Ocd contaminated cupboard help

[bobfish]

1 minute ago, Phil10 said:

Yes but the issue is like by doing all this I should be more anxiety free but because my ocd is so bad sometimes doing the compulsions has no effect like cleaning the letter box did not rid of me the thought to replace the door. Again it’s the worry of germs spreading that concerns me. I’m doing to change the bed and sit on the sofa to test my anxiety out and hope it passes. My theripst says it’s to with the rational part of the brain and you have your ocd mind which says different 

It's not uncommon for compulsions to make things worse, even in the short term, because they validate your fears. Once you decided to buy the new duvet, your mind started to believe that the bed really was contaminated and latched on to other uncertainty, e.g. 'What if the bed is still contaminated?' I sometimes find that, once you start performing compulsions, it gets incredibly difficult to stop. So the best thing to do is not to perform any compulsions at all.

[bobfish]

3 minutes ago, Phil10 said:

Just to confirm I already bought a new bed frame 4 months ago because I worried in my old house the germs would come to the new house. Only urge to replace I resisted was a full new mattress. The theripst says I need to tell myself the things are adequate and does the job and doesn’t need replaced 

Your therapist is right. Try your best to listen to them!

[PolarBear]

Compulsions don't solve anything. You think doing compulsions will make things better but it doesn't work that way.

You do compulsions for two reasons: to reduce the amount of distress you feel and/or to stop a perceived bad thing from happening. It doesn't work. Sure, in the short term you might feel relief but soon enough more intrusive thoughts appear and more doubt rises, which makes you want to do even more compulsions. It's a vicious cycle.

And to top it all off, there never was a problem to begin with. Dirty laundry is not contaminated. It does no harm touching something else.

[Guest Phil10]

I have changed the bed with a new inside duvet tossed the mattress over and sat on sofa now trying it to see if I feel anxious hopefully logically I can see germs are not there I kept the pillow and cushion From bed as it was at top of bed rather than bottom where washing was. I do worry not everybody tosses washing on a bed so it may not have germs but perhaps it’s common to toss some washing on a bed I don’t know?

[PolarBear]

You can toss your laundry anywhere. It doesn't matter and doesn't affect anything. You are listening to a lie dreamed up by your own mind.

[Guest Phil10]

2 minutes ago, PolarBear said:

You can toss your laundry anywhere. It doesn't matter and doesn't affect anything. You are listening to a lie dreamed up by your own mind.

Yes I mean I put the washing on my main bed and don’t worry it’s the act where I used it more frequently and for longer time that’s the ocd not the washing as clearly I get changed put the washing on bed for 5 mins no worry. So I don’t believe it’s the washing it seems to be ocding because it happened more frequently and for longer :/ 

[PolarBear]

Still doesn't make a difference. Just a different lie. You can come put your dirty laundry on my bed and leave it for a month. Won't matter to me. 

[Guest Phil10]

Has something else to trigger my ocd. I dropped a can of juice which went all down the walls and electrical socket. I fear I will get electricuted and the walls have stains visible with a phone light I have tried wiping them but don't want to damage the paint I fear the house is spoiled.

[PolarBear]

How does a house get spoiled with juice on a wall?

[Guest Phil10]

9 hours ago, PolarBear said:

How does a house get spoiled with juice on a wall?

It’s left horrible stain marks on the wall I can only see them if I shine a touch on them but because no I have ocd I worry I know I can repaint but that’s more hassle. 

[paradoxer]

How about the contamination of self-focused indulgence ... pretty much just disregarding the kind, thoughtful, informed advice of fellow OCD sufferers, again and again, on and on ... ?

[kaheath80]

I don’t think this series of posts should be allowed to continue. We’re on 17 pages now and some other people get their strings locked after a few posts. 

[Guest Phil10]

Remove my account then

Its not the first I’ve had nasty posts on here from people and said I would quit these forums. Luckily other forums are more supportive. 

[bobfish]

Show us one example of a 'nasty' post whose main purpose isn't to help you get better.

Kaheath has got a point - if you look at the vast majority of your posts, they're all pretty much the same: you describing something that triggered you and the compulsions that you've done / are planning to do, and us reminding you it's just your OCD and you should not perform any of your compulsions. It's time to be a bit more independent now, Phil. You don't want posting on this forum to become another compulsion of yours.

It's also time to show a little gratitude to all the people who have tried to help you, or at the very least not insult them and be rude to them.

[kaheath80]

I was certainly not meaning to be nasty so I’m sorry if I came across that way. I’m thinking of you really- it’s not helpful for OCD to keep posting the same things over and over again and getting reassurance. I think the fact this topic has been going on for several months shows that something needs to change.

I’m definitely sympathetic- I used to do the same as you and post over and over again, in my case worrying I didn’t have OCD and wanting people to reassure me that I did. In the end I was refused reassurance and that’s what is necessary in order to start to recover from OCD. Posts over and over again on the same topic are not helpful for your OCD and we all want each other to recover.

[lostinme]

3 hours ago, Phil10 said:

Remove my account then

Its not the first I’ve had nasty posts on here from people and said I would quit these forums. Luckily other forums are more supportive. 

I don’t think you need to remove your account Phil.

I agree with other fellow sufferers that reassurance seeking leads to just making things worse and keeps you buying into the fact that there is something to fear and keeps the viscous cycle going. However saying that, this disorder is so complex and it’s just no so easy to just stop seeking reassurance and to take on board what others are saying to you here, if only it was so easy to just stop we would all be cured in no time at all. 

Even though we can offer you support and advice on how you can overcome these issues by just saying not listen to OCD it lies or by using distraction or why there is no fear from this, sadly your fear is much greater to just see it like this. By just saying to someone just don’t do this is not enough because I bet you’ve been told that a thousand times or just stop it and sadly this doesn’t work.

It goes a lot deeper than this and you have to dig deep into what’s your core beliefs and what you believe will happen if you dont do these things. You have to really understand OCD and slowly work through what’s your perceived threats and by changing the way you think towards them, the cognitive side, this takes time and has to be worked in conjunction with the behavioural side of therapy. 

You can only stop these behaviours when you start to understand why you are changing your behaviour and your thinking towards them. 

By saying just stop this doesn’t get to the heart of the matter, if it did we would all be better. We need to start to understand why we need to change it and how. 

 

[Caramoole]

4 hours ago, Phil10 said:

Remove my account then

Its not the first I’ve had nasty posts on here from people and said I would quit these forums. Luckily other forums are more supportive. 

I must say that I feel it is quite disrespectful to those who've tried to help & offer support.  Please don't mistake sympathy, comforting replies & constant reassurance as being more supportive....it's quite the opposite, comforting in the short-term, destructive long-term.  I am proud of the forum and the way our members use their knowledge to guide sufferers effectively towards recovery rather than offering the quick-fix of supporting compulsions.

I haven't had time yet to read all 17 pages but what goals have you got in place Phil? What targets are you actively working on?  What challenges have you had any success with?

 

.

 

 

[paradoxer]

5 hours ago, Phil10 said:

Remove my account then

Its not the first I’ve had nasty posts on here from people and said I would quit these forums. Luckily other forums are more supportive. 

Pretty ungracious mate - does little to assuage me of my earlier observation. OCD is an often terribly painful and debilitating disorder, it's not though, an opt out card, for a lack of effort, or lack of appreciation of other's time and help.