Hi everyone... I'm so glad I've found this web-site... I've had a quick look around, but haven't as yet found a thread to do exactly with my problem, so here goes... I suffer from very severe OCD which manifests itself in a desperate fear of myself cross-contaminating other people around me, and therefore possibly causing them harm... I've seen lot's of stuff on the web about fear of harmimg ourselves, but in my case, the reality is very different... I worry that my actions could harm someone else, unintentionally of course... Not that I have anything to give anyone, I don't, as far as I know, the problem exists in my head about hygiene to others.. For instance, the other day I was wandering along the street, when I accidentally stood in some 'doggydoo'. I realised straightaway, as you often do, and intended to walk in some grass to clean my shoe. Before I got to the grass, I accidentally kicked a small stick... To cut a long story shorter, I ended up picking up the stick, and reaching in my pocket for some ant-bac (Hence my user name), and proceeded to clean the stick, my hands, my pocket, my coat, everything... I couldn't stop... When I got home, I took off my shoes outside, sprayed them with anti-bac spray... I then got on with things indoors, after washing my hands yet again... The following day, I took keys out of the same pocket, got in the car, went shopping etc, touching things as you do... When I got home later, I then started to worry that if the anti-bac wasn't strong enough, that I'd now contaminated the car... Others drive it, will it make them ill? I even ended up phoning the people I'd visited whilst out shopping... I already worry that when others are ill, my mind conjures up a way of making me feel responsible... It's a horrible way to be... I know I need to confront this in some way in order to beat it, but how can I possibly compromise on stuff to do with hygiene? Do others have this problem too... How do you safely deal with it? This is ruining my life, and I want to be happy again... Please help...
Thank you