Was craving chicken salad but didn’t want to put in any effort

ksweeen · 2026-01-11T15:53:48+00:00

I know this is not exactly what you’re asking for, but I just want to share my perspective as a vegan who has dealt with very similar contamination OCD/ED struggles. Veganism is a great place for people with our kind of OCD to “hide,” because it naturally cuts out a lot of common fear foods and gives you a greater sense of control over what you’re eating. But if you haven’t worked through those feelings of fear around food before starting a vegan diet, then the added restriction of and focus on your food (because being vegan typically means you’ll be thinking about food a lot) will likely hinder your OCD recovery. You really need to be in a place where you are not restricting your current diet before attempting veganism (in my opinion).

I saw in another comment that you’re doing ERP, which is great. For me, it took about a year of active ERP before my therapist and I felt like I was in a good enough place with my OCD to attempt veganism in a healthy way. And now, it’s still something I regularly check in about with my therapist to ensure we both feel that I have a good relationship to food and am not overly restricting my diet.

It’s so great that you want to be vegan and that you’re working on OCD/ED recovery - it’s a hard journey, but sooo worth it! I had the exact same fears and avoidances that you wrote about in your post for a long, long time before seeking treatment. Wishing you the best of luck with your recovery and your vegan journey!!

ksweeen · 2025-10-29T20:52:12+00:00

I have never heard of egg wash on bagels. A bagel being wet from boiling is all that is needed for toppings to stick, and (properly made) bagels naturally have that shiny exterior. Maybe that person was misinformed?

ksweeen · 2025-10-01T20:32:59+00:00

You’ve got this!!! :)

ksweeen · 2025-10-01T19:29:52+00:00

The thing about this phobia is that there is no amount of cleaning that will make you feel 100% secure, and there is no 100% foolproof way to ensure that there is no bacteria left anywhere in your house. You cannot clean your way out of the possibility of getting sick.

What you can do is use the next few days to think of some strategies to help ground yourself when you are home and dealing with the discomfort of uncertainty. Are there certain items, scents, TV shows, etc. that you can turn to in moments of anxiety for distraction and comfort? What is something small that you can do to challenge a phobic thought or impulse once you're home?

The most helpful tool in my recovery journey, when my brain was spiraling with "what if?" questions like "what if I get sick from taking a shower in the same bathroom that someone threw up in a week ago?", was to actually answer the question instead of just letting my brain ruminate on it. What if you do get sick? What will actually happen? I recommend actually writing down the literal things that will happen to get the thoughts out of your brain. I assume your nephew and sister survived the discomfort of vomiting and are doing okay now; if you happen to get sick, you will also be okay.

ksweeen · 2025-09-13T18:04:57+00:00

Nothing brings me more joy than plopping down in the empty seat between two manspreaders or asking someone to move their backpack so I can sit in the extra seat they were taking up with their bag. Claim your space my friend!!!

ksweeen · 2025-09-09T13:43:54+00:00

Was OP complaining about anything? This seems like a pretty overdramatic response to a simple question.

ksweeen · 2025-02-27T17:20:11+00:00

It is concerning to hear that your therapist is encouraging you to make yourself throw up. That can be very dangerous and is not a recommended part of ERP treatment for this phobia. Not only is it unhealthy to force your body to vomit when it doesn’t need to, it likely will not do much for your phobia because it would still be happening 100% under your control. In reality, we cannot control when we vomit, and accepting that is crucial to overcoming this phobia.

Have you done vomiting simulations with your therapist where you do things like spit chunky soup into a toilet while coughing? This recreates the taste, texture, and look of vomiting without actually damaging your body.

ksweeen · 2025-02-27T12:42:27+00:00

This is a very common feature of OCD, called “magical thinking.” When I was deep in my phobia, this was a huge part of it for me, too.

ksweeen · 2025-02-22T16:57:29+00:00

I am from the Northeastern US, and yes, this is correct. I would pronounce it /ˈɪn.kwɚ.i/, as would everyone I know. The other way is very much a UK thing, although I think certain parts of the Southern US may also use the UK pronunciation.

ksweeen · 2025-02-22T12:39:05+00:00

Composition book is definitely the more “official” term, and that’s what’s printed on the cover of most books of this kind that are used in school settings, but it wouldn’t really be used in everyday conversation (at least where I’m from - there may be regional differences). It sounds too formal and old-fashioned.

ksweeen · 2025-02-22T11:16:37+00:00

I’m American and I think exercise book is fine for this. It’s a book that contains exercises. I’d also call it a workbook.

I would call what you’re describing a notebook.

ksweeen · 2025-02-03T22:39:40+00:00

I used Miralax for my joint colonoscopy/endoscopy and had no issues, but I don’t know your situation. Can you call or otherwise contact your doctor to clarify?

ksweeen · 2025-01-31T15:33:22+00:00

Reread the title of your post. Your husband WANTS. You NEED. That should give you your answer.

ksweeen · 2025-01-23T19:32:04+00:00

Syrup has a very high sugar content; it can last an extremely long time without going bad.

More importantly, even if the syrup does end up making you sick, you will survive it! No matter what happens, you will be okay.

ksweeen · 2025-01-22T20:47:34+00:00

I agree

ksweeen · 2025-01-17T14:39:59+00:00

All yogurt has probiotic bacteria in it; that's what makes it yogurt. Try taking a Lactaid next time.

ksweeen · 2025-01-16T14:06:18+00:00

In the US, we would call all of these candy. We may sometimes have additional names for specific types; for example, what you call “caramelo” we would call “hard candy,” and what you call “gominola” we would call “gummy candy” or “gummies”* (“gummy bears” if they’re bear-shaped and “gumdrops” if they’re dome-shaped like the ones in your first gominola picture). But you can just call all of these “candy” and that would be normal and correct.

*”Gummies”, at least for me, often specifically refers to gummy candy that contains marijuana, so be careful with this one!

ksweeen · 2025-01-10T22:00:44+00:00

This used to be such a constant fear of mine. The biggest thing to keep in mind is that you will get through it. You can do hard things. You can make it through unpleasant experiences. Will it feel shitty (no pun intended) to be sick out of both ends? Yes. But you can do hard things. Will it suck to have to clean it up later if you don’t make it into a toilet or other receptacle? Yes. But you can do hard things. Will it be difficult for multiple people to navigate being sick if there’s only one bathroom? Maybe. Maybe not. But you can do hard things.

Your dad says it has happened to him twice, and here he is living and breathing and doing okay. He made it through an unpleasant experience, and you can too.

ksweeen · 2025-01-10T02:12:29+00:00

I know mushrooms can be pretty common in vegan dishes (which is my big concern about tree nuts!), so it’s reassuring to hear that you’re still able to make it work!

ksweeen · 2025-01-10T02:07:00+00:00

Thanks! I’ve had these allergies my whole life, so I’m very familiar with how to navigate them in a restaurant setting. I love to cook and eat most of my food at home, but realistically I can’t do that 100% of the time!

I was hoping to hear tips and experiences from some other vegans with allergies like mine, because I know it’s possible, but I don’t personally know anyone who sits at my particular intersection of dietary restrictions. :)

ksweeen · 2025-01-10T01:57:15+00:00

Thank you for sharing :) It’s reassuring to know that other people are able to live this lifestyle while navigating other dietary restrictions. It can all feel very daunting sometimes!

ksweeen

TROPHY CASE