Freaking out

[Duchesskitty]

I am having a meltdown and have lapsed badly today after feeling great for a while.
I was watching a may bank holiday parade outside my house when one of the people came over to me and motioned to put face paint on my face with a sponge. I let her do it then all of a sudden I realised how many germs were probably in the sponge and absolutely freaked out.
I’ve washed my face probably 15 times with antibacterial soap, showered and washed my hair, rinsed up my nose, washed over my eyes so they water and even washed up my nose. I’ve gargled with antibacterial mouthwash and even rubbed alcohol hand gel on my face by I still don’t feel clean and I keep imagining in going to get meningitis or some other horrible infection now.
I just don’t feel clean and I can’t calm down.
Please help me, my partner isn’t here either and I have to go to work later.

[Bigboyuk]

Hi The answer is '0' possibility we are constantly surrounded by germs on a daily basis every one is! Your body needs germs so it can build up the immunity in your body this immunity keeps you and me and every one else healthy. You are fine ATB

[Duchesskitty]

Thank you so much for replying. I’m starting to calm down a bit, doing breathing etc. I have such a bad fear of contamination and I’m beating myself up wondering why I let someone touch me!!
It’s awful, I hate touching people etc and wash my hands a lot. I actually had it down to two washes at a time from 7.

[vicky23]

I can relate to this as I also have contamination OCD, from a rational standpoint though, like bigboy says I'm sure you'll be fine. I watch some people's hygiene habits that make me cringe yet they rarely get ill!
Please don't beat yourself up, in fact you should be feeling proud of yourself and happy because it means that you had a moment when you let the facepainter near you; the OCD must not have been at the forefront of your mind and that's a good thing!
I hope you continue to feel better as the time goes on
Best wishes

[Carys]

Hiyer, This is a paragraph I wrote on another thread earlier today, but its really relevant to this one. Thought I'd paste it on.....

Y

ou do know that all around us all the time are bacteria, viruses and various germs, mould, spores, and bits and bobs that are in the soil, in the air, in our food and everywhere. We encounter them all the time and our body deals with them. Infact it is dangerous to avoid living life contacting things with 'germs' as you need to give your body a chance to build immunity to things. I know of someone who had serious issues with the thought of 'infection' and took steps to sterilise everything, practically living in one room with OCD steps taken to avoid anyone who wasn't 100 percent well. When he did encounter a standard cold virus he was terribly awfully ill, and got a secondary infection...more so than any other person - he hadn't allowed his body the ability to deal with illness of 'germs'. Its an anecdote, but there is plenty of scientific evidence to prove that children need to experience bacteria and other things in order to develop in a healthy way. Oh and also, your skin PROTECTS you. Our bodies have loads of mechanisms for protecting us, they are deigned to do so, but the skin (as our largest organ) does a pretty damned good job of it. You are imagining you are constantly under seige, and you just aren't.

[Duchesskitty]

I can relate to this as I also have contamination OCD, from a rational standpoint though, like bigboy says I'm sure you'll be fine. I watch some people's hygiene habits that make me cringe yet they rarely get ill!
Please don't beat yourself up, in fact you should be feeling proud of yourself and happy because it means that you had a moment when you let the facepainter near you; the OCD must not have been at the forefront of your mind and that's a good thing!
I hope you continue to feel better as the time goes on
Best wishes

Thank you, it really freaked me out when I had that thought about the sponge but I was so relaxed my urge to protect myself didn’t kick in straight away! That, like you say, must be good.
I feel a bit more relaxed about it but this may be now because I am on antibiotics for a (diagnosed by local miu) sinus infection today.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I can relate to this as I also have contamination OCD, from a rational standpoint though, like bigboy says I'm sure you'll be fine. I watch some people's hygiene habits that make me cringe yet they rarely get ill!
Please don't beat yourself up, in fact you should be feeling proud of yourself and happy because it means that you had a moment when you let the facepainter near you; the OCD must not have been at the forefront of your mind and that's a good thing!
I hope you continue to feel better as the time goes on
Best wishes

I agree with Vicky, you just did it when it mattered. That's the real you. It's just OCD bringing one of it's key weapons to undermine you - doubt.

I think you need to remember that positive, you did what you could have backed away from. You have the strength inside you.