I need help not showering whenever I go to the bathroom

[doglover223]

my OCD is mostly centred around hygiene bad thoughts and germs I seek reassurance and if I don't it feels like I am spiralling out of control I really want to go to crufts the dog competition but I would be there for 12 hours and need help going to the bathroom without showering my mum has tried to help and my psychologist but I thing I need some help from people who have lived like me any tips iv tried to go to the toilet wash my hands and sit down on my bed but that feels to much I have a shower cap so I don't wash my hair everyday so i'm thinking putting that on while i'm going to the toilet because my biggest fear is touching my body hair ( etc ) any tips ( i'm going in a week or two need to work quickly with this )

[JoeS00]

Hey There!

I suffered too much with hygiene OCD before and it's terrible you just can't shut it off.

Are you doing ERP with the psychologist you're seeing? I advise that to everyone.

And for tips it always comes back to not doing the compulsion which is showering although you'll feel an intense fear if you don't do it. Breaking that compulsion will require hard work and taking risks so it's about working it out with a therapist and by yourself that "How can I distance myself away from showering? How can I occupy myself?" Taking deep breaths will kind of help.

Of course breathing techniques and exercising lifts some stress and it can indeed help you with OCD.

An expert knows better than me overall but it's the way I always do it.

Do not give up and I hope you'll get better. You can also dm me if you want

[doglover223 in reply to JoeS00]

thank you I will be seeing her tomorrow I will talk to her then

[deValentin]

In my opinion, the biggest obstacle to solving your problem is your ambivalent feelings towards OCD. You feel compelled to shower too often but, at the same time, you’re under pressure from the circumstances to stop excessive showering because you want to go to a dog competition where it won’t be possible to shower for 12 hours. However, in a world full of uncertainties like ours, pressure alone won’t help you solve your dilemma. You also need willingness to take reasonable risks. And willingness to take reasonable risks can’t be acquired until you can prove, with decisive actions, that you can live normally and not suffer too much (exposure and response prevention).

[doglover223 in reply to deValentin]

thanks so much

[OCD_SOS]

Hi! So I have and still am going through this, but what helped me not fear in the beginning was to put toilet paper or a seat cover(if its available) on the seat. I know the idea of a public bathroom sounds scary, and I know it's difficult. I agree with the others though; you need to sit in the uncomfortableness, and not give into the compulsion. If you make this a habit, soon you'll be able to overcome that fear. I quote I always think back to is from my favorite book Dune. Its says, "I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.". I love this and it reminds me that I am the one in control. For us, it's like our brains are on hyper alert. We see things that others don't, and it scares us even though there's nothing to be worried about. Just thank your brain for warning you and remind it that everything is fine. Soon the fear will pass and only you will be left.

[Nothing_but_books in reply to OCD_SOS]

Your quote reminds me how long it's been since I read Dune. It's decades now, but that scene is still vivid in my mind.

[OCD_SOS in reply to Nothing_but_books]

Its such an amazing book! The second movie is out now; I highly recommend.

[Nothing_but_books in reply to OCD_SOS]

Uh... I hated Lynch's film. Okay though, I'll give it a chance, thank you.

I just looked. Was there another version of Dune that the movie you recommend follows? I didn't realize someone tackled it after that first mess.

[OCD_SOS in reply to Nothing_but_books]

Yes, Denis Villeneuve has directed Dune Part One(2021), and part two is out now. They stick pretty close to the book but even when they don't it's still amazing because of the cinematography and writing.

[Nothing_but_books in reply to OCD_SOS]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[LiveOutLove_22]

I struggle with contamination OCD some of that plays into hygeine as well. I am currently in treatment and doing ERP therapy with a therapist. I'm not sure if your seeing a therapist or talk to other people that struggle with this. But it's good to want to be clean and we should all want to be clean and keep good hygeine. But OCD wants to constantly take it to the extreme. Most people only shower once a day. But obviously everyone has there own routine which is personal to them. I think that no matter how clean your are your always going to find a way to be "cleaner" or want to be cleaner. I have worked with a therapist for two months know. I am obsessesed with washing my hands to the point where they would be raw. As my therapist says most people or 80% of the population only washes there hands when they eat or go to the bathroom. I'm not saying there aren't other times that you don't need to wash your hands. But everytime you touch a door knob you should not be scrubbing your hands raw. Now I set a timer on my phone for 20 seconds i get to wash my hands. So i try to stick to that. It's so hard to resist the urge to want to be clean but germs are everyone around it is impossible to avoid. But I wish you the best try to resist and delay see how long you can go without showering. I hope this helps. Know that I sympathize what your going through.