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Radiation- any physics experts here?


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They could be a reputable physicist, but in this instance they haven't provided any proper scientific references, so we can't verify what they're claiming. The poster also gives us no context with regards to the old detector. Was it tampered with, or broken? We don't know.

I can't find any references (scientific or commercial) to any detector's Americium source losing containment due to radiation damage. Unless they've been severely physically damaged (e.g. in a fire) or intentionally tampered with, there's nothing to worry about.

If your mind is anything like mine though, it won't matter how much I reassure you, it'll still worry or find something else to obsess over.

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Hey @Robin43,

look how far this has gone, you are reading sources (which may or may not be reliable) from physicists about things that could possibly happen in certain instances, and you're taking it as complete fact and think you're about to die.

This is so completely over the top and I'm sorry to say it like that because I don't want to be mean to you in any way, I just think you need to see what OCD does to us.

I also find it incredibly sad how so many of us with OCD spend our time paralysed with fear over something we think may harm us, but we are already harming ourselves. You're wasting precious time in your life, your mental health is suffering...that is far more pressing than any danger that could have occurred from touching the fire detector.

I think you need to focus on the real danger here, which isn't the raditation, but the OCD. You're doing a lot of compulsions and, as scary as it is, you have to try and stop these.

I'm sorry if this came accross as harsh, I really didn't mean it in that way, I think that sometimes we all need a bit of a reality check when we're so deep in the hole of our fears. Take care xx

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Robin, you have to let go of this. That means no more Googling, get rid of any notes you've taken, clean out your browser links and delete any research you've saved. Get rid of it all.

I know it came from a well meaning place, but brainwaffle's posts won't help. They might offer temporarily relief but soon your anxiety will rise, you'll do more research or look through old stuff and you'll be back at square one. You can't get rid of the anxiety or your thoughts this way.

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Thanks @malina, you have provided me with what I know I need-a good tough talk. My mum is just after giving me one too. I now need to give myself it too. Do you honestly think that I won't believe forever that I am going to die if I let this drop?x

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3 minutes ago, Robin43 said:

Thanks @malina, you have provided me with what I know I need-a good tough talk. My mum is just after giving me one too. I now need to give myself it too. Do you honestly think that I won't believe forever that I am going to die if I let this drop?x

I had a period of time where I believed I was getting a neurological disorder like MS. I actually physically started to feel some symptoms like this weird heaviness/numbness in my body. It was crazy and very hard to move on from, because I actually physically felt it. But, after a lot of compulsions, I eventually gave in to the idea that it was OCD and the physical symptoms vanished. You can definitely do it, but you have to work on it.

Edited by malina
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14 minutes ago, Robin43 said:

Thanks @malina and @PolarBearI think because my therapist started me way too high up my hierarchy it triggered me so badly and made me feel like I have an excuse for seeking reassurance because it was too much too soon for me.


I can see why you feel that way and it's really important that you have identified this. In reality, he didn't ask you to do anything that is out of the norm of typical behaviour, it just seems extreme to you because it's your fear. Also, this isn't about excuses, it's about you getting better and getting your life back. So even if he did start you quite high up on the hierarchy, so what? You can't let it get in the way of your life regardless.

 

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No excuses for seeking reassurance :) Reassurance really is toxic and will damage your well-being.  You need to get a pen and pad and start to list all the compulsions you do around this fear.  Can you take some time out tomorrow and start to do that?

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It will take time Robin, no-one usually just stops all behaviours at a stroke of a pen.  It's a bit like preparing for a Marathon, you don't go out and run 26 miles on the first day. It takes preparation, work, practise, refinement, training etc.

So start with identifying all that you do, get it down on paper.  Don't rush it.  There will be layers of them, some you don't instantly recognise.  Start with the intrusive thought and think of all the things you do to try and reduce the anxiety :)

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Robin, zero compulsions is the goal. Unfortunately, one leads to two, which leads to three. 

It is terribly hard to just stop all compulsions. You can use two tactics, reduce and delay.

You can reduce the frequency you do a compulsion and/or reduce how long uou spend on it. You can also delay a compulsion to some time later.

The idea is to increase the reduction and delay over time until you are no longer doing that compulsion.

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3 hours ago, Robin43 said:

Thanks @Caramooleso do you mean sometimes it can  be ok/allowed to do a safety behaviour if you are in dire need

What he said :D

Don't give yourself permission as such to do safety behaviours but don't beat yourself if you fail sometimes, as you will.  There's a subtle difference.

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  • 3 weeks later...

So everyone, I spoke to a Health Physicist and an RPA who have both suggested that "it was very foolish" to be touching around the ionisation chamber and then eating. Radiation can sometimes leak in old detectors, and that radiation lies inside you for 50 years. It is very dangerous if ingested-even in small quantities. I feel so doomed- I cannot believe my therapist asked me to do something so dangerous. I have lost the will to fight OCD as I fear I have ingested this radiation and there is nothing to get better of OCD for.

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2 hours ago, Robin43 said:

So everyone, I spoke to a Health Physicist and an RPA who have both suggested that "it was very foolish" to be touching around the ionisation chamber and then eating. Radiation can sometimes leak in old detectors, and that radiation lies inside you for 50 years. It is very dangerous if ingested-even in small quantities. I feel so doomed- I cannot believe my therapist asked me to do something so dangerous. I have lost the will to fight OCD as I fear I have ingested this radiation and there is nothing to get better of OCD for.

Just shows the dangers of continually asking for reassurance. You're bound to get a lot of idiots spouting opinions instead of common sense. Now you think you've got confirmation that your fears were justified which will only feed your OCD further.

You've been told  a load of twaddle by these people. :wontlisten: All I can suggest is you ignore their stupid opinions and go back to trying not to engage with the thoughts.

 

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Hey @Robin43,

what exactly is it that you think is going to happen to you? I mean you say that the radiation can supposedly stay in your body for 50 years, so are you worried about getting ill at some point within the next 50 years?!

I'm no expert on radiation and really can't comment on the dangers. However, as an OCD sufferer, I'm urging you not to waste your entire life on this! What if absolutely nothing happens because you touched the fire alarm? You'll have spent years of your life living in fear for nothing. I'm not doctor, but I'm pretty certain that if you did indeed touch radiation, you wouldn't just drop dead one day. Whatever effects it may have on you, you can get treatment and get better.

I think that you're really catastrophising right now and need to get back on track with your OCD treatment. Seriously, one day, you'll look back on your life and I guarantee that OCD will be the thing that has caused you most pain and sadness. Don't let this happen.

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1 hour ago, malina said:

Hey @Robin43,

what exactly is it that you think is going to happen to you? I mean you say that the radiation can supposedly stay in your body for 50 years, so are you worried about getting ill at some point within the next 50 years?!

I'm no expert on radiation and really can't comment on the dangers. However, as an OCD sufferer, I'm urging you not to waste your entire life on this! What if absolutely nothing happens because you touched the fire alarm? You'll have spent years of your life living in fear for nothing. I'm not doctor, but I'm pretty certain that if you did indeed touch radiation, you wouldn't just drop dead one day. Whatever effects it may have on you, you can get treatment and get better.

I think that you're really catastrophising right now and need to get back on track with your OCD treatment. Seriously, one day, you'll look back on your life and I guarantee that OCD will be the thing that has caused you most pain and sadness. Don't let this happen.

Good post.

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@snowbear but this wasn't an idiot-it was a reputable Radiation Protection Advisor who told me this, so it isn't OCD talking. How do you know it is twaddle. Obviously I don't want to take risks with my health here. Radiation emitting inside is not something anyone wants. I will never get over this.

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2 hours ago, Robin43 said:

it was a reputable Radiation Protection Advisor who told me this, so it isn't OCD talking. How do you know it is twaddle. Obviously I don't want to take risks with my health here. Radiation emitting inside is not something anyone wants.

 

If you had radioactive medical treatment for any number of conditions you'd be exposed to radiation levels hugely above those in your ionisation chamber. No, it's not something you want, but that doesn't make the minor exposure you may have had as dangerous as you seem to believe.

A Radiation Protection Advisor's job is to teach the dangers of radiation to people who are exposed to high doses of radiation on a daily basis over many years of work. Naturally for them every exposure counts, however small, because of the potential accumulative effect if they take unneccessary risks regularly. Like every radiographer has to wear a badge that detects how much exposure they've had over time to monitor their overall exposure. Patients going for xrays don't need such a badge because it's a one-off. (Not even if you have multiple xrays.) Same with radiation - it's longterm or high dose exposure that's risky.

What you've done is ask an expert on prevention of longterm and high dose exposure about a single incident involving very low dose exposure. That's like asking a fireman to explain the risks associated with striking a match. Completely safe? No. Matches can cause fires. You need to be aware of that and use them wisely. Does that mean none of us should ever light a match just in case we start a catastrophic fire? Ridiculous idea! Does it mean that having once upon a time struck a match we should spend the remainder of our lives worried about phosphorus exposure? Daft twaddle. If you work in a match-making factory for 30 years you need to take exposure limitation precautions. If you buy the occassion box of matches you don't.

2 hours ago, Robin43 said:

 it isn't OCD talking.  I will never get over this.

Your perception of risk is OCD talking. Your unwillingness to let it go is OCD talking. :(

It's easy for me to see this because radiation/health isn't an OCD theme of mine so I don't get tied in knots over it and can be detached and rational . However, I do understand that for you it is important and carries consequences you fear, which is why your OCD has latched onto it. I empathise with your OCD suffering even though we don't share the same concerns.

The treatment of OCD is the same whatever the theme. You have to be willing to accept your fear as OCD and let it go. If not then you're right, you'll have OCD about this forever.

10 hours ago, malina said:

I think that you're really catastrophising right now and need to get back on track with your OCD treatment. Seriously, one day, you'll look back on your life and I guarantee that OCD will be the thing that has caused you most pain and sadness. Don't let this happen.

Malina is right. This is catastrophic thinking (OCD related), not a genuine health concern worthy of your worry. OCD can poison your life far more devastatingly than even swallowing an ionisation chamber whole.

Please seek out some CBT therapy to help you get back on track. :)

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