Is this OCD

[Cappuccino17]

I wash my hands frequently, I literally have a phobia of school clothing so I wash it nearly everyday and can't have my kids wear it in the house after school I will freak out completely, I don't wear my clothes to the toilet so I have a vest on underneath that I wear so I don't freeze lol and obviously my knickers aswel and then after washing my hands and drying them I wear my clothes. I cannot stand any clothing touching the toilet seat and also after flushing I don't want any germs flying all over my clothing this is the reason behind it.
I hate work clothing indoors aswel so if anyone comes in with it and sits on sofas il wash the blankets and clean the full sofa with sprays and carpets aswel. It's what brings me comfort. All clean and fresh but it's exhausting to keep up with as I live with a family member who will come in with work clothes and sit on all the blankets i have washed. I get so triggered as il have to rewash them again.

Anyone got any coping strategies?

Does anyone else practice any of this? I know i have OCD traits as I am easily triggered around hygiene and handwashing. I have seeked some help from my GP I am currently on a waiting list.

It's certainly not the life that most people live, yet they survive without excessive cleaning. You say your routines brings you comfort but are you happy?

You have perfectly described me OP! I don't think it's normal, no. But I can't help it. And I can completely understand your post, that you can't either, it really resonates with me. I alsoI hate school clothing too and make my children shower as soon as they're home from school to "decontaminate" them. My husband is a builder and I make him take all work clothes off too before sitting anywhere. I have had therapy for this but it didn't really help, next thing I'm looking at is anti depressants which I'm reluctant to go on but feel I can't keep up with this constant cycle of washing/mental load of cleaning etc. I'm sorry, it really is rubbish. I hope you can get some help xx

They bring me inner comfort yes when it is all in practice. The moments it messes up it brings me stress so it just depends... if my day goes without triggers i am very happy continuing my practices as I feel a lot of comfort in them. I like a fresh clean feel to my home.

I just get triggered very easily and cannot control peoples actions.. so this is the part I struggle with. I also end up with a lot of laundry so can get exhausting.

Yes I understand completely. I also like the fresh clean feeling in the house! I am triggered every day by something which is exhausting and like you say endless laundry. I've just had my third child and I've found it's actually got worse now so looking to get some help as i realise I can't continue like this. Hugs to u x

@chocciebiscuits sorry to hear you're going through something similar.
Do you feel something triggered your symptoms or have you always been like this? Atleast you seeked therapy. I'm waiting for mine they have offered me CBT. I really don't know if it'll work. I get so many intrusive thoughts all day about decontamination! They don't stop.
Atleast your husband changes his clothes mine won't listen as he feels my practices are too much and he will change after he's sat down on my fresh sofa, it causes me a huge deal of stress but I've found ways around it now which are cleaning and washing it all.
How long have you been like this for?
Mine has been 2.5 years but I've recently seeked therapy as it's exhausting having these thoughts about surface contamination.

I'm glad that you and @chocciebiscuits are seeking help. Not just for your own sake, but for your children's.
I can't imagine what is like for them to feel seen by you as so filthy that they have to immediately shower, or that anything they touch in the clothes that have been 'part of them' all day has to be scrubbed and contaminated. It's going to affect the way they see themselves and their bodies.

It concerns me that neither of you have mentioned your children as one of the reasons that you need to get this sorted.

And yes, it is OCD. I have a friend with similar traits and anxieties, and it's almost disabling.

I feel for you, but what your children are living with (my friend is single, but I know what it's like having to fit in with their traits) worries me hugely..

I alsoI hate school clothing too and make my children shower as soon as they're home from school to "decontaminate" them

This must be so distressing for your children. Have you had proper medical help?
Just reread your post - it’s really important that you try to deal with this.

Yes, it's OCD. My daughter has it. You may find SSRIs helpful. We didn't find therapy any use whatsoever, unfortunately.

Yes, that’s OCD. And it’s impacting your life negatively so in your position I would try and do something about it eg therapy.

We sound very similar! Mine was triggered by Covid and sounds like yours may have been too. One of my daughters had to go to hospital for an illness and it completely freaked me out as she was very poorly so I started cleaning everything like crazy in the hope she wouldn't get ill again, stupid I know. Then it's just got worse from then. I view absolutely everything as contaminated. I still disinfect all of my food shopping like I did during Covid. My daughters also have developed mild ocd which I feel awful about but I guess not a suprise as it always telling them to wash their hands etc. for this reason I really want to get better. I'd hate them to grow up with this cleaning obsession. Sorry your husband doesn't understand, mine didn't either but when he saw the state I got in if he didn't change etc etc he started to comply although he does get annoyed and it does cause arguments because I'm constantly dettoling everything and it drives him nuts. Weldone for getting CBT, this is what I tried also, I had 20 sessions and it did help a bit but it's hard work and not the miracle cure I was hoping for. Hopefully you will have more success. It's awful living like this isn't it

I honestly do think about my children and feel terrible. I try to be covert apart from making them wash their hands and change clothes if they've been out anywhere. Indoor clothes are always different my daughter is old enough to understand bits and bats but just does it. I have seeked help because I feel a lot of time and energy gets consumed by these thoughts and practices and i can't give my kids that positive energetic me that I once was. Always thinking about surface contamination. It's eating me up and ruining my relationship with my husband.

@chocciebiscuits very similar kickstarts.. it started with covid combined with pregnancy anxiety.. but also my child was hospitalised with a viral illness and this was the trigger as it completely traumatised me. OCD got really bad the 2nd time he was hospitalised. It was like me blocking him from any harm and going into a full on protection mode otherwise it'll all be my fault if I don't take the precautions that I need to and there is no room for error.
I am exhausted and it feels horrible inside being like this. My husband came home today in his work clothes and plonked himself on my fresh cleaned sofa now i know my morning task will be chucking all those throws in the wash and putting fresh ones on. I've a large bag of my clothes to wash aswel.

I understand this but in a much more minor way, so for example, I can't bear to go to someone else's house, have to take off my shoes, walk around in just my socks, and then put my shoes on again to leave, putting those contaminated socks into my shoes, thereby contaminating my shoes!! Totally grosses me out. So I take my own slippers, which I then put through the wash when I get home. I have a special pair of slippers just for these occasions.

@Charlingspont yes I understand this. I always change my socks after being at someones home. You seem more organised than me though i just spray some dettol antibac in my shoes and allow it to dry overnight lol.

I've done 3 rounds of CBT for my OCD. It really can get quite debilitating. Well done for noticing and seeking some help. It sounds very exhausting for you. Sending love your way, as I know how hard it can be. It can feel very lonely too.