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Worried about radon.


Guest OCDhavenobrain

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Guest OCDhavenobrain

Hello, the last week I have been increasingly obsessed about this topic, it feels like  death or life moment because if it turns out that it is bad then I am doomed. I have lived in the same house for 18 now and my dad never tested if here were radon because the inspector didn't think it was necassarily.

I don't know how to end the worry because many people worry about radon. I could buy a radonmeter and see BUT if it turns out that here actually is high levels I would be terrified and frankly suicidal because that means I have lived with it for a 1/4 of my life expected lifetime.

Thanks if it gets any answers.

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I have lived through smog from coal fires in my childhood and I am 69. 

There is radon in this area but my two immediate neighbours and many others have lived here for years and are in their 80s.

It's fear that is causing your reaction. But there will be plenty of neighbours also living nearby and I bet they aren't worried any more than mine. 

 

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5 minutes ago, OCDhavenobrain said:

Hello, the last week I have been increasingly obsessed about this topic, it feels like  death or life moment because if it turns out that it is bad then I am doomed. I have lived in the same house for 18 now and my dad never tested if here were radon because the inspector didn't think it was necassarily.

I don't know how to end the worry because many people worry about radon. I could buy a radonmeter and see BUT if it turns out that here actually is high levels I would be terrified and frankly suicidal because that means I have lived with it for a 1/4 of my life expected lifetime.

Thanks if it gets any answers.

Hi @OCDhavenobrain, I know you are feeling anxiety, but I want you to consider what you are saying here.

You are worrying about the possibility of being exposed to radon, and thus being, as you put it, doomed.
At the same time you are saying that if you DID find out you were exposed you'd be suicidal.
You are both afraid of dying AND contemplating death as a response to finding out you could be sick and dying.  
To put it simply, this is a pretty irrational response.  It highlights the absurd nature of OCD.

Its possible you could have been exposed to radon.  Its possible you haven't.  Its possible you could get sick and die as a result.  Its also possible you could be completely unaffected, because you weren't exposed, but while driving to the store to get a radon testing kit, you are struck by truck and die.

If you have some specific, evidence based reason to suspect their might be radon, for example a neighbor found out they had it, or its been recommended for your area to test, then it would be reasonable to get tested.

Otherwise (and I'm guessing this is the case) treat it as an OCD thought.  You don't need to do anything.  Testing for no reason is just giving in to a compulsion.  If it turns out you don't have radon, and had no reason to test for it, and you test anyway, sure you MIGHT stop worrying about radon (emphasis on might, OCD can cause us to keep worrying despite the strongest of evidence) but you'd almost certainly fixate on something new to worry about soon, and repeat the same.

Giving in to OCD's demands is not the way out.  Standing up to OCD is.

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Guest OCDhavenobrain

Thank you guys. I will try to let this thing go but I will have to test it before we can't. When my dad bought it the inspector said that it would only be waste. And a neighbour (in another street) tested and there were none or little(I don't remember). 

But yea there is a risk and if it turns out for the worst I will be very frighten..

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1 hour ago, OCDhavenobrain said:

but I will have to test it before we can't. When my dad bought it the inspector said that it would only be waste. And a neighbour (in another street) tested and there were none or little(I don't remember). 

No, you don't have to test it.  The expert said you don't have to.  A neighbor tested and there was a negative test.  You have no reason to test whatsoever.  Doing so would be a compulsion.
 

1 hour ago, OCDhavenobrain said:

But yea there is a risk and if it turns out for the worst I will be very frighten..

What risk?  So far you have given no evidence to suggest there is a risk.  All you have is your fear of what would happen if it WAS true.  That is not a risk.  Anxiety is not evidence.  Fear is not proof.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest OCDhavenobrain

My memories are messing with me. "Memories" from school where we had psychics and tested ourselves with geigermeters* and such.

I would lie if I said that it haven't bothered me, but I haven't done any googling at all and will keep on that path. Not like there is anything I could do anyway. 

Thanks as always!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest OCDhavenobrain

Did some googling after realizing that in my room there is a few squaremeters of fully exposed concreate under a shelf.

Got some relief because it is just the risk of lungcancer which is inreased, not sure if this is true because radiation doesn't just go away... But it says so, got a little relief anyway.

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