Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

May 12, 2008, 7:27 pm

I had an ordering problem with my showers too. first I had to shampoo 2 times, then wash my face, then ears, then......all in order. oh and if my hair fell on my body or my body touched any thing in the shower I would get disgusted. when I was 16 my showers took up to 2 hrs. As I got older it got better. at the age of 29 it was 40 minutes. untill I got pragnant 4 yrs ago. I physically couldn't stay in there for so long because I was heavy and had a hard time breathing. so I had to speed throught it. then came the baby and one time as I was covered with a ton of soap my husband rushed in my crying baby and I was forced to come out right away. I remember that so well because before that it was imposible for me to stop a routine thing in the middle of it but I did it. and you know what, I noticed the world didn't come to an end. and since then a miracle happened to me. now it takes me 20 minutes and believe it or not I can take showers with my husband sometimes.

this is a technique. we have a fear of something happening if we dont do what we do. so if just once we chould not do it and see that nothing drastic really happened we are free. I knew this before but I couldn't do it by myself untill it was forced on me.

 

February 15, 2008, 3:22 pm

Hi First thank you for the comment . You have a great day too.

The shower thing is a little different than yours. I feel better in the shower but I don't have to stay in there long like you. And I feel even better after I get out. It is a temporary help with my depression.

Mark

January 9, 2008, 11:23 pm

I am in the shower for 30-45 mins a day inspecting myself for bumps....on good days i can be out in 10 mins, bad days 1 hour....it sucks, my hands are dry and white with soap when i am done.    I feel your pain. 

December 22, 2007, 10:11 pm

Well i love the beach, but can't stay in it long cause im hypersensitive my therapist says and when my hands and feet get all pruny i can't stand it. I can't stand to touch anything until it stops being pruny, makes my skin crawl, ewe!!!!! Same in the shower, i have a certain way to do things, a routine, but i make sure im not in there over 15 min cause i get pruny.

November 22, 2007, 8:18 pm

I have a concern.  I seem to feel like my bed is my safe place.  I can sleep during the day.  Lately I have missed work because I haven't had to energy to go. 

I know it's a safety mechanism.  I am on meds but recently had to change because my daily meds were not helping.   I can't leave the house without putting on a crucifix necklace or rosary bracelet.

In the last 2 months I have developed a habit of rubbing my face literally taking off skin.  I did a number on my chin.  Sometimes if someone tells me something negative I obsess on the statement for days.  

I'm on Celexa can anyone tell me about some other medicines that might work better.

I am scared if this staying in my room continues I will lose my job or get reassigned to a lesser paying job.  I am the main source of income at my house.  Just hear me out..   I can't talk about my condition with anyone else except my mom.

Any words of encouragement would be deeply appreciated.

Your friend Leah Leah

 

 

November 22, 2007, 7:35 pm

Well, I have a major contamination fear. I prefer bathing to showering, so I can't quite empathize. However, it does take me at least 45 minutes to take a bath. After I take a bath, put lotion on, and get dressed; I always wash my hands for a long time. Think about it, it's like you're sitting in a tub of your own filth. Sometimes I wonder if I'm really getting clean at all, or if it's being absorbed back into my skin. Weird, huh?

November 20, 2007, 8:14 am

OH MY GOD THIS SOUNDS LIKE ME! I HATE IT! I will scrub till i bleed and i get so freaked out by stuff like making myself bleed.

 

anytime you need me im here for you!


Rachel

November 19, 2007, 8:10 pm

yes I have this still.I have to go through certain shower procedure if you will.Its not necessarily a "clean" thing,as u put it,as much as a being able to feel as if you went through enough of the motions to be ready to turn off the water and leave the shower.Being rinsed completely of any soap ,shampoo,etc was very imp. to me.So rinsing took up alot of time.I can recall being tired and having showering being exhausting.At times,when I was VERY young, I'd often cry cause I got so tired and frustrated. ~sarah 

 

November 18, 2007, 12:43 pm

I used to have 2 hour showers trying to feel "right" then 2 mins after i was dressed feel bad again! Mine was more to do with washing however, so not only was i a prune i was also red raw with all the soap and scrubbing i had done. Thankfully i am not like that antmore, but i remember well the frustration i used to feel at not being able to have a quick shower, and the expense of buying shampoo and soap every day!!! You wont always be like this, take care and if you need a chat message me, Lou xx

November 18, 2007, 7:52 am

Yeah when I was younger we had this shower with a plastic door that you could write on and I would stay in there forever writing a series of words until it felt 'just right'. It wasn't about feeling clean just the ritual and things feeling 'okay' enough to stop . Now my kids would be yelling if I stayed in there that long :)

September 24, 2007, 11:06 pm

Not quite the same but takes me long time to shower because I have to do evrything in right order and spend time worrying before and after in case I "get it wrong". Tend to use bath to avoid this as less ritual assocaited with that lathough always have to do everything in the same order otherwise i feel unsettled.

September 4, 2007, 8:23 pm

I used to have a problem like that. Luckily I don't anymore.

February 17, 2007, 11:56 am

I'm learning about OCD. My son has it and he stays in the shower. I didn't realize this could be a problem for him. I understand OCD is heredetary so I'm looking for similar problems in me. Thank you for sharing this.

January 11, 2007, 1:49 am

Hi, yeah I have rituals for showering, but nothing to do with contamination. I also have to check the taps after for a little while. But believe it or not mine is a bit different, I HAVE to be out by a certain time. Strange huh. Plus I have to do things in order. - dave

January 4, 2007, 6:42 am

Yes, I have shower rituals too... like turning around and making sure the last part of my body to get touched by the water is my right leg... can't tell you why. Then, turning off the shower can suck too, cause sometimes I have to turn the knob on and off again like 10 times until if feels "right". But for the most part I push throuh my compulsions and get through with my shower in average time (10 minutes or so).

December 19, 2006, 2:55 pm

My contamination ocd made it very difficult for me to take a shower. For me, it was a clean thing, and also, a ritual like you mentioned. Showering for me, could take almost an hour, when my contamination ocd was at it's worse. My Mom (who knows I have OCD) suggested to me, that perhaps I should take a bath, instead of showering. I tried that, and taking a bath, for me, was so much different, than showering. All those daily rituals of showering that I had, all of a sudden, I didn't have to do those rituals, and I found taking a bath, to be much more relaxing. It was like, a good change for me, to go from, taking showers, to taking baths. As weird as this may sound, I truly believe, that me switching from taking showers, to taking baths, actually played a role, in me, eventually controlling my contamination ocd. I am, about 90% in control of my contamination ocd these days, about 10 months ago, my contamination ocd had about 99% control of me. That little change, for me, from going from taking showers, to instead, taking baths, helped me tremendously. I admit, I felt programmed when I was taking a shower, like a ritual, but now, taking baths, instead of showers, I feel like I'm in more control. I wish you all the very best. Take care.

December 11, 2006, 4:17 pm

yes - i have the turnaround thing also...

December 11, 2006, 12:20 pm

I have somthing similer to that. like you i have to feel "right" but somtimes i like have to turn around 30somthin times or somthing like that. it gets anoying because im usually in the shower for 1 and a half hours to 2 hours. so ya its kinda similer..... i think

December 11, 2006, 2:16 am

i have this, sometimes i have to wash my hair twice because it dosent feel right, and i agree with you it isnt a clean thing. i have to fight my compusions to get out of the shower. so frustating