Contamination OCD is one of the most debilitating OCD themes because it can get out of control pretty quickly. When OCD tells you that you cannot touch something it starts an avalanche of rules and hypervigilance that can take over your life.
If your child is struggling with contamination OCD they might be thinking they can keep themselves safe as long as they keep track of everything and anything that touches them or the things they care about. This can keep them so distracted and overwhelmed. It is like being on a hamster wheel they cannot get off. But they often think it is worth it, because they are able to control whether they get contaminated.
OCD comes in many different shapes and flavors. One way it shows up is through the concept of “contamination.” Contamination means something different for each person who suffers from OCD, but they all have two things in common:
Something/someone cannot be touched and should be avoided
Contamination can spread from object to object, person to person (and even place to place)
Helping Kids with OCD Who have a Hard Time Showering OCD likes to disrupt anything in its wake, including the things we must do on a daily basis. OCD can make it hard to eat, go to the bathroom and especially shower. This happens for a variety of reasons depending on the person’s OCD themes. In this week’s Youtube video I talk about how to […]
How to Help Kids with Contamination OCD Contamination OCD can make kids feel contaminated by anything, not just germs. It can be a thought, a feeling or a person that makes something contaminated. I have seen kids who were consumed with contamination around bodily fluids, dust, “bad” people, and cleaning supplies to just name a few! OCD can be creative on what it makes kids […]
Your child is paralyzed. She stares at the bathroom door unable to go through. She grabs the door handle with her shirt, fumbling to get it open. You’ve watched her wash her hands until they are raw. It seems like most questions that come out of her mouth are about germs. What is going on with her? This new fear of germs is taking over her life. How can you help?
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