Teenage germophobe - any tips for minimising it?

[parisbynight]

My DD (17) is progressively becoming more and more germophobic. Dislikes wearing clothes more than once (including hoodies, jeans etc) despite no visible dirt or noticeable smell.

Tonight she rejected a hug because I had just put something in the bin and « might have bin juice » on my hands (I didn’t).

She was in the Covid cohort of Y6 so I appreciate some of it likely dates back to that, but it’s becoming a real point of tension between us.

And I’m worried that if we allow it to continue, she is at risk of developing full on OCD which will negatively impact her life. Can anyone relate?

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to manage this to bring her back to a normal level of acceptance that contact with « dirt » is just part of life?

It sounds like she has already developed OCD. This book is excellent: Break Free from OCD

My autistic 12 yr old can get like this it's usually worse when she is anxious - anyway it's unhealthy and don't give in to it that is all I can say

I once had some advice from a friend who was a doctor specialising in OCD treatment and they said it's absolutely vital not to change things around them to 'support' the OCd.

eg my daughter has some food phobias, the dr said don't stop eating them, don't stop having them in the house - be respectful of their fear but don't change your own behaviour.

sadly/interestingly I think my daughters phobias also are linked to covid
(although she was younger - she was in year 1 during covid so only 5 yrs old)

She has real contamination fears - she will NEVER share food or take food to a shared environment - in case her food makes someone else sick/ allergic.

I can only think this stems from the 'covid' fear that our own behaviour can make others sick.

Yes to the food thing too! She is very reluctant to share food. And quite cautious about trying new things.

I definitely don’t go out of my way to accommodate her. If anything I think im probably a bit too much the other way eg telling her she’s silly and it’s unnecessary (and to do her own excess laundry!) but then I worry that will push her to be even more extreme, that she’ll double down and take it even further.

It’s definitely more psychological than anything else. But I really want (need!) her to get over it.