Can anyone relate?

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I am 29 years old and have been dealing with obsessive worry for a few years now. I am not sure exactly what started everything. I didnt have any trauma in my life that I can relate back to. I worry about little things and can't seem to get my mind around the fact that it is crazy for me to worry about them. For example, I would have to check my stove 10 times before I would realize it was turned off. But then I got to the point that I was not able to believe that it was off, and I started turning the circuit breaker off. Well over time, those type of worries became less and less. I now do not worry about that, however, there are other things that I worry about and they seem to be getting worse.

For example, blood freaks me out. I work in a lab (but not in the actual specimen part, i just deal with the paperwork) and I started worrying that the papers I touched had germs on them and that I might catch something. This then lead to me not being able to really touch anything anywhere without having to jump and put hand sanitizer on. Well I was getting better for a little while, and trying to tone down the use of the sanitizer, but then had a bad breakup with my boyfriend and that made all my worrying worse again.

The other day at work, I was setting up for a lunch we were having where everyone brought part of it from home. There was a bag that I took out of the fridge and it had blood on it. I looked at it and froze for a minute and then dropped the bag, washed my hands, and put hand sanitizer on. I called a friend of mine and I was very upset about this and she told me not to worry because everything should be fine.

The problem is, now I am still worrying about it 2 days later and I can't remember if I did actually wash my hands or not. I mean I am sure that I did, knowing that I have a germ phobia, but it's like my brain blocks the things that would help me get through this. I asked my friend and she told me that I told her I washed my hands and that I put sanitizer on, but I can't remember doing that now.

I am trying my hardest to get past this and move on, but I just dont know how to do that. I mean I don't think my co-worker has any diseases or anything that I would need to worry about, and when we asked her if she cut her finger she said yes. I would assume that she would have said something if there was a reason for me to worry about touching her blood or if I would need to get tested for anything, but my brain always plays tricks and thinks the worst.

Is there anyone else that can relate or that can help me get through this to move on?

Thanks!
T

 
By CK on Mon, 12-26-11, 13:19

Do you think this could possibly be OCD? I would think about seeking therapy as blood does seem like it would possibly present itself a lot with your job. Phobias and compulsions don't have an explanation, your brain just seizes on one thing (in your case blood and disease) and won't let go. Therapy can help you work on taming your mind and it's ability to gallop away towards the worst possible case scenario.

Blessings,
CK

Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast-Alice in Wonderland

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