OCD Action

aishah
Member

Hi everyone,
Through CBT, a few months ago I managed to stop cleaning and ordering which have always been my compulsions. I have been only tidying up for approx half an hour per day for a few months now and have been managing ok.

But recently I have been mentally planning cleaning and having strong urges to clean,this all came to a head yesterday. I was so stressed out with life and fighting OCD one way or another that I just wanted to clean.

Everything around me seems so dirty. I know my standards have always been extremely high and I have had to learn to drop my standards quite a bit in order to get better and not spend every waking minute cleaning and ordering.

Now I don't know what is the norm anymore as I have been so excessive for all my life. I am almost scared to start cleaning more in case it gets out of control again but on the other hand I feel my flat is getting dirty and I don't like it.

Bridget

Sun Mar 14 2010 19:01:21 #
Unregistered

It is difficult to know what a "normal" standard of cleanliness is and what is more extreme when you have OCD, which does make things hard. I find myself being scared to clean in some ways incase I'm encouraging my obsessions, but in this way I think I end up letting thing slide too much. So you're not alone there. Maybe try speaking to someone who is non-OCD or someone who does not have contamination/ordering OCD at least, so you can get an idea of what is a standard level of cleaning you should be doing. I hope you feel better soon.

Sun Mar 14 2010 19:19:36 #
jon
Member

I struggle with this all the time - not so much with cleaning but with other stuff. Do I really want to do this or is it the OCD. I find that delaying the response can sometimes help to clarify this question, but the OCD is always in the background and when I do do the task, there is still some doubt as to whether it is actually an OCD ritual. When OCD 'contaminates' the issue it never really clears.

I'd say Aishah you should continue doing your half hour thing but if you feel a longer clean is needed once in a while then that's OK as long as as you say it does'nt get out of control. If it does get out of hand then you can reassess the situation.

Sun Mar 14 2010 20:10:44 #
Rena32
Member

I used to have cleaning OCD, it lasted for years, and then poof it was gone! I guess my OCD got tired of it and I moved on to some new OCD compulsions. I am glad it is gone though. I still clean, but am not obsessed with it anymore.

Sun Mar 14 2010 20:45:28 #
Truddles
Member

Hi Bridget,

Sorry can't help on this one as my OCD although contamination OCD means I'm frightened of cleaning for fear of making the perceived contamination worse. It takes me ages to pluck up the courage to clean and sometimes can't do it unless I've someone with me. How sad is that?

Sun Mar 14 2010 23:21:31 #