Contamination Fear

[MDCParticipant]

Hello and good evening to you all. I am a new member on the OCD forum, and I wanted yo reach out to you and share my story about my OCD. I have been suffering with contamination OCD thoughts and feelings for over 20 years. I have tried CBT and medication to help me to overcome this. Unfortunately, my OCD has never improved appeared to have improved and I am still suffering today. I have experienced contamination fears around being infected by dirty needles and then contracting HIV and AIDS by being out and about in the community. I have fears associated with seeing items of rubbish they appear to mimic the size and shape of a needle which makes me fear so anxious that I need to come back home and wash my hands. In a day, I can often wash my hands as much as 40 times to reduce the risk. I feel so tired and exhausted with having these horrible thoughts. I feel so silly for behaving in this way. I have always wanted to join these forums but I have never had the courage to do so incase I was laughed at. Any suggestions for how I can help myself to fight my ocd would be greatly appreciated. Has anyone else ever had similar fears to me?

[ArchiveParticipant]

Hi there and welcome… Only just seen this.

I have too… I remember carrying bottles of antibacterial gel in my pockets and bags. Desperately thinking that I contaminated the world. A world that is already contaminated by other people. By other people who very often just don’t give a damn.

A good book to help us is, ‘Feeling good, the new mood therapy’ By Dr David Burns MD. It is available from Amazon, and I guess, most bookshops. He has a wonderful way of looking at life.  It is based largely on the principles of CBT, but he is very down to earth. We don’t have to have the latest version, the one I got I’ve had about ten years, and is very easy reading. Another one is ‘How to stop worrying and start living’, By Dale Carnegie. I believe it can be found in audio on youtube. Apparently, he died the year I was born, so it is an old book, but again, easy to follow.

Finally OCD is not a weakness… We need tremendous strength to overcome it, but it can definitely be done. I class myself as being in a sort of recovery now… It has been like a wild fairground ride, but all the better for standing back down on solid ground again…

Welcome!

Wannabe

[Forum Moderators]

Hi:

Forum moderators here; we’re sorry you haven’t had many replies yet. Please don’t take this personally or ever think you’re alone. It may just be that forum users are taking a bit of time to consider how to reply and support you.

And please remember that you can also contact the OCD Action Helpline to talk to or email someone who understands OCD.

Our Helpline volunteers provide confidential help, information and support for people with OCD (and anyone who thinks they may have OCD). Most volunteers have personal experience of OCD; all understand how it can impact your entire life. Contact our Helpline by:

phone: 0300 636 5478 (this is a UK number).
email: support@ocdaction.org.uk
And please remember that you’re never alone – OCD Action is always here to help and support you.

Best wishes,

Forum Moderators

[Forum Moderators]

Other OCD-Related Support Services – Find Out More!

In addition to OCD Action, other organisations provide useful, reliable and relevant support for people with OCD and OCD-related conditions and their friends, families and carers. Find out more on our Resources page: https://ocdaction.org.uk/resources/

These are just some of the many organisations:

Maternal OCD: They provide help for women with perinatal obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), a debilitating anxiety disorder, which is treatable. Maternal OCD’s aims are to:

• Raise awareness of perinatal OCD to healthcare professionals, mums to be/new mums, researchers and national decision-makers
• Provide information and support to mums and their families
• Encourage and support perinatal OCD research

BDD Foundation: Provides support for people with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), a preoccupation with perceived defects/flaws in appearance, often cause excessive self-consciousness. The Foundation:

• explains that BDD is a treatable condition and how, with the right help, recovery is very possible.
• provides information on support and treatment services available to UK residents
• recognises that the BDD community is worldwide. They encourage everyone to seek help and support through online services that can be accessed anywhere.

Asto Clinics: Asto is a UK charity providing treatment based on what works for individuals living with OCD. Asto’s founder, Steve Turnock, suffered from severe OCD and is aware of how life-changing the right support can be.

International OCD Foundation: The IOCDF is a large nonprofit serving the OCD community world-wide, including family members and health professionals. The IOCDF is known for:

• Their mission – to ensure that no one affected by OCD and related disorders is alone. Their community provides help, healing and hope.
• Their vision – that everyone impacted by OCD and related disorders has access to effective treatment and support.
• Their work – providing up-to-date education and resources, quality professional training, and advancing research.

[Author]

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