Friend with fear of contamination by dog worms

[helpless?]

Hi,

 

A very close friend has recently developed an extreme fear of being  contaminated by dog worms.  She is convinced someone is  trying to contaminate her.  If a liquid gets on her clothing she is worried  someone has obtained worm eggs and dissolved them and is seeking to contaminate her.  She has been off work for three months, washes clothes constantly, and is not eating properly.  She panics about going to a communal bin area with her household waste. She has difficulty leaving her flat, and worries someone breaks in when she is out, and leaves worm eggs.  I've tried everything, telling her the physical damage this is doing is far worse that  catching a dog worm, to no avail.  She is seeing a therapist.  I now wonder if I should focus on the biological side of this worry and look for a scientific  answer to the infinitesimal  or even non existence risk.  Has anyone any ideas?

[snowbear]

Hi Helpless and welcome to the forum. 

I've moved your post to it's own thread so you can keep track of answers more easily. 

It's good that your friend is seeing a therapist and getting help. Everything you mention is quite common in someone with contamination OCD, including the paranoia that someone will break in or has obtained the feared object and intends harm. 

1 hour ago, helpless? said:

I now wonder if I should focus on the biological side of this worry and look for a scientific  answer to the infinitesimal  or even non existence risk.

It's logical to think this rational approach would help, but there is nothing logical or rational about OCD.

The problem is her thinking has become distorted. Any logical argument you offer is processed using the same distorted thinking and just adds fuel to the fire as 'proof' there is a very real threat. Reassurance there is no risk is also ineffective. 

The only way to overcome this is for her to understand where her thinking is going wrong and to choose to change. That's why she needs CBT with a trained therapist who can explain it to her and guide her through the process. 

As a friend your support is important and beneficial. Aim to keep things as normal as possible and try not to get drawn into her rituals (compulsions) around avoiding places or doing things to prevent contamination. Gently explain you understand she is seeing the world a particular way, but it doesn't mean the world actually works as she currently thinks it does. It's helpful to remind her that she won't always think this way and that things will change for the better with therapy. 

You might feel less helpless if you gain a little knowledge about OCD. (Knowledge is power!) Perhaps you could read a book on OCD together? Or read it yourself so you understand what therapy is asking of her and can help to keep her on track when she's struggling. If that's something which interests you, a good one is Break Free from OCD .

I hope that gives you somewhere to start. There's also a wealth of information on the charity's main webpages. (Click the grey tab for 'OCD-UK charity' at the top of this page. ) If you've got any specific questions or want to let us know how things are going this is the place to post.  

[Guest PaulM]

Hi helpless,

This was one of my top fears for a long time. It was very debilitating, and expensive (I was on a first name basis with the ladies at the shoe store).

The more I looked into it, the more frightened I became. There is plenty of fear inducing information online about it.

The OCD mind looks at possibilities and, in my case anyway, focuses on the worst case scenario. I was afraid my child would go blind if I accidentally stepped in dog poo and tracked eggs into my home. I can go into into more detail if you want. Some of what helped me might be not be too popular, but for what it's worth I don't walk around with my eyes scouring the ground to avoid things that might be dog poo and the only time I buy new shoes is when there is a hole.

Paul