Christina

Yes, I agree.

Yes!

Get you! This was the case for me. I think it's important to work on both exposures and to grow a healthy self, to get rid of judging thoughts, develope selfcompassion and self love.

It doesn't matter when it comes to exposures, I just wanted to make the point that it isn't always about danger. You can for example have a disgust based OCD and it makes no sense that you know you won't be sick if you touch this and that. When I had "contamination OCD" around body fluids it was more coming from shame than anything else.

OCD fear isn't always fear based, it can be a sense of disgust driving it.

Hope you'll find out a way to navigate this - if you have made progress before, you can do it again

My creative brain tells me it'll lead to rainwater leaking into the car and destroying it in harmful ways. Just that... I really appreciate your carefully considered answer. Thank you!

Been there, done that... And then I got married and found out that...you can probably guess... I tried to change him, control him, and I found out pretty soon that it didn't work - I had to let it go, just leave it behind me. It wasn't easy - but now I don't bother at all. The only behavior I control is my own - not others.

I'm cheering you on! Well done. Don't let OCD dictate what to do next. Just use it as you should have done without these thoughts. And yes...I know that misery, and the belief it will continue forever. It won't, if you show your brain that this isn't important. Hang in there

I don't drive. My husband does. We have no garage and have to park the car in the street. This year there is a lot of grass and flowers between the streets and the curbstone. I don't wanna clamp plant parts in the car door - and it has developed into an obsession. I ask my husband to let me out of the car before he parks near the curb. I think it's rational, and maybe a bit compulsive, I don't know. My husband gets a bit annoyed. But I am so scared that there will be injuries on the rubber strip, that water will leak into the car and destroy. Help me with a bit of common sense, please! I already have obsessions with the car doors and windows, fear of not shutting them correctly, and this makes me distressed.

I can relate to your feelings about this. As always, it's not the issue per se that is the issue, it's the thoughts and feelings about it. The best thing you can do is to put on some of these clothes as soon as possible. I have gone through a similar thing a few weeks ago and soon I have used every part of that laundry - and now I don't care. The most dangerous thing you can do is to separate this laundry from other stuff and resist to use it. Go all in. Let the discomfort wash over you. I think you know deep inside that nothing bad will happen - it will feel bad for maybe a few days, and then it will disappear if you don't ruminate about it.

"What if" is the typical question from OCD that gets you hooked. Real knowledge don't make a lot of doubts, you know. Obsessional doubt has no real answers because they are created in your imagination. If you feed your "what if's" by trying to solve them you get stuck. The only way out, is to drop them from the beginning. This is so easy to see when it's not your own obsessional topic.

You are entrtaining your OCD by all your compulsions. The rumination, analyzing, checking - your brain thinks this is important when you should just notice the thought and move on with your day.

Thanks for sharing Stevie!

Thanks for sharing Simonsky. I do get you on this. "Bathed in that stuff" - exactly the feeling. We have to remember that we have a very creative imagination.

Get you and sending a hug. Your words could be mine. And now in the summer, people celebrate holiday and enjoy...I don't... Thank you for sharing your experience. I like the words from Simonsky "keep a candle of hope burning..." Yes, let us.

Thank you Snowbear

I like your positive attitude! I'm glad to hear about your progress.

Thank you for your words! I'll try to let go of the speculations. The hardest part is in the evening when I take off my pants and socks and then have to brush my teeth - always wondering if I have poison on my hands...

Thank you for sharing Terry!

Yes, absolutely. For example if I feel misunderstood and angry it can increase my tendency to compulse.

True! Thanks for your understanding.

Thank you Jack. Your answer made me laugh I don't know my neighbours though... Yes, it's about the uncertainty - and my mind is marvellous at creating scary outcomes...

So...I would like some kind of support. Living in a house with many apartments and we have a garbage room together. Someone have left a bottle on the floor with unknown orange colored fluid inside. I fear chemicals and think "what if it's something dangerous, corrosive or so forth..." People move the bottle around so everytime I have to throw my garbage I scan the floor. I fear that my shoes or trousers will be contaminated if I go near, and it's a small room so it's possible that I already have. I have struggled with this issue for weeks. Fear of touching my trousers but still wearing them. I'm aware of my compulsion of analyzing, I resist washing and cleaning though. But inside this resistent feeling 'I don't want dangerous chemicals to hurt me' and I feel the stress everytime I have to go there. Want to act like people without these thoughts. Advice?