People with OCD- how has coronavirus affected your condition?

[PerinatalAnxiety19]

My OCD Is largely contamination OCD and centres around my children coming to harm from a contaminant of some sort (usually lead paint, asbestos, germs in animal poo etc).

Because children are less affected by covid, I have managed not to add coronavirus to my list of irrational fears (any more so than everyone else I suppose) but I have realised that the pandemic is still definitely affecting my OCD.

What “normal people” would do around what I would perceive as contamination has always been something I have tried to remind myself of to help challenge myself not to respond to intrusive thoughts, but the pandemic has massively changed that.

I know I have irrational beliefs about how contamination is spread. For example, if DC drops a glove on the floor near perceived “lead paint”. I would consider the glove to be contaminated, then anything else it touches and anything that subsequently touches etc etc etc. In my better moments I am able to rationalise that that’s not how contamination works, spreading and passing from surface to surface until it’s everywhere.

Yet now it it is normalised that “normal people”, for example, wipe down their shopping because someone else might have touched it or it has touched a trolley that touched another item that someone else touched... and I feel like I have lost a tool from my toolbox in terms of rationalising the spread of contamination, and preventing myself from carrying out compulsions, because that’s how “normal people” have started to think nowadays.

I’m sure there’s other aspects that will come back to me later, but I just wondered how other people with OCD had found the pandemic affecting them?

Are you still interested in talking about this? I am exactly the same and would love to talk to you if that would be ok.

I'm another. I have contamination OCD mostly revolving around a fear of toxic substances and medication residues more than germs although I do get a general feeling of revulsion sometimes.
Like you OP I wasn't specifically made worde by covid, it nearly happened at the start but I managed to get on top of it.

You are totally right in that its normalised and even encouraged what I would consider OCD behaviour and thought patterns in the wider population.

Hi both, thanks so much for your responses. Sorry for my delayed response, I didn’t get any email notifications for some reason.

Please do feel free to message me if you would like to discuss it, I would really like that.

I'd love to talk to you if you have time. I am struggling with contamination OCD. Not because of covid but covid has made it worse and I've lost perspective on contamination too. Not a huge fan of online forums - are we allowed to message privately or not? Thanks for replying

I have thought about people with OCD quite often during this pandemic as it must be bloody awful.

Take care ladies

I think I've got better

I was an obsessive handwasher pre covid - working in offices and using the Tube. I also used a gargle and nasal rinse as soon as I got home.

I guess being at home means I don't have to was hands or use germy office loos and kitchens.

Also the Tube is less crowded. I hope it stays less crowded.

My big fear is noro. But I never got into sanitising trolleys or cleaning shopping. I use my own sanitiser because it's hopefully effective against noro. It won't work on covid though.

I have indoor and outdoor clothes and happy to stick with that.

Hi. Me too. Slightly different to yours... I have fears about accidentally poisoning someone (usually myself) with normal household products. For example, thoughts of "did I just put bleach in my tea when I wasn't thinking?" or "was that Gaviscon tablet I took, actually a Milton tablet?" I almost don't trust my autopilot to keep myself safe. You make a cup of tea without really thinking about the process.. what if I do something dangerous during that "not really thinking" part? It got so bad at one point, I had to remove all chemicals to help me feel safe.

I have been largely OK re. Covid, but the general stress of life has exacerbated my OCD and checking behaviours.

I have thought about people with OCD quite often during this pandemic as it must be bloody awful.

I have too, many, many times. Also about people who suffer with agoraphobia who struggle to leave home under normal circumstances, never mind now. It makes me very sad to think of all the people suffering even more because of this bloody pandemic.

@Aquamarine1029

I have thought about people with OCD quite often during this pandemic as it must be bloody awful.

I have too, many, many times. Also about people who suffer with agoraphobia who struggle to leave home under normal circumstances, never mind now. It makes me very sad to think of all the people suffering even more because of this bloody pandemic.

I don't have agoraphobia but get very anxious away from home and have a sort of escalator phobia

In the past, I used escalators if I had to but now I don't think I can, or I'll have to do the thing of asking staff to hold people back so they don't fall over me while I hesitate.

I'm very unsteady on my feet following an injury and that's much worse now. I tried walking daily but my area was covered in signage screaming about stay home and the police circled the park with megaphones so I gave up.

Contamination ocd, agoraphobia (housebound for years) depression and general anxiety here

Illness is the main fear but just contamination generally

I've had to fight really hard not to give in to my natural impulses to spray shopping etc

The hand washing that the general public are being encouraged to do? My reaction was "why the hell weren't they washing their hands after going loo/putting bins out/travelling on public transpose anyway?!" The massive sales of handwash suggested to me very many people didn't even ordinarily wash their hands after every loo visit!

Where it's made my life harder - difficulties getting the toiletries and cleaning products I use and prefer, difficulties getting groceries generally (I can't just pop out if there's a problem) difficulties getting prescriptions as pharmacy got very busy, hard to get gp appointments

Where it's made my life easier (yea weird eh?) - delivery drivers being more careful doing deliveries, wearing masks, people understanding a little better as they are experiencing in a TINY way what we do - every single day!

I'd get flamed for saying this on another thread but i reckon you lot will understand

What I hope stays:

Social distancing - to a point, personal space! When I am out and about what used to drive me nuts was people sometimes literally breathing down my neck! At atms, at tills, when browsing in shops, even just walking on pavements!

Mask wearing - yea I know many hate it but I'd like it to stay a "thing" in public places

Working from home - I'm hoping that the experience that workers and employers have had means it will be easier for me to get work I can do despite being housebound

More online services and deliveries - certain things that were very difficult for me pre-pandemic (and I suspect for all agoraphobes and otherwise restricted people/households) despite it seeming clear to me the companies and organisations concerned could have altered their processes to accommodate such users as me. Funny how many of them were suddenly able to do this when SHTF and they had to sort this stuff out.

It's been a huge change for everyone and I know it's been tough, but being honest, yes there are certain things it would suit me and many others if they remained.

I've spoken to others without ocd but with other mentally illnesses and disabilities and they have said much the same, that there are certain things that have occurred as a result of the pandemic that have meant their lives have been made easier and people have treated them more thoughtfully.

I'm the same, another germ & contamination sufferer. At the moment my main fear is whether to have vaccine (fear of getting side effects and having something unknown) actually going and getting the vaccine (fear of catching something). I avoid everything medical, never go to GP etc. Have been in a self imposed housebound state since this all began. To be fair I didn't go out much before but obviously since all this blew up it's zero.

Thank you all so much for your responses. Sending lots of strength to you all

@Baldwin1973 I will private message you.

Another with contamination ocd , yet covid hasn't affected me , I have had my vaccine and although I am concerned about covid prob similar to next person
Where as ocd and contamination is very different , I have a phone that has a swollen battery and I am worried hugely about wether this has contaminated anything In the house ,how I will handle it taking to the dump and how this will contaminate me and the car, its relentless
Yet I haven't once felt need to wash my shopping due to covid

It shows how as much as we are unique so are our foibles. I am obsessed with crumbs, I have no idea where it stems from but I can't stop it from driving me crazy yet in the grand scheme of what could be harmful to me it seems so insignificant.

I have OCD, but more generalised than specifically contamination. I expected to find the pandemic really really difficult, but like others have said, I find the fact that other people are more controlled really helpful. My obsessions are usually related to things other people might or might not do, so not seeing so many people and having a 2m gap has been great.

The thing that did get worse was obsessively checking the news etc. This is something I previously had under control, but when so many announcements were broadcast via the news it was hard to avoid. Likewise I usually need to avoid reading too much scientific detail but that has been difficult to avoid.

I agree that people are generally more aware of what life can be like for us though. Seeing other people wash everything and worry about contamination might at least help people betyer understand why we obsess or have rituals etc.

@AcornAutumn

I think I've got better

I was an obsessive handwasher pre covid - working in offices and using the Tube. I also used a gargle and nasal rinse as soon as I got home.

I guess being at home means I don't have to was hands or use germy office loos and kitchens.

Also the Tube is less crowded. I hope it stays less crowded.

My big fear is noro. But I never got into sanitising trolleys or cleaning shopping. I use my own sanitiser because it's hopefully effective against noro. It won't work on covid though.

I have indoor and outdoor clothes and happy to stick with that.

I have health anxiety and OCD linked to my emetaphobia. Norovirus is my biggest fear too (not a great phobia to have when you work in a primary school and have 3 kids). I also use a hand sanitiser that kills norovirus and have had CBT for it. I was very anxious about covid at first but strangely my health anxiety has improved massively over the pandemic and I am much less worried about all illness now. I was most worried about covid when vomiting was mentioned as a symptom!! Funnily enough I had covid 3 weeks ago, and I did vomit. I was very calm during it all and surprised myself.

I have OCD which includes contamination. I had DD in July and pushed for an early discharge post section because of the conditions in my room. Think old wound dressings from the previous incumbent not being removed from the room

Not having to leave the house for work has been great because fire hazards and leaving home for long periods are massive triggers for me. I found people holding DD horrendous initially. I bathed her after people held her. Even now she's in a separation anxiety phase and I'm quite glad because when things start relaxing on 29th and MIL and FIL want to hold her I will say to leave her be else she will get upset. They've been breaking the rules for ages and don't bother with us in terms of texts/phone calls, just want to swan in and take photos for Facebook when it suits etc.

I have a grave fear about DD going to nursery and having to go back to work. Work won't confirm whether we will be WfH more or not. I'm getting my covid vaccine soon (due to my job) and am hoping that will help me feel a bit better as DD will have some protection. That was a big rant. Gah!! So good to find people who understand this stuff. Still wiping down groceries here, mainly because it's become a ritual now...

@OliveTree75 I'm exactly like this. Noro and any other sick bugs used to manic me like mad.

The pandemic has absolutely brought me to my knees in terms of health anxiety, but I'm hoping that once this is over I'll be a lot less worried with the day to day bugs and germs.

Panic me even!

I find the fact that other people are more controlled really helpful yes that's a perfect way of putting it

@OliveTree75 well done! You coped and that must have been so so hard for you.

@EnglishRain I had a major wobble when I had my dd too, I was washing and freezing her toys every night and when I had to stop bf I couldn't let anyone else wash, sterilise and make up the bottles not even her dad (who was very understanding) health visitor said it was actually quite common even in mums who didn't ordinarily have ocd

I too dread getting an upset stomach, the effects don't bother me in the same way it's the clean up afterwards as because of the way my ocd works it's a lot of work and exhausting - while I'm ill!