hand-washers and cleaners treatment ideas, ocd hand-washing

Irina77 · Newbie User Joined: Sep 19, 2008 Posts: 4

Hello. I have ocd for 1 year already. I would like to get some ideas of treatment in case of obsessive hand-washing, washing body, wahing clothes and inability to clean home (because I am afraid to get dirty). Anyone has similar symptoms? What treatment do u have or had?
I was prescribed solian 600mg for 3 months, then zyprexa 5mg for 6 months - no help at all but gained 10kg. Now I started fluoxetine (same as prozac) 20mg and sonapaks 20mg. After the start on monday keep on sleeping the whole week. Also tried several therapists but they did not help me at all. I plan to find a therapist for the behavior therapy now.
Thanks for your ideas

sabbath92002 · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 5:05 pm Post subject:

I use disposable rubber gloves a lot when I'm cleaning, Costco sells them cheap. I also use disposable plastic utensils, paper cups and paper plates so I only have to wash pots and pans. Office Depot has Purell hand wipes in boxes of a 100 for like $6.

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siren_0_0 · Newbie User Joined: Jan 11, 2008 Posts: 95

I used to have this same worries/obsessions/compulsions. I still do but it's lessened. Like a lot. I don't know what's the right thing to tell you right now. I wish I did. But I'm soo tired and my dishwasher flooded because I used the wrong detergent. It leaked on to the carpet too. Not just the kitchen hardwood floor (which is easier to clean.) Sad

I feel soooo fu*king stressed.
I don't want to say the wrong thing to you because I've been through similar things you are going through and I feel as if I could relate to you, so I don't want to tell you something you could just hear from any old therapist. One thing that I can offer is that you're very brave for expressing your worries and fears and wanting help for them. When I first had it for a year like you, I couldn't even admit to anyone or put it in words what was up with me. I was soooo damn ashamed of myself. People thought I was crazy as hell and I could not give a fu*k about it. I also couldn't tell therapists I saw what I was feeling or what specific acts/things were bothering me. I always tried to hide it or pretend it was something else because I was embarrassed to admit what was really bothering me and I was worried that they'll ask me to do the opposite of that OCD behavior because behavioral therapy is about doing the total opposite of what your OCD is making you do. And I just didn't have the guts to do it at the time. So I lied and made them believe that my OCD was about something else so that I could pretend to get better... like if my OCD was about not wanting to touch the doorknob, I would pretend it was about not wanting to touch the floor, you get the idea. lol. So yea I think you're very brave for seeking help after just a year, it means you don't let your OCD swallow you up whole. Good Luck.

nonentity · Newbie User Joined: Jul 30, 2008 Posts: 11

The two best meds for OCD are Effexor and Paxil. I recommend a site called Crazy Meds, you can read all about these kinds of meds from a patient's point of view (instead of a doctor or pharmaceutical company) and it's also funny as hell.