specific OCD

r00n · Newbie User Joined: Oct 02, 2008 Posts: 2

I am certain i have OCD but it only has to do with specific people who happen to be my parents..i am an adult and have moved out many years ago but i cannot be around them, just talk to them on the phone, family thinks i stay away because i am a jerk, well except i have told my parents i have this problem..but i feel as they are contaminated or being around them and touching the same things they do will in turn ruin my stuff or ruin me and i will have to take a shower and wash my clothes after being around them, and even then i still feel like i am not certain that i got rid of all of the 'contamination' i dont know if it is because they were overbearing when i was younger and i am associating their 'control' with contamination and want to live in a world where i am in control of myself and they cannot interfere..it has put a strain on me in a lot of situations...even something 6 degrees from them would bother me, like something that they touched once came into contact with something that touched something else that i happened to be around . i cannot even receive a letter in the mail from them without considering it to be highly contaminated. i would rather touch dirt and garbage with my bare hands than something that has an association with them...anyone else experience this or have any insight?

afterforever · Newbie User Joined: Sep 07, 2008 Posts: 27

I have an idea of what you're talking about. The only difference is that instead of it being my parents, I view anything or anyone outside my room to be the same way. I can't touch ANYTHING from outside my room without heavy washing and sanitizing, unless I'm wearing latex gloves. And if I consider it severe enough, I'll wear more than one pair at the same time. When studying for a school test recently, I put on three pairs of latex gloves at the same time to ensure that contamination didn't happen from picking up my books. So yeah, aside from the fact that with you it's your parents and me it's almost anything, I can completely relate. I also can't sit down on anything or brush against anything outside my room, unless I want to change my clothes.

OCDC · Newbie User Joined: Oct 03, 2008 Posts: 2

Hi R00n

I have exactly the same problem. I can %100 relate to everything you just said. I find it really hard to talk about my OCD because it's so unique. I get scared that it won't make sense to people because it's not like common types of OCD eg cleaning, toucing things in public etc and people will think I'm beyond help or that people will think I was a victim of child abuse which isn't the case. So it's great to know that I'm not alone here. I try to avoid my parent's as much as possible. But even if I'm not around them my OCD will focus on something that was even remotely related to them to compensate for thier absence eg a chair in my flat that my mother would have sat on. Therefore going near that would make me feel contaminated. Yesterday I threw my mobile phone away because my mother had handled it. Now I have to buy another one even though my old one worked perfectly. I'm also regarded as the black sheep of the family due to little or no contact with them. They tell me that I'm selfish and horrible which is not the case. I've tried telling them the problem but they just tell me I'm been silly and to snap out of it. It's just easier if I tell them I'm fine now but let them think I don't want to see them because I'm a jerk.

I've seen 2 psychiatrists and a hypnotist and have previously taken fluroxitine with not much success. Currently on no meds and seeing no one. My OCD is under control but I feel like I'm very close to loosing it again. I'm considering going back on medication.

I don't really seem to have much advice but hope it feels nice to know that you're not alone with this strange version of OCD.

Son · Newbie User Joined: Oct 22, 2008 Posts: 5

Only your parents? Sounds like a serious emotional issue from the past and the need to separate from the issue. I don't think the contamination is what it seems as much as it is connected to your parents. If you had a OCD about contamination it would affect more in your life than just parents. I don't think it's about OCD but more of something you are trying to hide deep deep inside from your self about your parents and feelings about something in the past. Sad

I could be wrong, I'm no doc and probably don't understand OCD completely but I think if you ever can get therapy to talk about your parents you might allow your self to feel the emotions that are the cause of this and the whole contamination thing could vanish. But I don't really know much just voicing a possibility.