Health Anxiety or OCD?

[FayeM567]

While, I know that most people on here are not qualified to make this distinction, I thought i'd ask this question anyway. Over the last few months i've been dealing with a bad case of Health Anxiety, but, recently i've found myself engaging in such behaviours as washing my hands repeatedly after i've touched anything and freaking out of anyone coughs without covering their mouths when i'm in the room for fear of catching something. While, I know this is probably a result of my out of control Health Anxiety I wondered of anyone with experience with OCD would consider this behavior associated with that disorder?

[Stormsky]

OCD ...do you have to perform the act of washing? Feel an obsession to do it or something will happen if you don't?
Or are you just taking precautions as you don't want to catch anything?

[FayeM567]

In my head I feel the need to do it as a precaution against disease. But, it's starting to become ridiculous as i'll want to wash my hands after touching everyday objects. I don't want to share cups or glasses with anyone now either. I think it's definitely being fueled by my health anxiety, but, the behaviour seems extreme to me.

[Anxious_gal]

I did this when the swine flu thing happened!
I used alcohol gel on my hands all the time, but then I got lazy about it and stopped.

You have to stop! Before you get addicted to it.
I would suggest slowly cutting down.

Times I wash my hands, usually with dove soap and warm water until the water runs clean off my hands:
In the morning when I wash my face, after I put my makeup on,( makeup gets on hands)

I'll usually wash my hands before eating, but not always.

I wash my hands after using the bathroom, in public bathrooms I use some tissue to open the door on the way out, I figure that door handle is flity from people who didn't wash their hands lol

Then I was my hands/face before bed.

Oh and when I clean the cats little box or take the rubbish out I'll wash my hands after.

I figure most of that is in the nomal range.

But I can see how it's easy to go over the top

[uk23]

That's how my OCD started, I started to wash my hands a lot. Five years later and I am housebound and wear 100's of disposable gloves each day just to do anything.

I have stopped using bleach to clean myself but I still use Dettol.

Go see a doctor about it before it gets out of hand, I wish I had started therapy sooner.