Showering with OCD

[Berserk123]

Heya, I was recently diagnosed with OCD. I have been on Fluoxetine for the last two months, however it hasn’t really helped, I have quite a lot of rituals but my main one is showering. I shower for around 3 hours a day, this is so annoying especially when I have too get ready for work! Every time I have too follow a routine, and how many times I wash a certain part of my hair, body or face, for example 4 sets of 8. Also I am using 7 bottles of shower gel a day (each being typically 500ml) and a bottle of shampoo, I would say I’m spending around £350 a month of this obsession. It slowly has got worse over the years, it started of with just one bottle and slowly crept up over about 3 years. It’s becoming so expensive and time consuming, and it’s making my family annoyed as well. No matter how many times I try too suppress the thoughts they don’t go! If I don’t do these things, I don’t feel clean and I fear that feeling, I have eczema and my skin is red and itchy from the constant washing. If anyone has advice or can help, thank you lovelies 

 

[Rory]

Hi berserk,

I completely understand the number part. Sometimes my mind almost forces me to do things in specific orders like 2 sets of 4, then 1, then 2 sets of 4, then 1, etc. Ritual OCD really is one of the worst because it gets much worse over time and soon you find yourself taking hours to do something and it wastes both your time and money like you said. I’m no expert but I think the only way to tackle this is to do what you said and suppress the thoughts. It’s really really tough and trust me I know, but exposing yourself to the thought of “I’m not clean unless I shower until my skin is red and itchy” without actually carrying out the compulsion of showering for that long tells your brain that there’s nothing to actually worry about. OCD is all about our brains trying to protect us from something we don’t need protection from because of a faulty wiring. At first this exposure is really hard but over time you get better at it and I hope that you will be able to overcome this ritual because I understand how you feel, years ago I sometimes spent hours repeating one thing on end and it was absolute torture. Best of luck 

[Berserk123]

Hiya Rory! 
thank you so much for the help! Did you just have too repress the thoughts? I recently stopped doing a ritual that wasted so much time, I realised not doing it doesn’t effect my day or how I feel. I have the ultimate fear of being dirty and feeling dirty. “OCD is all about our brains protecting us from something we don’t need protecting from” I have never thought of it like that. It’s useless worrying and anxiety for nothing. I watched my mum while growing up, she was destroyed by OCD and I really don’t want it too happen too me. The only thing that will effect my day is my mood! Thank you for the response

[PolarBear]

Stop trying to suppress the thoughts. That's the last thing you should do. Doing so is a compulsion and just eggs OCD on to give you more thoughts.

What you need to do is start reducing your showering compulsions. Yeah, it will make you ferl uncomfortable, but you have to put up with it. The anxiety will fade over time.

[Berserk123]

Hiya PolarBear,

on some days I’m able too do it (mainly when I gotta rush too get out) but most days I find it hard, every few days I try too break the routine and say instead of doing 4 sets of 8 I’m going to to do 2 sets of 8, even though it’s small it’s a victory in a sense I guess! I find myself panicking if I attempt not too, so I give in! 

[PolarBear]

Okay. At least you are trying. What works is small, steady steps. Continuing progress. A steady reduction.

It would be beneficial for you to draw up a chart of reductions you will make, over time. For instance, reduce your washing to 3 sets of eight. Do that for a week or until you get used to it and your anxiety level doesn't sharply spike. 

Then go another step, to say 3 sets of six. Same process.

Then further and further. Until you get to a goal, like having a ten minute shower, washing only once.

While you are doing this, you should do some cognitive work. You aren't washing so much because you are dirty. You do so because of a feeling. You need to overcome that. A good book on OCD, like Break Free from OCD, would help.

[Berserk123]

I will have too try that, documenting down the progress I have made, by then I’ll know that if can do it that day then I can carry on. I don’t want too make big changes too quickly and rush my self.

Thank you for the book suggestion, I’ll give it a read 

[PolarBear]

What often happens when you are reducing compulsions is you make a few, tiny, tentative steps, get used to the new new, then take a bit bigger step and so on, gaining confidence as you go.

Edited December 7, 2020 by PolarBear

[paleandmorbid]

On 06/12/2020 at 13:01, Berserk123 said:

Heya, I was recently diagnosed with OCD. I have been on Fluoxetine for the last two months, however it hasn’t really helped, I have quite a lot of rituals but my main one is showering. I shower for around 3 hours a day, this is so annoying especially when I have too get ready for work! Every time I have too follow a routine, and how many times I wash a certain part of my hair, body or face, for example 4 sets of 8. Also I am using 7 bottles of shower gel a day (each being typically 500ml) and a bottle of shampoo, I would say I’m spending around £350 a month of this obsession. It slowly has got worse over the years, it started of with just one bottle and slowly crept up over about 3 years. It’s becoming so expensive and time consuming, and it’s making my family annoyed as well. No matter how many times I try too suppress the thoughts they don’t go! If I don’t do these things, I don’t feel clean and I fear that feeling, I have eczema and my skin is red and itchy from the constant washing. If anyone has advice or can help, thank you lovelies 

 

Hi Berserk,

I feel you! I've lived with the same problem for about 10 years. Overtime I have reduced my time, amount of gels I use although sometimes it still varies to more than I like. It's okay though as long as it's small steps and there is/has been progression. I'm sure you are doing the best you can to try to reduce your time! I also have some fears about open swimming or swimming in the sea, maybe you might share this?

Feel free to connect if you would ever like to chat.

paleandmorbid (contamination OCD)   

[nrh12]

Hi

Showering is also a problem for me, and I find it’s something I need to keep a “close eye” on - one extra action here and there soon adds up in terms of time. 

I came across this when searching for ways to reduce and manage my shower time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50Y4XGpGF1E

It’s a YouTube video of a technique used by a guy who suffers and has reduced his showering time to 11 minutes. 

[Handy]

What are you afraid of happening if you don’t ritualize?