Always worrying about health! (OCD included)

[ncfcfan85]

Hi all, would love some advice or to hear from anybody suffering similar issues as me.

This is kind of in two parts which both link together so please bear with me.

Basically I am mainly writing this post because of a recent event: I was away from my rented accommodation at the weekend and I unknowingly left the roof-window open in my en-suite bathroom. Well, there was torrential rain over Saturday night and all day Sunday. I came back Monday to find the carpet in the bathroom (yes I know, I wouldn't put a carpet in a bathroom either!) absolutely sodden wet. I didn't think much of it, other than panicking and being a bit anxious about how on earth I am going to dry it out and get rid of the awful smell, until my girlfriend advised me to go on Google and look for tips on drying it out. I did so, and found tips, but many websites said the carpet should be pulled up and discarded as it is probably caked in mould and bacteria from the dampness etc and that it can cause respiratory problems and other health issues.

Now I am terribly anxious about it and I don't even want to want to be around in my room or anything and I certainly don't want to even stand on the bathroom floor. (But when I do, I worry about anything being on the bottom of my feet and treading it through to other areas of the house) Most people I've spoken to (including my girlfriend who knows I am a hypochondriac) say I am worrying over nothing and being ridiculous and that nothing is going to happen - they tell me all I need to do is air it out, then apply some carpet cleaner to get rid of the smell. But I can't help being so anxious...

Which is annoying, because if I hadn't Google'd the seemingly harmless term "wet carpet drying methods", I probably wouldn't even be thinking about this.

This kinda links in with my OCD - I have terrible handwashing OCD and I just can't stop. When events like this happen, I find myself washing my hands constantly and have now started carrying around those small bottles of gel handwash. They makes me feel slightly more at ease when I am out somewhere, but I shouldn't be this bad! I just worry about bacteria being on my hands etc and some people tell me keeping your hands too clean can actually cause more problems? It's especially worse in the colder months when my hands get horrifically dry and they bleed. I don't know why but in recent times it seems to have increased beyond belief! I am constantly buying soap and get anxious if I realise my supply of soaps are running low!

This all sounds crazy I know, but I don't know how to stop it. I know that it started becoming a problem back in 2005 at an old job I had, where we were inputting old files onto the PC systems. This wasn't a problem at first, until they got some older files from a store room which were covered in damp and filth. I suddenly found myself washing my hands all the time at work, and it has never been the same since (but has had up and down periods I'd say) I honestly don't remember it ever being a problem before that job - obviously I kept my hands clean, but still - it wasn't OCD. The horrible thing about this OCD is I know I shouldn't need to do it, but I just have to.

I know this will probably be linked to depression and anxiety, but I am already on anti-depressants (duloxetine) because I suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and I have been on a number of anti-depressants over the last few years. (I started feeling very fatigued around 2011 and the doctors kept telling me it was depression and throwing all kinds of different ADs to me, but only this year I was diagnosed with ME) Is there any medication that can stop this anxiety? I wouldn't expect a tablet to be able to stop me hand washing on my own, but I haven't ever really addressed this issue with counselling or CBT because my ME and exhaustion has been the top of my priorities.

Any advice? Sorry it's a bit long.

Thanks for reading.

[Dolphin8808]

They have companies that can come in and dry your carpet out and rid the mildew etc. Or worse case, pull the carpet up and throw it out! It would make you feel much better :)

You know, OCD is very closely linked with Health Anxiety. They are in the same family so it does not surprise me when someone has a form of OCD and suffers with any kind of anxiety OR hypochondria.

[ncfcfan85]

Thanks for the response.

I had thought about getting someone in to clean it etc but money is a bit tight at the moment. I will e-mail some companies and see how much they charge.

I could pull the carpet up but I'd then need to probably contact my landlord about getting it replaced and I'm very very anxious about that at the moment. But I agree it'd probably make me feel better. I guess I just want some re-assurance that it's not going to be a big issue, but since I read that thing about mould etc, I am now starting to feel a bit weird but I know that's exactly what health anxiety can do to you.

I hate my OCD, it is controlling my life. The hypochondria too. To be fair the hypochondria hasn't been as bad as it was 2-3 years ago, but now it is rearing its ugly head again with this latest situation. I'm scared stiff. People like friends and family telling me I am being ridiculous and not to worry about the carpet issue. But I just can't help it!!

[Andromeda]

Have you had any type of talking therapy for your OCD?

[ncfcfan85]

I did have CBT therapy back around 2006-07 time for my OCD, and after a few chats the root fear was that I am afraid of death, hence why I am always worried about bacteria and cleanliness. I suspect this is similar for most people.

However, CBT just doesn't work for me. I don't know if it's my ME (which causes my concentration to be abysmal) or something else, but I just can't get anything done. And CBT is all about filling in behavioural activation diaries and log books and stuff, and I just find that I get nowhere with it.

I wish there was an alternative therapy to help me :( this is now starting to depress me a lot (a lot more than I already am with my chronic fatigue!)

My feet now constantly feel like they are burning on the bottom. I don't know if it's a thought process after stepping on the bathroom carpet, or if it is actually happening. I feel like I am losing the plot.

[Lucinda07]

I think it is too soon for the carpet to have mould on it! It may be rather smelly, but its ok. If this happened to me, I would pull up the carpet, dispose of it and let the floor dry out. I would then buy some wipable floor covering which is much more suitable for a bathroom. Then tell the landlord what had happened & how you have tackled & resolved the problem. I also would not like to tread on the carpet, so would wear some old shoes while I was in the bathroom & remove them when I left. I believe mould only impacts on those suffering very badly from asthma & it has to be very very strong mould - not just a few days old.
I once got anxious about the mould in the rubber ring in my washing machine. At the time I was v stressed & overreacted. Hope this helps.