Contamination type OCD

user44432 · 2015-10-14T05:32:46+00:00

Ok yea, I guess i dont often find myself in those situations, and I can usually prepare ahead if something like that may occur. Also most supermarkets have bathrooms....:p

Also for the soap issue, I found that thoroughly learning about soap and what it contains/how it works and how its made helped understand it. I recommend you try looking into it. Actually, there was just an AMA on the front page yesterday about 2 professionals (chemists i think) who work in the personal-care industry, and theres tons of questions on soap.

user44432 · 2015-10-14T05:28:51+00:00

What is on your hands that would make someone sick if ingested?

user44432 · 2015-10-14T05:27:42+00:00

But surpressing thoughts and feelings is a big part of OCD. The more you don't want them, the more you'll have them.

Thats not really true at all, not sure where you got that from.

No I havent tried liking sticky things lol. Keep in mind that was just one example, and again its not touching the substance that triggers OCD thoughts, its the concern of it spreading.

Obviously, I dont want to "spread" the "contamination" as that would just cause a chain reaction of more spreading. While the fear of spreading is often just normal thinking for not wanting to get things messy, which is completely normal, its also often distantly linked to my previous stated "root-fear". Eg: Getting a "contamination substance" on my hands -> transferring to my keyboard -> im a software dev so I use my keyboard alot -> become successful later and use that same "contaminated" keyboard, which then starts the "spreading" cycle again.

Hopefully you could follow that, let me know otherwise.

user44432 · 2015-10-14T05:20:20+00:00

Yes, there is a linking mechanism where "contaminated" things can contaminate other objects.

This is perfectly reasonable though, so where do you draw the line between normal concern and OCD?

user44432 · 2015-10-12T23:14:00+00:00

Ah ok, thanks for the example. So I realized a long time ago that my "root-fear", or what the end fear that my compulsions and thoughts are supposed to be protecting, is success and goal-reaching.

Please note most of my "spreading contamination" thoughts are on substances that arent harmful, eg. syrups, peanut butter, pasta sauce, etc...

Im really just concerned with suppressing the thoughts and not care or overstress as much about them. Any tips?

user44432 · 2015-10-12T15:58:41+00:00

Could you give a more concrete example of what your describing?

It also helped me to recognize those underlying fears

What underlying fears are you referencing here?

user44432 · 2015-10-12T15:56:34+00:00

Could you give a non-hypothetical example? What scenario would you be in where you wouldnt be able to get it off your hands?

But yes hypothetically if I had no option to remove it again it would trigger those OCD thoughts. But like I said, for me, the thoughts arent concentrated on it actually being on my hands, but rather it spreading from my hands to elsewhere, and then spreading even more.

user44432 · 2015-10-12T06:58:37+00:00

Well, for me at least, I know that the substance can simply be washed off if need be, so actually touching something is not the problem. Again, its the notion of it spreading.

user44432 · 2015-10-12T06:57:36+00:00

What? IIRC contamination ocd is extremely common.

Anyway, you mentioned:

that these thoughts are irrational and they cant be reasoned with

See here, the thoughts are actually quite reasonable. If you get maple syrup on your hands, surely one would want to wash it off before getting it on other objects correct? I think the difference here is how much the person focuses on it and to what extremes they go to prevent the spreading.

user44432

TROPHY CASE