not being able to do anything about it. In time you will be better and your life will be back to normal. The most importrant thing is that you are proactive and seek treatment.
Take care.
We have several people on here that have the same contamination issues that you have. I'm sure they will see your post and respond.
In any event, it does sound like you have OCD. We are not doctors on here so we cannot diagnose you. From what you have said it does seem to be escalating and that is because you don't have the proper tools in place to help yourself. You do indeed need to see a psychologist. They can teach you cognitive behavioral therapy. It is going to be a baby-step process. Remember...it took you a year to get to this point and so it isn't going to go away overnight. So make an appointment as soon as you can and make sure that the psychologist teaches CBT.
In the mean time, know that your thoughts are just that...irrational thoughts that we conjure up on our heads. The ideal thing is to not even give them any credit. I'm sure deep down inside you know that you are not going to get anything from these people, surfaces, etc. That is the worst part. The knowing and not being able to do anything about it. In time you will be better and your life will be back to normal. The most importrant thing is that you are proactive and seek treatment.
Take care.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Community
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
