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Going sleeveless this summer...


Guest Ocdpete

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Guest Ocdpete

Basically with my OCD I have to wear sleeves all the time when out of the house. Regardless of the weather.

I want to go sleeveless and be able to go out in 27C heat.

I would wash my arms like mad that night anyway.

Same goes for shorts.

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OK, that's a peculiar type of OCD. Huh, anyway I recommend you to go out sleeveless, of course. However, do not wash your arms like mad afterwards. You wash yourself like normal, like every time you do wear sleeves. You'd be giving into your OCD compulsions, fight the thoughts and the compulsions. That is the best way. Also, I don't understand why people like the sun and the heat, I could drown in my own sweat over here lol.

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Guest Ocdpete

OK, that's a peculiar type of OCD. Huh, anyway I recommend you to go out sleeveless, of course. However, do not wash your arms like mad afterwards. You wash yourself like normal, like every time you do wear sleeves. You'd be giving into your OCD compulsions, fight the thoughts and the compulsions. That is the best way. Also, I don't understand why people like the sun and the heat, I could drown in my own sweat over here lol.

Wow that was quick, thank you for replying.

I love the heat, had 27C here today, and I want it hotter, just without sleeves!

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Guest Ocdpete

can i ask do you know why you like your arms covered? eg keeps them clean, dont like the look of them.

Hi

It's so they don't touch anything, or anything touch them. I could not things if anything worse than having my arms touch a counter in a store. It also gives me sleeves I can use for door handles...

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I think then maybe you have a cleanliness OCD maybe? In such situation, you must not treat a sleeveless day as anything different. You must resist the thoughts that portray themselves as fear. Fight having to give this extra clean to you arms, they will be clean once you do the normal washing routine. Fighting OCD is a two part situation, you must fight the thoughts and the compulsions, that gives you the best chance at getting better. Do this with the confidence you have built just to want to go outside sleeveless. And I hope it doesn't get hotter lol, I think I'll melt XP.

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Guest Ocdpete

I just wish I could find a med that actually helps, all that I have tried have not helped. And so far I have had 4 lots of CBT without any significant improvements :(

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Well, if you feel like it, you can keep trying. For myself, not everything ended up helping me. I have one drug that works but it is more physical then mental, it's a beta blocker so if I panic only the symptoms are resisted not the actual panic. No other drug have been of use for me, and CBT helped me somewhat but not so much any more. In the end, I had to have faith in myself and my confidence to build up, for my desire to get to the point that I push myself. This has happened for you, your desire wants you to go outside sleeveless. DO IT. Trust me when I say that despite the fears, that taking those chances has changed my life. A year ago I could barely get out of the house, now I'm near to having a job, aspiring to have a house of my own etc. Truthfully, that desire saved my life, I understand greatly that feeling to just want to go out there. And also the fear of it too, but confront it, fight it. Keep doing this, don't stop. Push the fear back a bit every time, I did such and I have no regrets, I've come out the other side, happier, with more freedom. I testify that whatever fears you have now will be overwhelmed by the happiness you feel from giving OCD the fight of its life. Give yourself a chance, fight OCD and its compulsions and follow through with this and keep it up, it'll get better.

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Guest megan

firstly id say there is no rush, and personally i think resting all your thoughts is futile otherwise if it was that easy you wouldnt be on this forum now. so you need to make yourself comfortable and manage your thoughts bit by bit. so whats the worse that can happen when you go out with no sleeves, you touch someone or something, all this means is that you have to have a shower or wash on your return. then your clean again. so you have a get out option so to speak. what i suggest is trials, go to your park with no sleeves have a walk the chance you will touch someone is minimal. see how you feel breathe and relax. return to your house. see how it goes. do this for a few days, weeks even, also keep you fit. then try going into town. keep challenging yourself. id be interested to know how you go if you have time so ill follow your thread and if you have any set backs post what they were.

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Basically with my OCD I have to wear sleeves all the time when out of the house. Regardless of the weather.

I want to go sleeveless and be able to go out in 27C heat.

I would wash my arms like mad that night anyway.

Same goes for shorts.

If you want to go out sleeveless then go out sleeveless. However, if you're going to wash your arms like mad at night, you're not going to get past this particular obsession.

You have two compulsions going on here: wearing sleeves (so you don't touch something) and washing your arms like mad. You don't have to do either but your OCD is telling you that you do. The way past this is to work on resisting/stopping your compulsions. Your anxiety will go up but it's something you can manage.

You can do this in stages. You can start by going out with short sleeves, still washing your arms when you get home. Then graduate to purposefully touching things with your arms. Then graduate to not washing your arms at night. This is basically exposure therapy, done over time.

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Go with the Bear Pete.

The only reason you can't go sleeveless is because OCD tells you you can't.But is is irrational, peddling exaggeration of threats others like me don't recognise and therefore don't respond to.

I also believe that you need to tackle it with graded exposure.

Edited by taurean
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