jennielouises Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 (edited) On my way to work this morning someone had puked at the train station. The whole place stunk of it and I breathed the smell in. Now I can’t get myself clean. My nose feels dirty as well as my clothes and shoes. I feel ill never get clean and Christmas is ruined. It’s on my phone and everything. I also feel I am definitely going to get sick as I breathed in the dirty particles. Help. I know i should obsess but I am. I don’t feel I can act normally as the sick will just go everywhere as it’s all over me Edited December 24, 2018 by jennielouises Link to comment
BigDave Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 I'm sorry to see that you are suffering. Try to think of it like this though. The chances of there being anything as harmful as you are thinking is extremely low. Also, try to understand that just because you can smell something doesn't mean you are being infected with it. You didn't roll around in it. I understand it is scary but the truth is that the risk is actually really low and OCD is making you extremely sensitive to an assumed risk that really isn't there. Link to comment
Angst Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 Agree with the advice of BigDave. You are grossly exaggerating the risk and catastrophising. I and all others with OCD catastrophise. Though what we catastrophise about varies. Link to comment
jennielouises Posted December 24, 2018 Author Share Posted December 24, 2018 Thank you for your replies. That really helps. I am reading breaking free from ocd to help myself feel better and it says that although challenging it is scary that something bad might happen, something bad has already happened as ocd has ruled my life which is the bad thing. But how do I ignore the almost physical feeling of dirt? It’s so disgusting and I feel gross Link to comment
BigDave Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 Oh I know it feels horrible. Without trying to be graphic, I recently went to the toilet and I freak out about bodily fluids. Parts of my body feel like they are burning with pain from contaminants and I feel so unclean but I’m trying to ignore them because what they are telling me isn’t true. And I have to ignore it. You have to try and do the same. The easiest thing would be to try and clean everything but that will just reinforce the problem. Be strong. I know you can do it! Link to comment
PolarBear Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 (edited) There is no dirt. It only exists in your mind. You didn't get down and roll in vomit. Yes the smell was evident but that dissipates. Neither you nor anything you own is contaminated with vomit. Doing any kind of cleaning because of this non-event would be a compulsion and a mistake. Edited December 24, 2018 by PolarBear Link to comment
jennielouises Posted December 24, 2018 Author Share Posted December 24, 2018 Thanks polarbear well I did have a shower and put my clothes in the wash but I feel proud that I lived with the anxiety for 7 hours before doing it. That’s a step in the right direction Link to comment
PolarBear Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 Yup it sure is. Delaying compulsions is a great way to thumb your nose at OCD. Link to comment
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