Contamination concern- help!

[BelAnna]

Hello,

So last Thursday I was walking to a Psychologist appointment but was running really late and had to walk where there was only one pavement (as opposed to two pavements either side of the road).

 I walked past some vomit and then I think I walked on a second lot by accident. I don't think that my boots were actually wet with visible vomit so it's possible that not much transferred. Normally I would have gone home rather than walked past the vomit.

Anyway I left my boots outside the house and showered afterwards and felt like the 'threat' was dealt with. However my Mum walked along the same pavement this Tuesday and then has just walked through the house wearing the shoes. (we usually have a shoes-off policy). I'm now scared that we're going to all contract Norovirus from the vomit.

To explain my logic

1. Most non-alcohol related vomit is from a strain of norovirus (90% of contagious vomiting is caused by a strain of Norovirus).

2. In a single Norovirus vomit there are millions of viral particles and it takes only about 10 viral particles to be ingested to make someone sick.  

3. Norovirus survives outside of the body for up to a month.

 

On the other hand there was torrential rain the other day so perhaps the vomit was washed away. Perhaps although Norovirus can survive outside of the body for a month, that is only under certain conditions. Also perhaps the vomit was caused by alcohol (although it was 9.30 on a Thursday morning so I doubt it). 

What do you all think? I also feel quite annoyed that my Mum walked shoes through the house because people always pick things off the carpet without thinking about the carpet being dirty. 

Edited June 1, 2018 by BelAnna

[Hal]

14 minutes ago, BelAnna said:

What do you all think? 

 I'm gonna flip that question back to you? Deep deep down I reckon you have the measure of what's going on here.

[Ashley]

 

9 minutes ago, BelAnna said:

What do you all think?

Are you sure you want to know? Not sure you will like it 

 

10 minutes ago, BelAnna said:

I also feel quite annoyed that my Mum walked shoes through the house because people always pick things off the carpet without thinking about the carpet being dirty. 

I do get some of your concerns, whilst I would not like someone walking through my carpet with shoes on, I know the problem is mine (OCD) not them being annoying.   I guess what I now do in life is use observational acceptance, in that if someone without OCD is comfortable doing something, then I have to accept it to, and your mum walking through your house with her shoes on is one example of where I would adapt that therapeutic acceptance. That's how I have learned to put my hand on the sole of my shoe.. I still don't like it, but I can do it after observing a guy my my support group sat with his hand on sole of his shoe.

But I guess here it is more than that, is it because she's walked in the sick zone BelAnna?

Which brings me on this...

9 minutes ago, BelAnna said:

To explain my logic

1. Most non-alcohol related vomit is from a strain of norovirus (90% of contagious vomiting is caused by a strain of Norovirus).

2. In a single Norovirus vomit there are millions of viral particles and it takes only about 10 viral particles to be ingested to make someone sick.  

3. Norovirus survives outside of the body for up to a month.

Your logic, but is your logic helping or hurting you?  I fear it's hurting you, or rather the OCD is taking that logic to hurt you. 

I don't think anybody likes vomit and we would all walk around it. As you know I have contamination OCD, and if I thought I had walked in some, I think I would be uncomfortable but other than wipe my shoe on some grass I don't think I would think about such facts... although I admit I didn't know them and unlikely to remember the above now I have seen them. So I guess because this is important to you, you know those facts off by heart. Would the observational acceptance of knowing what others might do help next time? As in, would knowing I might just wipe my shoe (I don't own boots, sorry lol) on grass? 

Anyway, 

Before I close my reply I want to say well done you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! for this..

22 minutes ago, BelAnna said:

Normally I would have gone home rather than walked past the vomit.

That's great, despite the OCD fear you still continued on your journey, I know that was hard, so you deserve credit for that

 

[BelAnna]

Thank you Ashley!!! way to put a positive spin on it- yes I did actually do really well there and let my desire not to be rude to my Psychologist and to get on with therapy win over my fear that time! 

You are right that I should probably start using 'Observational Acceptance' as much as possible and I really shouldn't be getting so annoyed at family members for not following my OCD-related rules. I'm not always sure whether my lack of empathy with family members when it comes to OCD is caused by the OCD itself or whether there is something else wrong with me.

I wish I didn't have Emetophobia because most of my germ-related contamination concerns (I do have chemical contamination concerns too but they're less significant) revolve around my fear of contracting anything that might cause me to feel nauseous and vomit so if I could get rid of the Emetophobia it would get rid of my germ fears! 

My logic is harming me and although those are facts that I've found on reasonable websites I do actually have some evidence to the contrary (e.g. if it's possible to get sick from such tiny quantities of viral particles then it's surprising that anyone living in the same house as someone who has Norovirus could ever stay well). 

 

Hi Hal,

You're definitely right. Normal people just wouldn't give it a second thought! I'm just not sure how to sort out my fears and compulsive responses!

[BelAnna]

4 hours ago, Hal said:

 I'm gonna flip that question back to you? Deep deep down I reckon you have the measure of what's going on here.

 

4 hours ago, Ashley said:

 

Are you sure you want to know? Not sure you will like it 

 

I do get some of your concerns, whilst I would not like someone walking through my carpet with shoes on, I know the problem is mine (OCD) not them being annoying.   I guess what I now do in life is use observational acceptance, in that if someone without OCD is comfortable doing something, then I have to accept it to, and your mum walking through your house with her shoes on is one example of where I would adapt that therapeutic acceptance. That's how I have learned to put my hand on the sole of my shoe.. I still don't like it, but I can do it after observing a guy my my support group sat with his hand on sole of his shoe.

But I guess here it is more than that, is it because she's walked in the sick zone BelAnna?

Which brings me on this...

Your logic, but is your logic helping or hurting you?  I fear it's hurting you, or rather the OCD is taking that logic to hurt you. 

I don't think anybody likes vomit and we would all walk around it. As you know I have contamination OCD, and if I thought I had walked in some, I think I would be uncomfortable but other than wipe my shoe on some grass I don't think I would think about such facts... although I admit I didn't know them and unlikely to remember the above now I have seen them. So I guess because this is important to you, you know those facts off by heart. Would the observational acceptance of knowing what others might do help next time? As in, would knowing I might just wipe my shoe (I don't own boots, sorry lol) on grass? 

Anyway, 

Before I close my reply I want to say well done you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! for this..

That's great, despite the OCD fear you still continued on your journey, I know that was hard, so you deserve credit for that

 

Sorry I forgot to quote but replied above  .

[gingerbreadgirl]

Hi BelAnna,

At risk of being reassuring, I'm not sure I believe those stats and think there must be more to the spreading of Norovirus.  I have been generally pretty laid back for most of my life about where I step and what I touch and in more than 30 years of treading in and touching all kinds of things I don't think I've ever had norovirus!

Can I ask what it is that frightens you so much about vomiting? Is it loss of control, or feeling like you wouldn't cope, or something else? The reason I ask is because I find that often when I dig at my beliefs around a fear it becomes a lot easier to attack it at its core.

I'd also just add that those stats that you found on the website - I'm not sure googling these kinds of things is a good idea at all.  As Ashley says, living as a non-OCD sufferer is the way through this, and most people don't think very deeply about these things, even though most people would really rather not vomit.  They just don't let it take up their attention.

GBG xx

[Guest PaulM]

3 hours ago, BelAnna said:

I wish I didn't have Emetophobia because most of my germ-related contamination concerns (I do have chemical contamination concerns too but they're less significant) revolve around my fear of contracting anything that might cause me to feel nauseous and vomit so if I could get rid of the Emetophobia it would get rid of my germ fears! 

My logic is harming me and although those are facts that I've found on reasonable websites I do actually have some evidence to the contrary (e.g. if it's possible to get sick from such tiny quantities of viral particles then it's surprising that anyone living in the same house as someone who has Norovirus could ever stay well). 

Hi BelAnna, first of all it's fantastic you were able to walk by it. That's really great! As you say, you would have previously gone home instead of walk by it.

I have similar problems when it comes to things for which there is evidence to back up my fears. There are a lot of contamination situations that have an element of truth or possibility to them. I have several that a big triggers for me. Substitute vomit with dog fouling and I'm a mess.

OCD is fantastic at looking at possibilities, but completely discounts or ignores probabilities.It finds statistics, data, evidence, charts, medical papers, entire website devoted to said issue, like minded crusades against said issue, etc. There is a whole pile of cognitive distortions that help me do exactly that and automatically think of the worst case scenario. Logic doesn't really work with OCD.

BUT logic can work for us, not by reasoning our way through the OCD thoughts, but by recognizing what is going on, and fighting. Seriously, good job fighting and making it to your destination instead of turning around.

Edited June 1, 2018 by PaulM

[legalseagull]

Hi BelAnna. Years ago I'd hardly ever see vomit on the street. When I did it would terrify me. Don't know why but where I live now I seem to be walking past it on a daily basis - always in a new spot like a surprise obstacle course. It's never made me sick and it's desensitized me a bit. Still petrified of vomit tho unfortunately.

Well done for taking the risk and carrying on. Keep at it.