# Need advice for OCD/ germ phobia...



## Jelly_Boo

Hi guys. I think I've posted this in the right place. Just wanted to apologise in advance for how long this post is, and probably going to be rambling, too, but if you do have time to read, thankyou it means a lot.
I really need some help or advice for how to overcome my phobia of germs. I've had it for.. as long as I can remember almost. It's never really bothered me that much before, except for little things like washing my hands every 25 mintues and not using door handles etc. But now it's just getting so out of hand and I think this is what is causing my DP(to some extent). Now it's got to the point where I can't wear clothes more than one time, I can't hug my friends or family any more or do anything which involves any part of my body touching something that other people have touched, eg the sofa. I can't understand how I've let it get so bad, but it just seems to get worse and worse, no matter what I try to do. I know it will sound so stupid to people who haven't got the fear but it's so unescapable. I'm constantly thinking about germs. Everything I do involves either making sure I'm not touching anything with germs or not near anyone. My friends all think I hate them because when they try to hug me I either back away or tense up, and I just can't help it. I don't know how to tell them that it's nothing personal. If anyone hugs me at school or even touches me without it being on my clothes, I have to have a bath as soon as I get in.
I also know that it's such a stupid thing to be 'scared' of but I honestly just can't help it. I know that they're not even all that bad and that by washing my hands I'm making myself more susceptible to getting ill and stuff, but I just can't stand the thought of having them on me, it just makes me.. want to cry x-x I actually aslmost have a panic attack when I think about it. The skin on my hands is so dry now I can hardly move them, and I always get cuts on my fingers from using too much soap, but I have to. It makes me upset to think that I'm gonna have to live like this for the rest of my life if I can't somehow get rid of it, and probably lose a lot of friends and miss out on oppertunitues. But even when I think about if I didn't have the phobia any more, it makes me nervous because then I would have germs on me and would be just as oblivious to them as everyone else. Not that that is a bad thing for people to be, I just don't think I could do it like normal people because I'd always have the nagging fear at the back of my head.
It's got to the point that every time I touch something, I link back and back and back to get until I get to the 'germ source'. Eg, I touch the stair banister, which my mums bf always touches when he gets home from work, and as he works for the National Trust doing outdoor work, he has used metal tools which other people there have used without washing their hands, or he lifts things outdoors which animals have been near etc. Or, a big factor for me, the computer mouse, eg, I touch the mouse, which other people have touched after smoking outside, or going to the toilet without washing their hands or even if they did wash their hands, they touch stuff which other people have touched without washing their hands, and it all gets transferred to the computer mouse. I just live in constant fear of touching anything contaminated, or basically just anything at all because I'm always linking back like that. I just need to know how I can help myself see that there is no need to do this, then perhaps I'd be able to stop. I know avoiding germs is kinda selfish on my part as it's not exactly the most important thing in the world when there are so many people starving and ill in Africa, but I really had to get this out somehow.
I can't even understand myself, so I don't really expect anyone here to understand, but thanks for reading, and I'm sorry this is so long. Any advice is welcome..


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## Matt210

How does your therapist help you with this?

My advice would be to use exposure therapy, education, and CBT as the first line of defense against this. I have Pure 'O' so I can sort of relate to what you are going through.

But I would start by educating yourself a little bit about germs. Learn what the actual risks are with contamination and so forth, and try to really understand things such as the fact that touching a door handle or sitting on a toilet seat poses no risk to your health - in fact there is research that being too clean will actually increase your risk of contracting illness.

Then I would work with your therapist on exposing yourself slowly to some of the things that you are afraid of. At the same time I would be working through some CBT. To work on changing the obsessive thoughts - which is always the hardest part. To touch a doorhandle and not let it dominate your thoughts all day, by running through some exercises on the reality of the situation.

As a second line of defense you can always try medication. Not sure what you've tried but there are a couple SSRIs that apparently work well specifically for OCD, and Anafranil (a tricyclic) apparently helps. There are a couple other options also.

Hopefully you can get this figured out. Most people with OCD either have it go entirely into remission or learn to live comfortably with it and control their obsessions and compulsions - there is hope.


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## Jelly_Boo

Thanks for the advice, Matt, it helped a lot. 
I don't actually have a therapist at the moment, but hopefully I will be seeing one soon. In the meantime, I'll try what you said about researching for more information and facts, and hopefully I can get it back under control at least a little bit so I can work from there.. 
Thanks again.


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## Matt210

Jelly_Boo said:


> Thanks for the advice, Matt, it helped a lot.
> I don't actually have a therapist at the moment, but hopefully I will be seeing one soon. In the meantime, I'll try what you said about researching for more information and facts, and hopefully I can get it back under control at least a little bit so I can work from there..
> Thanks again.


Yeah no problem. Definitely get in with a therapist, more than any other anxiety disorder a therapist can really help you through OCD.

Also be careful when researching on your own that you don't let that become an obsession on its own. Us OCD'ers can become addicted to being reassured. So don't allow yourself to 'over-research' if you know what I mean - where you find calming information about germs and then start checking it 10,000 times a day.

Also - here is a site I have been to a few times for OCD that I found really helpful. Tons of people have germ phobia on there and can likely be way more helpful than i've been: www.ocdforums.org

Good luck!


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## Guest

I don't have OCD but if I did, I would just tell myself, "these germs are on everything, they are not going to hurt or kill me, people have more germs in their mouth than they have in their toilet, and im not sick or dead yet". Just tell yourself that situations or this that you are OCD'd about are not going to hurt you, they only hurt you in your mind. :wink:


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## crystalr0w3

Do you know that there's also a good bacteria or germs? Have you been vaccinated? Do you know that the thing they inject on you is the bacteria or virus of the very same illness? but is weaker than the original force of the virus. That is to prepare your body from the illness. So when the illness enters your body, since the virus has already entered your body and your body is already familiar with the virus, your body knows how to fight to it as is already immune to it.


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## Hannah87

Hi, I know this is an old topic, but I have been dealing with OCD/germ phobia for a while, and I was doing some research a while back to try to find answers for my own and was so dismayed when I found nothing to help me! It was then I went to a group of people in my life who know a lot about health a nutrition, a group I am a part of. After having my germ phobia for a while it had, like you, gotten to the point that I didn't want to hug people... even standing close to people made me feel like the world was closing in. I had good and bad days, and that confused me a little. If I was able to handle being around people is was simply self will. And I was so tired... This past summer I was expected to go on a road trip with my family... two weeks of car and hotels... well, I was freaking out and didn't know what to do. It was at this point that I reached out to this group of people in desperation for ANYTHING that might help. I use Essential oils, and it was Essential oils that my friends told me to go to. I used a whole lot of them, one of them is to help strengthen your personal aura. I am sure that if you could have taken a picture of it it would have looked pretty bad. I began working on the emotional side to my problem and got help from others who knew how I felt and they gave me things to say/do to help me start fighting in. And it is a fight, but I am much better.

So, I dont' know if you are still having any problem with this, maybe you found your answer and I hope you have, but if you haven't, I would love to talk to you about it, and share more in depth what I have done to help myself.

Anyway, if you or anyone here wants to know more about what I did I would love to share how to do what I have and am doing for myself.


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## Tkayy

hannah87 I would love to know more info on how you over came your germ phobia


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## Hannah87

Tkayy said:


> hannah87 I would love to know more info on how you over came your germ phobia


Hey! I have found that gut health is key! I use enzymes and probiotics along with the support of a few other products.


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