Looking for some wisdom please

[Hopingtorecover]

I’m hoping someone can help with some advice. This is my first time posting. Have struggled with ocd for around a year and have overcome some of my contamination fears. However it has changed recently to an overwhelming fear of threadworms. I have a school aged child, but I worry more about other people bringing them into our home and find myself wanting myself to clean a lot. My question is: how do I deal with this when it is a realistic concern (or at least I think it is) because threadworms are extremely common. Grateful for any wisdom to help on my road to recover :)

[Hopingtorecover]

The thoughts feel so overwhelming and it is becoming difficult for me to tell what is ocd and what is rational. We lead a life that means people are in our home several times a week, and I want to be able to enjoy this rather than be worrying where I need to clean when they leave. How do I differentiate between an ‘ocd response’ and a ‘normal response’? I worry that we are going to get threadworm and never be able to get rid of it. I worry that it is everywhere!

[humbleno1]

4 minutes ago, Hopingtorecover said:

The thoughts feel so overwhelming and it is becoming difficult for me to tell what is ocd and what is rational. We lead a life that means people are in our home several times a week, and I want to be able to enjoy this rather than be worrying where I need to clean when they leave. How do I differentiate between an ‘ocd response’ and a ‘normal response’? I worry that we are going to get threadworm and never be able to get rid of it. I worry that it is everywhere!

i think this video could help you, its not about it being irrational or rational, its about accepting uncertainty. trying to determine if something is rational or irrational, is another way of compulsing knowing you are safe or arent safe, but the truth is, there is a risk in every thing we do, I dont know 100% that im not living in some sort of, simulation.

[Hopingtorecover]

Thanks. I will watch the video when I have put my son to bed later. I am having CBT and my therapist thinks I have an intolerance to uncertainty 

[PolarBear]

All OCD sufferers have an intolerance to uncertainty. Every single one.

[paradoxer]

29 minutes ago, PolarBear said:

All OCD sufferers have an intolerance to uncertainty. Every single one.

If it relates to their obsessions, otherwise they're like everyone else.

I think it's worth stating the obvious on this one ... it helps put the intolerance of uncertainly into a cognitive perspective. 

[PolarBear]

True enough.

[Hopingtorecover]

5 hours ago, paradoxer said:

If it relates to their obsessions, otherwise they're like everyone else.

I think it's worth stating the obvious on this one ... it helps put the intolerance of uncertainly into a cognitive perspective. 

Can you explain what it means to put it into a cognitive perspective please?

[paradoxer]

18 hours ago, Hopingtorecover said:

Can you explain what it means to put it into a cognitive perspective please?

Hopingtorecover, thanks for the question. What I mean is - if a sufferer doesn't stress out about say, the uncertainty of being alive (there are some OCD sufferers who doubt that) or whether they're a serial killer (there are also some OCD sufferers who have that 'theme') or whether they left the car brake on, or whether there's going to be a deadly storm that day - then they, on a daily basis, can handle uncertainty. Invariably uncertainty is about their obsession. The cognitive perspective? If you can handle a myriad of other daily uncertainties, then you can - with work - handle the uncertainty around your obsession.  Hope that helps! 

[gingerbreadgirl]

On 21/10/2018 at 00:56, paradoxer said:

If it relates to their obsessions, otherwise they're like everyone else.

I think it's worth stating the obvious on this one ... it helps put the intolerance of uncertainly into a cognitive perspective. 

I just read this and thought what a great point. OCD sufferers don't have a general intolerance of uncertainty but only in relation to their obsession.  

I'm generally quite "meh" about a lot of risk that other people worry about, and quite happy to tolerate uncertainty about lots of things.  But when it comes to my obsessions I can't bear it.  Paradoxer's point is an important one because if we can stand uncertainty about all kinds of things which would be terrible if they happened, then we can work towards a similar mindset with our obsessions. 

[Hopingtorecover]

4 minutes ago, gingerbreadgirl said:

I just read this and thought what a great point. OCD sufferers don't have a general intolerance of uncertainty but only in relation to their obsession.  

I'm generally quite "meh" about a lot of risk that other people worry about, and quite happy to tolerate uncertainty about lots of things.  But when it comes to my obsessions I can't bear it.  Paradoxer's point is an important one because if we can stand uncertainty about all kinds of things which would be terrible if they happened, then we can work towards a similar mindset with our obsessions. 

I agree entirely. I can deal with all kinds of uncertainty and count on my ability to survive hardship but when it comes to my obsessions it’s as if I can’t let go!

[paradoxer]

18 hours ago, gingerbreadgirl said:

I just read this and thought what a great point. OCD sufferers don't have a general intolerance of uncertainty but only in relation to their obsession.  

I'm generally quite "meh" about a lot of risk that other people worry about, and quite happy to tolerate uncertainty about lots of things.  But when it comes to my obsessions I can't bear it.  Paradoxer's point is an important one because if we can stand uncertainty about all kinds of things which would be terrible if they happened, then we can work towards a similar mindset with our obsessions. 

Cheers, gingerbreadgirl.