Lollipop

Sounds like you are doing great - well done! You are capable 👍🏻 Hope the meds are beneficial to you.

Sorry I didn't reply to this on Saturday I'd calmed down a bit and didn't want to think about it! The situations you describe would cause me anxiety re contamination but different kinds of contamination. I try and watch what other people are doing in these situations, the problem is I just think they haven't noticed and aren't aware so that's why they are not reacting! I think I need to find out how people without contamination fears behave and react in situations. I hope you are doing okay this evening 👍🏻

A similar afternoon here but with a different contamination fear ☹️ No advice but I one hundred percent empathise. One day I just want to not notice these things but I can't see how I will ever get there from here!

Thank you so much, yes I would say it was an invaluable experience for me and my recovery. I am glad I found the courage to come and I even managed the two hour motorway drive there and back which feels like a huge achievement in itself for me as I can't literally can't remember the last time I drove on the motorway and I was so scared! Crazy when nearly twenty years ago having just passed my test I'd drive back and forth to university and now it's become a big deal. I did spot you by your profile picture but wasn't brave enough to say I recognised you from the forum! Next year I will! I agree it was good to see so many supporters of sufferers there and to see young people getting help, it must be such an encouragement to them too. Need to go through all my notes now! 😀

It was absolutely brilliant! Seriously as conferences go you guys smashed it! Thank you for all the hard work that went into the day. I've got some more specific feedback so I'll drop the office an email in the next week or so. Left feeling very inspired with the message that yes recovery is possible but with the understanding that this is probably going to be a marathon and not a sprint and just some absolute truths to help me along the way. It really helped me to hear from the speakers first hand and I've gained much more knowledge about OCD and also how CBT will help me. Great day glad I found the courage to come!

Following on from that I am fairly sure I have read in the introduction to one of the recommended books the same, reading about others obsessions and compulsions won't mean you will take them on board I have found it a positive experience reading and searching these forums, knowing that other people have similar or even identical thoughts.

Sorry to hear that you are having a tough day. Can you access any NHS therapy? I have just purchased the beating OCD workbook (should be available from the OCD UK shop) and I think that will really help me as looked like some relatable examples for contamination stuff. Take care

Not long now! Booked in and looking forward to kick starting my recovery journey!

Keep going. You are doing great! Hope you get some sleep tonight and tomorrow is another day. I really appreciated the advice about what do you see other people doing, I will remember that one. I tell myself I'm highly observant and no-one else has noticed but whose to say this is true!

Let us know how you manage tomorrow 👍🏻

Oh wow! Amazing! That sounds like freedom! Well done, I am so pleased for you. 😀 These are the exact sort of things which I can't imagine myself doing, which make leaving the house fraught, but which I used to do without a second thought.

To be honest I don't think most people would have thought anything of it, but personally speaking yes it would bother me.

What I've discovered from the forums is that pretty much all the fears I've had whilst suffering from this, other people have had too in some form.