GreyhoundMum

That absolutely makes sense. I can see how it could actually be helpful to lots of people with contamination OCD. Unfortunately, my contamination fears don’t often centre around germs- more around things like lead paint harming my kids. Part of what’s really irrational in my OCD is how I imagine contamination spreading. E.g my daughter’s toy MIGHT have touched a door frame with chipped paint on it, she picks up the toy and then touches another toy. Now in my brain, both toys and her hands are contaminated with lead paint. One of the ways I could try and challenge myself not to do compulsions was to try to remember that contamination doesn’t spread and multiply endlessly like that, and that “normal people” wouldn’t consider it to be a threat. So with the pandemic, the constant reminders about handwashing and how contaminants can spread by touching surfaces is really unhelpful to me. Particularly things like “normal people” wiping down their shopping because someone with covid MIGHT have touched some items in the shop or touched the trolley and then they have touched the shopping etc. Hopefully that makes sense!

I have been struggling to deal with this sort of thing too. I have contamination OCD, but fortunately covid isn’t one of my triggers (any more than it is for the general population during a pandemic). However, things like quarantining post, wiping down shopping etc. feel like irrational things that I would do in response to one of my contamination triggers, and the fact “normal” people are doing this sort of thing now muddies the waters for me in terms of deciding what is or isn’t irrational.

My OCD has also taken many different guises over the years, but I have realised that there is a common theme that I feel worried that I am going to lose everything that is important to me if I don’t respond to the intrusive thoughts. For example, I had a long period of checking OCD when I had just got my first “proper” job and my first home, when I felt I was going to lose my house or job by forgetting to lock the door or switch something off, or make a mistake at work if I didn’t keep checking what I had done.I now have contamination OCD based around my kids coming to harm. As what’s important in my life has changed, so has my OCD.

Hi Lollipop Thank you so much for your reply. I am thinking of asking to be referred for more therapy and possibly medication. I didn’t take medication or engage as well as I could have done last time due to circumstances at the time. I have managed not to get too worried about covid, as my OCD usually centres around my kids health and obviously kids generally aren’t as affected by it. However the massive focus on how contamination is spread and handwashing etc hasn’t been helpful to me as it has normalised my irrational beliefs about spread of contaminants by touching etc. Thanks again for responding ?

Hello, I’m new here. I have had OCD for many years. It has come and gone somewhat but has always been there in the back of my mind somewhere. My OCD has had a variety of different ways of presenting, but for the last 5 years or so I have been getting more and more caught up with contamination OCD. I have two young children and my intrusive thoughts centre around them being harmed by something (e.g. lead paint, chemical, germs) that I should have protected them from. I have received some treatment in the past but I am not currently receiving any. It just hasn’t felt like the right time to start trying to challenge myself and fight the OCD, but this evening I had conversation with my husband that made me really think about what I am doing. There’s a lot more I could and would like to say, but I just wanted to introduce myself and possibly meet some other people who are working through contamination OCD. Thanks

Hi Sophie, I have just joined this forum today after many years of OCD symptoms. The focus of my OCD has varied over the years, and currently mainly centres around contamination, but many of your compulsions of checking doors etc, even videoing to “prove” things have been done are things that I have done in the past. Also like you, it started off as something almost funny or “quirky”- I remember having a laugh with a friend who came to stay at my flat about the fact I had a little notebook that I ticked off all of the things I had to check before I went out, then I posted it through the letter box once I had ticked off “locked door”. But as OCD does, it has spiralled since then (and changed its focus somewhat.) As I said before, I have also just decided today that something needs to change in my situation, so I don’t really have any wise words for you- just that you’re not alone and there are people here who understand you. We can get through this.