I wash my hands between washing each part of my body because I don’t want to spread the germs. As I kid I never had germ issues, but now, it’s a nightmare. Germs everywhere. It like a prison in my own mind. I wish I could go back to how it was before. 😞
I was gonna comment the same. I wash one body part after the other like the they showed it, except I wash my hands a couple times between body parts. I've always paid attention to personal hygiene and probably washed my hands a bit more often than many, but it was not an obsession before. I did not spend an unreasonable amount of time washing hands or showering, and did not make my skin dry. I guess it's hard to convince myself that the old routine was safe and I'd be just fine.
SHE DOESN'T SAY IF HE'S TO USE THE SHAMPOO FOR HIS FACE AND NECK; NOR ARE THERE ANY INSTRUCTIONS ON CLEANING THE PRIVATE AREAS; NOR IS HE TO SHAVE AND NOTHING ABOUT THE FEET. EVERYONE THINKS THAT THEY'RE HOLLYWOOD PRODUCERS ON THE INTERNET.
Before I got OCD taking a shower was the best feeling in the world, but now in the last 2 years the shower has become a prison where I'm locked into my own thoughts. 😣😥
Same my mind races when I'm in the shower or washing my hands I get stuck in my thoughts and feel as if I have to wash my hands and body until I think there clean which is a really long time can you should text me sometime if your free
If I’m being honest it’s sometimes hard for me to discuss with just anyone because I don’t want to be looked at as inferior or something. Some days are better than others. Hope whoever reads this knows you’re amazing it’s going to get better, God loves you. Keep pushing forward God Bless! ❤🙏
That's me!! I have eczema, generally dry and very sensitive skin. I am highly allergic to soaps or cleansers of any kind and residue left from the shower will cause me to erupt in an itchy bumpy rash. I have to scrub my skin even once the suds are gone to avoid this. Balancing what I need to do in the shower versus what is too much is a never ending battle.
Thank you for this. I really struggle with showers/baths. It takes me usually an hour or more to shower. Closer to 2 hrs for a bath. I want to be clean but I dread showering because I know it's gonna be a long ordeal. It's seriously affecting my hygiene. I usually opt for a wash-up with baby wipes and dry shampoo and only shower a couple times a week... Gross, I know. OCD sucks!!!
❤wow❤ I typed in, the ridiculous question, how to take a shower, with no hope of finding something so perfect. Thank you. I have ocd, but I didn't really believe others had shower issues. I'm so glad for this video and to see all the comments. Thank you😊
Natalie Navarro same! I was like wait?! People only go over it once?!! No wonder they get out so quick! I probably go up and down my arms about 20 times lol
I'm don't have severe OCD so my showers used to take like 45 minutes to an hour but I've cut it down to like 20 minutes. I still sometimes have to urge to scrub over one more time but I resist it and it's all good ^-^
Yusuf Polat that’s awesome!!! Your in charge and I admire your strength. My showers would take long but washing certain body parts makes me wash my hands over and over to make sure they are clean. If I could get over washing those certain areas I would be in a good position
I have to wash my face twice then wash my hair tie my hair up so it doesn't touch my dirty body. I shave and keep shaving over the same spot until I feel it's smooth enough it can take several minutes. then I wash my body top part first. I scrub until I feel the oils are off and it takes about 5 minutes on top and 5 minutes on bottom then I do it all over again. then I let down my hair and wash it again because it still feels oily. then I do conditioner and then my face feels oily again So I wash it 1,2,3 times and then I get out of the shower. it usually takes me an hour. if I don't do my rituals the right way or someone rushes me I snap and refuse to go anywhere.
Not want to be rude but did you realize how much water and electric you are wasting i am taking for about 18 minutes a shower and i am feeling still clean 1 hour showering is in my opinion not good for your skin i recommend to seek out help and overcome it its unordinary your shower rituals.
Emanuel Esposito its a disease and if u know nothing about it please dont comment on the negative side of things it fusterates me so bad because i take 2 hours just because my ocd is real bad its embarrassing. So just saying that how can i put it your words sre kinda harsh. If you dont know what its like.
My showers are long because I feel the need to wash my legs a certain number with the wash cloth. And I have a certain order to go through. And I hate it so much. Same with putting deodorant on. I have to count how many times I swipe it. By the time I can get out it's almost to late in the day. And most importantly I have missed dr appts because of this. I would be late so they would not take me. It's at the point that I'm in the house alot now from depression because my Mom just passed 9 months ago and my sister the yr before so it's been really hard going through this.
My Simple Palace sorry to hear about your mom and sister♥️ hope you’re ocd I’ve is better now and you’re doing alright ♥️ sending much love and hugs your way💕
You are v strong .. refer to these videos and actions apply them .. we have to trust the healthy thought n behaviour n action .. Hope you are v healthy happy , Wish you to be surrounded by All dear loving people .. Many Hugs , Lots of Love to you ..
I have this problem too ..every time when wanna shower..wash hand... I feel stress and tired because I take shower very long because when shower my body every part I need to counting certain number if count miss it then need count again with step must balance and every part must complete it.. Everytime thing to wash or to shower must counting the step..when at outside walking I feel so worry scare got my thing drop at the road so if I alone I will check the place got drop things or not... I feel very tired and hate it this problem how to recover it? This problem make me waste my time, waste my energy, waste water, no enough sleep this problem make me very late do other things and my dinner become supper and late sleep and till my family member hate me...and less communicate with me...Anyone can advise or help me to solve my problem?
I suffer with OCD and watching the support your partner gave you was so beautiful. My partner is my biggest cheerleader too, and I feel so lucky. Well done on this huge achievement! Showering with OCD is not easy!
Thank you so much. I have been avoiding the shower but that is misery too, because who wants to be around someone who is dirty? I really needed this video. I think everything is going to be okay now.
Reading these comments has been so relieving. About 2-4 years ago I struggled with extreme germaphobia OCD. I remember the feeling of washing my hands repeatedly and aggressively and my absolute fear of showering. I was afraid of germs and my dirty body contaminating areas. Like after using the bathroom my hands would “contaminate” the sink nobs when I went to turn them on so I was afraid to touch them again after cleaning my hands. It was the same sort of thing while showering. Me being afraid or water beadlets bouncing off my body or other surfaces and dirtying both in the process. I would have to rewash a part of my body that touched the shower curtain or wall ect. Seeing abs reading about people who are going through almost the exact same thing helps me to know that I wasn’t the only one feeling like I was going insane. I just want to let anyone who is reading this and going through OCD or anything similar that your are not the only one. I have thankfully recovered from the extremity that I was at. Please know that it gets better if you are willing to try and change your mindset. Don’t trust OCD.
yoooooo omg I feel this. I can be in the shower for hours and get really freaked out by water bouncing off of stuff and have to wash up elbows between each section of my body which then has sub sections. im dreading showering tomorrow
This video just completely opened up my mind right now. It is exactly what I need, the answer I have been looking for. Been suffering for quite some time now so thank you for making me take one step in the right direction.
My problem is having bad thoughts while in the shower since I don’t have distractions. I obsess over past events, or work, or I worry about my finances. I dread shower time.
i’ve come up with a technique when i have intrusive thoughts, i knock on wood for good luck so they don’t actually come to life. it has honestly helped me sleep at night or else i would’ve absolutely gone crazy.
@@shaki5146 I know I realized it was still a bad habit that’s caused because of ocd. but I’d rather believe I’m doing something positive that distracts me from thinking negative things all the time
You are a hero! I will tell you for a person with OCD, that takes a LOT of doing. Also for others reading, I too have OCD and have struggled with long showers for many years. I have gotten much better now that I am older and have gotten into nature therapy to replace the things my OCD was clinging onto which was my obsession. I had the need of being perfectly clean and more concerned about germs until one day, some family moved into our basement and they started seeing the embarrassing me I use to be able to hide from family who visited because of my OCD and rituals that had me stuck in which effected my reputation. I knew then I couldn't keep doing what I was doing and it overwhelmed me more to feel my families vibes in our home along with my anxiety routine for perfection on my body when I showered. Some of them could see me in my bathrobe a lot of the time before showering till noon since other things held me up already because of my need for perfection and being super clean like going to the kitchen to eat and keeping my food germ free, over washing my hands, wiping things down with wipes including myself maybe more than 2 or 3 times to check that I got every spot off etc. . So I decided to make a change. I started Hiking around waterfalls to get calming breaks like the shower was doing in the past which I was originally also obsessed with because I loved water and I loved cleaning myself to where I would get stuck being slow at everything or getting into OCD patterns of repeating a rinse as well. I saw water as art and my helper. I also started going swimming and sitting in hot tubs to replace that same calming shower and water bathing time consuming therapy obsession and taking fast showers at night before I went to bed instead of during the day which was the one thing that made me want to not get myself dirty at all in the first place because I had just cleaned myself all over and it took forever. I saw being perfect was a big deal and made me feel beautiful and together inside and out. Getting anything dirty on myself would freak me out and I would carry wipes with me and wear long pants and long sleeves even in summer to avoid getting dirty and super grossed out since perfection to me was the normal for my ocd. Also as a creative artist this did not help the visuals I would get that boosted my anxiety levels horribly high. When I changed my shower routine time and my life with the hiking and swimming excersized along with getting sunshine wherever I could, I broke my pattern and taught my ocd to back off, then things got super faster in and out of the shower because I was giving myself permission to actually not be perfectly clean all the time since I would just take a shower at the end of the day and be perfectly clean and feel great before bed. I also would wake up knowing I had that permission everyday. The bad visuals dropped because my creative time was better spent in my photography with nature and underwater mermaid videos I got into that kept my desire higher for sanity and being normal knowing how I got there. The swimming and showering worked too since I made myself remember how I use to think when I was a kid who use to go camping with family or just swim in the summer or have swimming lessons. I got a mermaid tail and lived in it when I was in water, embraced the salt in the ocean, embraced the soil from the places I hiked that healed me. My mind got the message, that the earth was for me not against me, it was there to keep me sane and normal. Bacteria was needed for my body to be strong and healthy. I now take much faster showers and I also watch the clock as I move with a coach attitude on my focus self taught pattern with how long each rinse should take which all developed from going swimming with family and showering away from home to force myself to only concentrate on the pattern I was allowed to do and keeping things moving fast so I could get out as fast as possible. I have a large family so the peer pressure made me want more to be fast more than perfectly clean with this new approach and to know what normal was. I truly am, so grateful for this wonderful therapy that came to me when some family moved in and my way of living suddenly changed because of more people around me waiting everyday how I showered and of watching what time I use to come downstairs dressed later in the day. It bothered me so much that I found another solution therapy for my needs instead of using the washing OCD and rewired my brain into learning how to think differently in order to applying this freedom to my life. The perfect mental balance is the key to killing your OCD. How much anxiety time you decide to give it and where you put your needs. Keep your emotions as the caboose not the driver. You are in control not the OCD. Anxiety can be made to sit down and be quiet. It's your victory. your life and your mind. Taking charge , getting nature therapy to put your needs in a different direction, excersize, sunlight and letting some one help you in your journey is your best way out if anyone is like me. They key is knowing you are in charge not the OCD. Reprogram your body with these health benefits and think body, mind and spirit health. This is the full way out. I know guys, it's hard to even think you can, but trust me. I did it and am living proof.
It could just be the background music, but I started crying (in a good way I think, you made me feel validated). Today and the other day before this, I took showers that my mom said were 15 minutes long, and wore her soap down to a sliver.
4 showers a day sometimes and upwards of 45 minutes per shower. So much water wasted, so much soap wasted, so many paper towels, and so much time wasted due to this nightmare. I'm tired of sanitizing everything that is touched by hands every day. Family time is almost non-existent and sleep is a distant memory. Cracked bleeding hands. Every day is a struggle.
Earlier this year I have realized it myself , the thing you said it in the beginning ..and very gradually but I definitely was getting positive results but then this Covid thing happened and now I can't get out of the bathroom without being there for atleast 2-3 hours ..I keep washing my hands infinite number of times...the bathroom gets extremely hot and I can't even get out of it,it literally is roasting me alive...My hand's actual skin color disappeared and now it's white and pink...and there is bleeding too,small wounds all over my fingers, it's tiring,frustrating and saddening..water wastage,soap ,time ,money , every thing is unnecessarily getting wasted...it is not only taking a toll on me alone but also on my Mom too ..I get so tired by standing there for hours that I m unable to do any work..that is making my Mother worry so much for me and my share of work along with her own she is doing everything and it is taking a toll on her health too .. It's making me really really sad ....I am crying as I'm writing this but I will definitely gonna beat this monster not gonna keep suffering.Whoever reads this : u r not alone...look around others are still surviving without doing the extremes ,we OCD's are doing...if others can we too can.Help yourself. Need to take the risk and challenge the anxiety and hence OCD itself.
I never used to have issues taking a shower and using the bathroom until recently. My showers used to take maybe 10 mins. Now they're about 30. Too long for my liking. My rituals include washing the shower faucet knobs before I get out, and washing my hands in the shower before I touch them. A fear that has sprung over me, is that, since I like to shower after using the bathroom, I turn on the shower--and now the handles are "contaminated". Same with using the bathroom. My current OCD mind tells me that bidets are messy--I mean, they do tend to splashback when using. So now I'm just using TP followed by wipes But after I finish with the wipes---how do I wash my hands? I have to touch and contaminate my pants by pulling them up and going to the sink. Ugh. This stuff is exhausting. I never used to have it this bad until about a year ago.
This is the best time to seek professional help. My OCD started in the same manner. My normal bath time including hair bath and undergarments wash was 30-45mins till the pandemic. Soon it started to include taps and switches and the total time in the bathroom increased to 1hour. Then within few days, 1.5hrs. When it was increasing from 1hr to 1.5hrs I started feeling like I'm losing control over my thoughts. Had I visited a psychiatrist at that point of time my life would have been normal today. But I kept seeking validation from others who would say I'm overthinking and I myself kept validating my thoughts and actions by giving different excuses like "its okay because times are not normal either due to pandemic and I need to take extra precautions so extra time in the shower is fine" and also "many people take over 1hr in the shower so its fine". But soon my condition kept getting worse and by the time I went to the psychiatrist too much damage was already done to get back to normal. Today my condition is much better and I take half the time to take bath but still it is too much time and I sometimes avoid taking bath for days due to that. I am on medication and take average 3hrs for bath now and recently I started going to a psychologist for ERP therapy too which I should have done last year itself when I started medication. Both combined gives best result🙏
Takes me one and half hour too or more than that.If i wash my hairs it takes two hours.If I do more compulsions esp.that time of month it takes 2.5 hours.OCd has made my life worse.Even 1 hours of shower seems a distant dream for me
Well, to be fair, everyone's ocd is different. And ocd is also not logical. For some people the private parts aren't a big deal. And since they're talking about Jim's own experience that might be the case. However I suggest you follow the same gist of the rule. Like rinse it for 10 seconds. Like your bum for 10 secs and other areas 10 secs as well.
@@taboosnail I was thinking the same thing. Washing of those areas may be harder for those experienced SA. However, I would assume for the sake of the video, they didn’t want to show that. I do think that mentioning of wiping that area once would be helpful.
Thank you guys so much for this video!!! My OCD is SO Debilitating and painful 😖 for me, and now I know what I need to do to get through this hellish life OCD has created and slowly get better and have a life.. thinking about it makes me very anxious.. I hope I can do this..🙏🏻🥺😰😭😥
This is a great video. *ERP* is the best way to go for OCD. I usually advise clients to incorporate a breathing or mindfulness exercise to keep them grounded and _"slow down"_ their thinking. It can also act as a distraction from their thoughts. I will certainly check out more of your videos👏
Gods bless you beautiful peoples thank you for sharing! This is a real struggle for me right now and this video gives me hope I can change. And it is nice to not feel alone in this struggle
Thank you guys for this video, I really hate taking showers sometimes, especially when washing my hair because it just takes me so long to do and when cleaning my groin area, I spend so long doing it because I just don’t feel like I’ve cleaned it properly, so I’m there for like 10 minutes sometimes just cleaning my groin, not even joking and this causes me to get stressed because I get less time with the family at night and the thought wasting loads of water frightens me because I know I’m using so much and I’m usually in the shower for about an hour and maybe sometimes more, and if I’m really struggling then close to 2 hours which then really annoys me because that’s a lot of time in the day that I’ve wasted and it’s made me start to hate showers more and more but it’s weird cos the second I get out the shower I feel good about myself for finally getting out and no longer wasting anymore water but then here comes the drying part and I hate it cos I spend ages drying myself and my groin area especially cos I feel like I need to get it really proper dry otherwise if I leave a little bit of wet still on there, it could cause me to feel wet down there later on at the night and that would then make me feel anxious and stress about it for the rest of the night thinking that I’m dirty down there and then I get into bed and I think oh great time to chill and enjoy the comfy ness of the bed and enjoy the moment while it last but then the morning comes and I feel shit and dread the night coming cos I know I’ve got to have another shower again all this and you’re meant to enjoy a shower and have it be a relaxing end to your day yeah well for me it’s the complete opposite
I always get in trouble with my parents for taking too long to bathe. I wish they understood I can’t stop myself from soaping up multiple times. If there are 2 different shampoos or soaps in the bathroom I have to use everyone and I have to do it multiple times. What is wrong with me?
There is nothing wrong with you !! My daughter sufferers from this and it devastates me. I want to help her but I've been trying for a decade and she's no better, if not worse.
same!! my parents always yell at me to get out and I get so irritated because they make me feel guilty for something I have no control of. My parents also sometimes turn off the lights when I shower (at night) as a way to tell me that I need to get out and I get so scared and upset. I just wish they would help me instead of making me feel worse.
Just after using toilet i have to clear my throat vigorously because i feel the dirty smell of my own waste matter has gone down my throat and have to get rid of it. I feel lump in my throat if i dont do. Bath has to follow after this process. Bath is also ritualistic and painful. All this will take 2 hrs. Taking bath has become nightmare.
Thank you for this video. My family says i take “hour showers” but i struggle keeping track of how much soap i need to wash and if im scrubbing enough. I usually go over multiple times and over scrub. I will try this method, hope it works 👍🏽.
I have really been struggling with false memories, or lack of memory, "did I really wash my legs" then I get stuck in a repeat, I am trying so hard, your videos really help, I can't wait for more, take care
I am very disapointed with my life.i have tried everything,but i did not get rid off from ocd.i am suffering from last 2 years,i was doing BSCS,but ocd spoiled my studies.while i am taking bath,i use too much soap on my body,even my hands look like plaster of paris.while i am applying soap on my armpit and on pubic area etc,i consider that my hands have been contaminated ,then i wash my hands many times.while taking bath,i also have fear that sprinkles of water will collide with walls of washroom or with floor of washroom and that sprinkles of water will come on my face and that may harm to my face,that sprinkles of water sometimes come on my face that make me too much anxious.i dont wash my face during bath,after taking bath,i come out from washroom and wash hands with soaps many times at sink.then i start to wash my face with new soap.i use three news soaps in a day.whenever i want to wash my face,i use new soap. while i am washing my face,i wash my hands many times with soap before splashing of water on face,then after some splashes of water on face,i wash my hands again because i consider that the oli has been stuck to my hands and i should wash my hands again with soap to remove oil.i think if i will not do like that,something will happen wrong to my face in case of some infection,alergy or acnes etc.this process is taking more than half hour or sometimes hour.i apply soap on my face in a very weird way,first of all i apply on my cheeks,then forhead and then on beard and moustache.after applying soap,i wash my hands again and again,at least twice,then i am start to wash my face.after washing,i dont satisfy.i think that my face has not been washed in a proper way.sometimes i dont satisfy after washing my face once.so i wash twice or thrice with soap.using excessive of soap on face,some part of my face become redish,dry and i also feel some burning on my face.i am looking in mirror to see my face many times in a day.i dont use towel bcz i consider that it is not clean.when i go to toilet,i have fear that some dirty sprinkles/drops of water will come on my face,that may harm to my face.after coming out from toilet,i wash hands at least 5 times.after coming out from toilet,i cant wash my face.i think that my hands are dirty even washed with soap many times. my ocd is now at peak,i dont allowed anyone to touch my face.when i pass from any dirty area,street or road,i become restless.i think that germs came on my face,now i need to wash my face. I am very hopeless.....plzz help me 😢😢😢
I do exact same things and have exact same anxieties like you do... It's exhausting but reading about someone doing exactly like me actually made me laugh...we OCD's are extremely crazy people....as u said u will wash for five times,being brave just for once skip one time and do four times,ur anxiety will kick in big time, it's extremely hard to do it for the first time but if you keep doing it u will witness yourself that u r still fine and will feel confident to skip even more...look around yourself others are not washing hands like us but still they are doing fine, right?! These are our thoughts only , otherwise none but only OCD's would have been alive...5times hand washing OCD and 1 time washing normal people we all are surviving, isn't it?
Your amazing ❤️❤️ you help me so much ! To face my fears and you talked about all the problems that sick people facing ! 😍 merci and thank you so much .. Really thanks .. And i hope that i'm and everyone that have this problem can leave it for ever ❤️
I shower twice a day but for maybe 5-10 minutes at a time. In and out quickly and effectively as possible. Never had a problem with bacteria or smell. That’s all you need.
I can’t be in shower for long or else I might have to go to the bathroom and then I must shower again. So I jump in shower soap up my body and the interior of the shower, then just wash it of, quick and fast. Only soap I use.
i take 3 hours in the shower it’s a nightmare, so many hours wasted but i never feel clean, i dread it before i get in there but i can’t get into my clean bed otherwise if i feel dirty
Thanks James for this video. I am glad I am not alone. This just started happening to me the past couple of years. I dont look forward to a shower, since it is frustrating everytime. How are you making out with your new schedule?
wow, i didn’t realize this was an OCD thing. i’ve been suspecting having OCD a couple years now, but it’s always been at the back of my head. it’s starting to get more and more annoying in my twenties though so this video was helpful!
Anyone else weird about rinsing but not really washing? I wash for about the normal amount of time but I have to rinse for super long because I can't stand soap residue on my skin, and will scrub even when there's no bubbles left. I also have a skin condition that makes me allergic to soap/it's residue.
I toke 1 hour showers last year then early this year I took 2 hours showers now currently I'm taking 3 hour showers. I shower everyday when I wake up before I eat my breakfast. It's absolutely absurd, I'm wasting so much time in there. I want to change and beat this. I'm gonna try and reduce the time and try this technique. Showers use to be really fun but now they are just a pain. I feel so depressed when coming out the shower, I hate it but I have to shower right when I wake up my body demands it but for that long is ridiculous. The thing is it doesn't feel like I'm in there for 3 hours, it feels like I'm in there for 1 hour. I hope I can overcome this, ocd sucks.
I really love the videos you guys do, I had early onset OCD, about 13years old, I'm 34 now, I have gotten better, then worse again, contamination is my trigger, unwanted thoughts and contamination, not so much "germs" I am watching the videos of shower tactics and hand washing, and they help, but I'm still struggling, going to try again, and watching the videos definitely helps to motivate me, it seems like Jim has a similar form of OCD, reminds me of myself almost exactly, thanks guys, and keep up the great work
It takes me forever to bathe and shower because I feel I'm not clean enough if I don't wash my hair twice or my body twice but doing that it takes so long. I really need to try and shorten it. I use a timer but I'm still in there after the timer goes off🤷♀️
When you started out reducing down your shower time, did you try to do a new method for all of your body or did you target certain bits so you don't overstress yourself?
I just finished having a meltdown in my room because i havent showered in a few days and i really need to but my showers take 2 hours and its alot of hard scrubbing and no matter what ive tried over the years nothing has helped so now im here
My problem is i ve to scrub all my bathroom,that too after taking shower and again take shower after scrubbing bathroom so actually i take shower for 2-3 times in one go and when i scrub my feet i ve to wash my loofah and botttles and all so its not easy for me and i ve found out each ocd pt is different from other and even a ocd person doesn't understand the other one
I am afraid once will make me severely itch over a few hours after the shower. I also feel I must be like rubber type feeling or its not clean anything from dishes to a shower.
I have ocd with social phobia,last 7years, If I am with my family and close friend only,,my ocd goes away, but when I'm interact with socially again ocd comes, I was in good condition for 6months with no ocd symptoms while living with my family and closed friend only, But now got a job, where I have to interact socially my ocd again came back, what should I do?
Thanks a ton 🙏.... Hoping this v'do shall help me...I have been struggling on bath nd hand washing part due to which I have developed Hand nd Feet Eczema 🙄🥺🙄...OCD leads to physical nd mental issues...OCD is a Evil inside U 🤬🧟🤬... Ppl ard u dnt understand what an OCD person feels nd undergo..🥺...it hurts..🥺... However, am glad found this v'do nd u folks ☺️
Would love to see a video focused on washing the private/butt areas specifically. These are my primary issues in the shower. I cannot not overwash these areas at least 15-20 times, the butt area especially.
Serious question I'm being completely honest here. I know it sounds crazy but do you wash the inside of your crack? I noticed you didn't do that or did u just skip it in the video. Anyways I have over been struggling with showers still they last 1hr & 30 min to 2 hr. Please get back to me asap thanks. I do notice that I have to literally get everywhere my neck back etc I talked to some people & they said they don't really wash their back or neck they just let water hit it but I feel dirty if I just do that because my neck feels greasy
Everyone has different ways of washing themselves. I personally wash my crack but not the inside of my bum hole. I also have OCD myself, and have watched a few people shower and they do the same thing. Hope that helps
I know this is a year late but this is what I do - I wash from the top down but skip the genitals. After I've washed my legs, then I will go back up to the private areas. Using just my hands or just the soap freaks me out, so I always use a flannel for this bit - I wash my genitals first (I am female so I always must wash down there before washing my butt, if germs from your butt get near your vagina it can cause infection). Then I use the flannel to clean my crack and butt. I don't use the flannel for any other part of my body once I've done that. You can get away with just rinsing your genitals and butt on occasion, but most of the time they need to washed with soap like everything else. It's difficult but try not to panic whilst doing it and try not to over-scrub - just a bit is all you need. I hope this has helped xx
I have shit issues, so I have to take about 3 minutes to wash my crack and asshole. If I feel like my asshole isn’t clean I freak out and have to re wash my asshole but that’s my issue with ocd
I hate touching the bottles and i preferably wear do flops in the shower. or if I have roommates it does have to be cleaned often. That's why i avoid showers, wah
I think this is way to thoroughly. I think a lot of obsessive washing comes from what we are taught. For example we the use of soap. The purpose of soap is to desolve fat/oils. We are told that we need soap in order to get rid of bacteria and dirt. But there’s no harmful bacteria either in poop or pee so just rinse with warm-water thoroughly, ass and groin and a lot of time is saved. In fact ask a doctor if you should lather in your whole body in soap, they would say no, one messes up both the skins elasticity and microbiom. If anyone wants a source of this I can provide you with it. Tip for you who are lathering every square inch of your body.
@@RayneRain77 just Google, ”should i use soap on my anus and genitals” a doctor would say no or maybe a very mild soap. The point is that the goal is not to be completely bacteria free, it’s to get the dirt away and stool/ dirt are water soluble.
In dont think allot in the bath but i last for like 45 min what worked for me was put a timer to 15 min when i hear the timer i have to stop no matter what
I dont have OCD, but I wash from top to bottom once with a wash cloth and soap. I rinse, then always soapy a second time for the hot spots only (pits, groin, feet) using only hands and soap or body wash. Then I rinse again and Im done. I wash my hair maybe 2 times a week. Thats it.
I have been struggling with OCD for 13 years and after getting some control of my compulsions things have started to spiral out of control again. I'm not sure what's triggered it, but my time in the shower has increased to 14 hours. It's gotten so bad I start to experience shortness of breath before my showers and in July I had my first panic attack. I've had three panic attacks since then. My mom scheduled an appointment with a Psychiatrist, but I'm reluctant to go because I don't want to depend on medication. Is medication really the best option to manage this?
My meds have definitely helped with my frequent panic attacks, social anxiety and depression and somewhat with my ocd but I think I just need to increase my Zoloft some more for it to be even more effective for my ocd. Hope ur doing better!
I have been on meds and off, and I had way worse mental problems while on meds. And I tried MANY different meds over many years to make sure I found what worked for me. The problem is that with medicine you're not attacking the true problem that's deep inside. You're not a answering the "why" of it. I know many people on meds for OCD and anxiety and literally ALL of them still have OCD and anxiety. Not one was "cured" by meds. I've had many admit later that they thought it was working, but when they actually looked at how much OCD they had per day, it was the same as before being on meds. Two natural things you can try is L-Tyrosine, which causes your dopamine levels to go up, and then 5-HTP, which ups your serotonin levels. People with OCD, anxiety, depression, etc., ALL have low levels of these chemicals in our bodies, and that's what causes our anxiety (at least chemically). Prescription meds usually work by upping your serotonin, but they also have way more side effects than "good" effects, usually. Try these two things. Neither of them can hurt you. If you 'overdose' on serotonin, it literally just causes a little stomach ache, if that. Both of these vitamins are completely safe and can be found at any drug store in the vitamin aisle. I recommend going to a health-food store, because usually regular vitamins may have the same mg count as other vitamins, but they don't absorb into your system correctly. This is why it's important to buy higher quality, natural, organic vitamins. Otherwise, you are paying for vitamins that get destroyed before absorbing into your system, meaning you're paying for nothing. Hope this helps. Stick with the vitamins as well as doing cognitive therapy to really combat the real problem inside of you that is causing anxiety. The vitamins don't work on the first day, you have to regularly take them every single day. I take more than the dose it says to take, because most vitamins have a lower recommended dose on the bottle than is supposed to be taken. Anyway, hope this helps. Good luck to you. Stay strong-- you are completely in control of everything YOU do, even if that's a very hard concept for us OCD people to realize. But, that is what will set us free, if only we can recognize it. In reality, that statement is absolutely true for each one of us. We just need to fully put our faith in ourselves and realize we have the power to control every move we make. Each little accomplishment will give us more strength and more belief in ourselves. Try to just make small goals for your OCD, and set a plan (literally, feel free to write everything out that you're gonna do before you do it), and then work your way up to the big "not having OCD anymore". Small steps won't be overly intimidating, and they will get you where you need to go. You can do it--believe in yourself. Believe that you are WORTH the change. 🍃🌱🌷
Should you slide up and down with the bar of soap under the running water or away from it and then soak under the water after you've lathered? Does it matter? 🤔
I have the problem of not being able to take shower, I get paralized when I try to do it. I need to do it. Sometimes I can but not many times, it has to be forced its very hard to do it.
@@kristoferpaunonen9650 Dude, like 2/5ths of my shower length is rinsing off my body 😂. But this guy's wife is like "Nah, just let the water rinse u off." I hate the thought of doing that 😬😬.
Thanks a lot for this video...Sir So I would like to know please...what could contamination for example dirty water or dirty dust outside cause for our skin...if we suppose to staying for a week without shower...cos I needed to make this experience as exposure..!?
What about washing your butt and genitals? These are the areas I'm worried about cleaning, and washing my hands after cleaning these areas and worrying about cross contamination is an issue. I was hoping you mentioned these areas so I could gauge how someone else does it =/
What do you do If you tried to cut down your cleaning time, and you did but after a few days your time becomes long again when it comes to cleaning. Then you're not satisfied again or you're not satisfied again to your new time which is shorter and you settle for the longer time of cleaning again
I wash my hands between washing each part of my body because I don’t want to spread the germs. As I kid I never had germ issues, but now, it’s a nightmare. Germs everywhere. It like a prison in my own mind. I wish I could go back to how it was before. 😞
Same
I was gonna comment the same. I wash one body part after the other like the they showed it, except I wash my hands a couple times between body parts. I've always paid attention to personal hygiene and probably washed my hands a bit more often than many, but it was not an obsession before. I did not spend an unreasonable amount of time washing hands or showering, and did not make my skin dry. I guess it's hard to convince myself that the old routine was safe and I'd be just fine.
I call the shower "The Torture Chamber"
Yes...for me it is too!
When i see bathroom my breathlessness starts instantly.
SHE DOESN'T SAY IF HE'S TO USE THE SHAMPOO FOR HIS FACE AND NECK; NOR ARE THERE ANY INSTRUCTIONS ON CLEANING THE PRIVATE AREAS; NOR IS HE TO SHAVE AND NOTHING ABOUT THE FEET. EVERYONE THINKS THAT THEY'RE HOLLYWOOD PRODUCERS ON THE INTERNET.
Haha good one 😊
Yes I feel this
Before I got OCD taking a shower was the best feeling in the world, but now in the last 2 years the shower has become a prison where I'm locked into my own thoughts. 😣😥
Same my mind races when I'm in the shower or washing my hands I get stuck in my thoughts and feel as if I have to wash my hands and body until I think there clean which is a really long time can you should text me sometime if your free
@@WickedGames11 sameeeee ☹️
Try listening to the radio while u shower as a distraction it’s helped me
@@WickedGames11 I feel ya and I'm so sorry to hear that
Yesss I used to love taking showers, but now my showers take 2 to 3 hours.
I did this and came out within 16 minutes!
Amazing!
Great so nnice happy ro hear that.. v v happy for you . Congrats for being healthy happy.. Love to you
Nice job! Keep it up dude!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ proud of you 👍
Mine does not take shorter than 45 mins, so its like a waste of time to me, and i absoluteley hate it.
If I’m being honest it’s sometimes hard for me to discuss with just anyone because I don’t want to be looked at as inferior or something. Some days are better than others. Hope whoever reads this knows you’re amazing it’s going to get better, God loves you. Keep pushing forward God Bless! ❤🙏
🤗🤗🤗
I don't bath everyday because of compulsive behavior.
Same as me then
same
Same
Yes, it's just exhausting!
Yeah I feel awful to say this but I once didn’t shower for 2 weeks
I watch this everytime I feel afraid of taking a shower
having OCD and several skin conditions is just pure hell
I feel you bro . It’s not easy
That's me!! I have eczema, generally dry and very sensitive skin. I am highly allergic to soaps or cleansers of any kind and residue left from the shower will cause me to erupt in an itchy bumpy rash. I have to scrub my skin even once the suds are gone to avoid this. Balancing what I need to do in the shower versus what is too much is a never ending battle.
Thank you for this. I really struggle with showers/baths. It takes me usually an hour or more to shower. Closer to 2 hrs for a bath. I want to be clean but I dread showering because I know it's gonna be a long ordeal. It's seriously affecting my hygiene. I usually opt for a wash-up with baby wipes and dry shampoo and only shower a couple times a week... Gross, I know. OCD sucks!!!
I wish I could do just a "sponge bath" but for me I don't want to contaminate my bed.
EXACTLY SAME. i dread having showers because i just know that i’m going to be in there for ages when i don’t need to be, but i can’t help it.
@@APRIL916 omg. I've never heard anyone else say that. That's exactly how I am.
same for me i will avoid showers too because of how long it takes
I thought i was the only one 🙄
❤wow❤ I typed in, the ridiculous question, how to take a shower, with no hope of finding something so perfect. Thank you. I have ocd, but I didn't really believe others had shower issues. I'm so glad for this video and to see all the comments. Thank you😊
i have ocd and hearing her say only go over it once makes me cringe...
Natalie Navarro same! I was like wait?! People only go over it once?!! No wonder they get out so quick! I probably go up and down my arms about 20 times lol
Just stop once you have a reasonable lather for me it’s twice now
Yesssss
I'm don't have severe OCD so my showers used to take like 45 minutes to an hour but I've cut it down to like 20 minutes. I still sometimes have to urge to scrub over one more time but I resist it and it's all good ^-^
Yusuf Polat that’s awesome!!! Your in charge and I admire your strength. My showers would take long but washing certain body parts makes me wash my hands over and over to make sure they are clean. If I could get over washing those certain areas I would be in a good position
Danielle Phongsay I have exactly the same thing but when you realize, wait, they're not more dirty than other body parts!
I take about 40 mins right now but I'm trying to get at least to 15 mins 😬👍😳
I have to wash my face twice then wash my hair tie my hair up so it doesn't touch my dirty body. I shave and keep shaving over the same spot until I feel it's smooth enough it can take several minutes. then I wash my body top part first. I scrub until I feel the oils are off and it takes about 5 minutes on top and 5 minutes on bottom then I do it all over again. then I let down my hair and wash it again because it still feels oily. then I do conditioner and then my face feels oily again So I wash it 1,2,3 times and then I get out of the shower. it usually takes me an hour. if I don't do my rituals the right way or someone rushes me I snap and refuse to go anywhere.
CourtandFamily that’s me all the time. Have you found a way to break the cycle??! :( it really sucks it makes me feel sooo stuck
How are you doing with this?
Not want to be rude but did you realize how much water and electric you are wasting i am taking for about 18 minutes a shower and i am feeling still clean 1 hour showering is in my opinion not good for your skin i recommend to seek out help and overcome it its unordinary your shower rituals.
Emanuel Esposito its a disease and if u know nothing about it please dont comment on the negative side of things it fusterates me so bad because i take 2 hours just because my ocd is real bad its embarrassing. So just saying that how can i put it your words sre kinda harsh. If you dont know what its like.
I do the same thing
My showers are long because I feel the need to wash my legs a certain number with the wash cloth. And I have a certain order to go through. And I hate it so much. Same with putting deodorant on. I have to count how many times I swipe it. By the time I can get out it's almost to late in the day. And most importantly I have missed dr appts because of this. I would be late so they would not take me. It's at the point that I'm in the house alot now from depression because my Mom just passed 9 months ago and my sister the yr before so it's been really hard going through this.
My Simple Palace sorry to hear about your mom and sister♥️ hope you’re ocd I’ve is better now and you’re doing alright ♥️ sending much love and hugs your way💕
⚕🌊Bless🙏 you💚⚕
You are v strong .. refer to these videos and actions apply them .. we have to trust the healthy thought n behaviour n action .. Hope you are v healthy happy , Wish you to be surrounded by All dear loving people .. Many Hugs , Lots of Love to you ..
I have this problem too ..every time when wanna shower..wash hand... I feel stress and tired because I take shower very long because when shower my body every part I need to counting certain number if count miss it then need count again with step must balance and every part must complete it.. Everytime thing to wash or to shower must counting the step..when at outside walking I feel so worry scare got my thing drop at the road so if I alone I will check the place got drop things or not... I feel very tired and hate it this problem how to recover it? This problem make me waste my time, waste my energy, waste water, no enough sleep this problem make me very late do other things and my dinner become supper and late sleep and till my family member hate me...and less communicate with me...Anyone can advise or help me to solve my problem?
I suffer with OCD and watching the support your partner gave you was so beautiful. My partner is my biggest cheerleader too, and I feel so lucky. Well done on this huge achievement! Showering with OCD is not easy!
It's sad when my partner just gets mad at me instead for taking long showers. I've narrowed down showers to once a week but still hard
This video so moved me! Jim and Janine have a beautiful, supportive, respectful relationship...inspiring!
Thank you so much. I have been avoiding the shower but that is misery too, because who wants to be around someone who is dirty? I really needed this video. I think everything is going to be okay now.
Reading these comments has been so relieving. About 2-4 years ago I struggled with extreme germaphobia OCD. I remember the feeling of washing my hands repeatedly and aggressively and my absolute fear of showering. I was afraid of germs and my dirty body contaminating areas. Like after using the bathroom my hands would “contaminate” the sink nobs when I went to turn them on so I was afraid to touch them again after cleaning my hands. It was the same sort of thing while showering. Me being afraid or water beadlets bouncing off my body or other surfaces and dirtying both in the process. I would have to rewash a part of my body that touched the shower curtain or wall ect. Seeing abs reading about people who are going through almost the exact same thing helps me to know that I wasn’t the only one feeling like I was going insane. I just want to let anyone who is reading this and going through OCD or anything similar that your are not the only one. I have thankfully recovered from the extremity that I was at. Please know that it gets better if you are willing to try and change your mindset. Don’t trust OCD.
yoooooo omg I feel this. I can be in the shower for hours and get really freaked out by water bouncing off of stuff and have to wash up elbows between each section of my body which then has sub sections. im dreading showering tomorrow
could we maybe chat sometime? I would love to know what helped you as im like super struggling
ugh yes. if i bump my elbow against the shower wall or brush against the shower curtain I have to rewash that area again😩
@@chiu8159 exactly bruh
This is a very real, very harrowing thing some people deal with. Thank you so much for posting this.
This video just completely opened up my mind right now. It is exactly what I need, the answer I have been looking for. Been suffering for quite some time now so thank you for making me take one step in the right direction.
You rock
My problem is having bad thoughts while in the shower since I don’t have distractions. I obsess over past events, or work, or I worry about my finances. I dread shower time.
i’ve come up with a technique when i have intrusive thoughts, i knock on wood for good luck so they don’t actually come to life. it has honestly helped me sleep at night or else i would’ve absolutely gone crazy.
@@edwardandmichaelsbiggestfa1967 unfortunately, that seems like a compulsion
@@shaki5146 I know I realized it was still a bad habit that’s caused because of ocd. but I’d rather believe I’m doing something positive that distracts me from thinking negative things all the time
@@edwardandmichaelsbiggestfa1967 I'm glad you realise that and ye that's fair enough I'm no expert but just please be very careful w that behaviour
The same here 😭 I listen music in the shower and it helps a bit
You are a hero! I will tell you for a person with OCD, that takes a LOT of doing. Also for others reading, I too have OCD and have struggled with long showers for many years. I have gotten much better now that I am older and have gotten into nature therapy to replace the things my OCD was clinging onto which was my obsession. I had the need of being perfectly clean and more concerned about germs until one day, some family moved into our basement and they started seeing the embarrassing me I use to be able to hide from family who visited because of my OCD and rituals that had me stuck in which effected my reputation. I knew then I couldn't keep doing what I was doing and it overwhelmed me more to feel my families vibes in our home along with my anxiety routine for perfection on my body when I showered. Some of them could see me in my bathrobe a lot of the time before showering till noon since other things held me up already because of my need for perfection and being super clean like going to the kitchen to eat and keeping my food germ free, over washing my hands, wiping things down with wipes including myself maybe more than 2 or 3 times to check that I got every spot off etc. . So I decided to make a change. I started Hiking around waterfalls to get calming breaks like the shower was doing in the past which I was originally also obsessed with because I loved water and I loved cleaning myself to where I would get stuck being slow at everything or getting into OCD patterns of repeating a rinse as well. I saw water as art and my helper. I also started going swimming and sitting in hot tubs to replace that same calming shower and water bathing time consuming therapy obsession and taking fast showers at night before I went to bed instead of during the day which was the one thing that made me want to not get myself dirty at all in the first place because I had just cleaned myself all over and it took forever. I saw being perfect was a big deal and made me feel beautiful and together inside and out. Getting anything dirty on myself would freak me out and I would carry wipes with me and wear long pants and long sleeves even in summer to avoid getting dirty and super grossed out since perfection to me was the normal for my ocd. Also as a creative artist this did not help the visuals I would get that boosted my anxiety levels horribly high. When I changed my shower routine time and my life with the hiking and swimming excersized along with getting sunshine wherever I could, I broke my pattern and taught my ocd to back off, then things got super faster in and out of the shower because I was giving myself permission to actually not be perfectly clean all the time since I would just take a shower at the end of the day and be perfectly clean and feel great before bed. I also would wake up knowing I had that permission everyday. The bad visuals dropped because my creative time was better spent in my photography with nature and underwater mermaid videos I got into that kept my desire higher for sanity and being normal knowing how I got there. The swimming and showering worked too since I made myself remember how I use to think when I was a kid who use to go camping with family or just swim in the summer or have swimming lessons. I got a mermaid tail and lived in it when I was in water, embraced the salt in the ocean, embraced the soil from the places I hiked that healed me. My mind got the message, that the earth was for me not against me, it was there to keep me sane and normal. Bacteria was needed for my body to be strong and healthy. I now take much faster showers and I also watch the clock as I move with a coach attitude on my focus self taught pattern with how long each rinse should take which all developed from going swimming with family and showering away from home to force myself to only concentrate on the pattern I was allowed to do and keeping things moving fast so I could get out as fast as possible. I have a large family so the peer pressure made me want more to be fast more than perfectly clean with this new approach and to know what normal was. I truly am, so grateful for this wonderful therapy that came to me when some family moved in and my way of living suddenly changed because of more people around me waiting everyday how I showered and of watching what time I use to come downstairs dressed later in the day. It bothered me so much that I found another solution therapy for my needs instead of using the washing OCD and rewired my brain into learning how to think differently in order to applying this freedom to my life. The perfect mental balance is the key to killing your OCD. How much anxiety time you decide to give it and where you put your needs. Keep your emotions as the caboose not the driver. You are in control not the OCD. Anxiety can be made to sit down and be quiet. It's your victory. your life and your mind. Taking charge , getting nature therapy to put your needs in a different direction, excersize, sunlight and letting some one help you in your journey is your best way out if anyone is like me. They key is knowing you are in charge not the OCD. Reprogram your body with these health benefits and think body, mind and spirit health. This is the full way out. I know guys, it's hard to even think you can, but trust me. I did it and am living proof.
It could just be the background music, but I started crying (in a good way I think, you made me feel validated). Today and the other day before this, I took showers that my mom said were 15 minutes long, and wore her soap down to a sliver.
4 showers a day sometimes and upwards of 45 minutes per shower. So much water wasted, so much soap wasted, so many paper towels, and so much time wasted due to this nightmare. I'm tired of sanitizing everything that is touched by hands every day. Family time is almost non-existent and sleep is a distant memory. Cracked bleeding hands. Every day is a struggle.
Earlier this year I have realized it myself , the thing you said it in the beginning ..and very gradually but I definitely was getting positive results but then this Covid thing happened and now I can't get out of the bathroom without being there for atleast 2-3 hours ..I keep washing my hands infinite number of times...the bathroom gets extremely hot and I can't even get out of it,it literally is roasting me alive...My hand's actual skin color disappeared and now it's white and pink...and there is bleeding too,small wounds all over my fingers, it's tiring,frustrating and saddening..water wastage,soap ,time ,money , every thing is unnecessarily getting wasted...it is not only taking a toll on me alone but also on my Mom too ..I get so tired by standing there for hours that I m unable to do any work..that is making my Mother worry so much for me and my share of work along with her own she is doing everything and it is taking a toll on her health too .. It's making me really really sad ....I am crying as I'm writing this but I will definitely gonna beat this monster not gonna keep suffering.Whoever reads this : u r not alone...look around others are still surviving without doing the extremes ,we OCD's are doing...if others can we too can.Help yourself. Need to take the risk and challenge the anxiety and hence OCD itself.
I never used to have issues taking a shower and using the bathroom until recently. My showers used to take maybe 10 mins. Now they're about 30. Too long for my liking. My rituals include washing the shower faucet knobs before I get out, and washing my hands in the shower before I touch them. A fear that has sprung over me, is that, since I like to shower after using the bathroom, I turn on the shower--and now the handles are "contaminated". Same with using the bathroom. My current OCD mind tells me that bidets are messy--I mean, they do tend to splashback when using. So now I'm just using TP followed by wipes But after I finish with the wipes---how do I wash my hands? I have to touch and contaminate my pants by pulling them up and going to the sink. Ugh. This stuff is exhausting. I never used to have it this bad until about a year ago.
After going to the bathroom wash your hands in the sink
same
Pull up your pants and underwear with the hand that you didn't wipe with
@@Rooted_In_Love See but the problem with this is that this solution only validates the OCD by creating even more "rules".
This is the best time to seek professional help. My OCD started in the same manner. My normal bath time including hair bath and undergarments wash was 30-45mins till the pandemic. Soon it started to include taps and switches and the total time in the bathroom increased to 1hour. Then within few days, 1.5hrs. When it was increasing from 1hr to 1.5hrs I started feeling like I'm losing control over my thoughts. Had I visited a psychiatrist at that point of time my life would have been normal today. But I kept seeking validation from others who would say I'm overthinking and I myself kept validating my thoughts and actions by giving different excuses like "its okay because times are not normal either due to pandemic and I need to take extra precautions so extra time in the shower is fine" and also "many people take over 1hr in the shower so its fine". But soon my condition kept getting worse and by the time I went to the psychiatrist too much damage was already done to get back to normal. Today my condition is much better and I take half the time to take bath but still it is too much time and I sometimes avoid taking bath for days due to that. I am on medication and take average 3hrs for bath now and recently I started going to a psychologist for ERP therapy too which I should have done last year itself when I started medication. Both combined gives best result🙏
Hey James ! You are doing a great work by helping people with OCD.
Takes me one and half hour too or more than that.If i wash my hairs it takes two hours.If I do more compulsions esp.that time of month it takes 2.5 hours.OCd has made my life worse.Even 1 hours of shower seems a distant dream for me
I’m going to try to do this. This looks really hard though. I’m showering about 5x a day and my skin is suffering terribly.
It's odd that there is no mention of washing the bum and genitals. I find that more disturbing then helpful.
Jon Runnfeldt True!
They should have mentioned it
Well, to be fair, everyone's ocd is different. And ocd is also not logical. For some people the private parts aren't a big deal. And since they're talking about Jim's own experience that might be the case. However I suggest you follow the same gist of the rule. Like rinse it for 10 seconds. Like your bum for 10 secs and other areas 10 secs as well.
@@taboosnail I was thinking the same thing. Washing of those areas may be harder for those experienced SA. However, I would assume for the sake of the video, they didn’t want to show that. I do think that mentioning of wiping that area once would be helpful.
Thank you guys so much for this video!!! My OCD is SO Debilitating and painful 😖 for me, and now I know what I need to do to get through this hellish life OCD has created and slowly get better and have a life.. thinking about it makes me very anxious.. I hope I can do this..🙏🏻🥺😰😭😥
This is a great video. *ERP* is the best way to go for OCD. I usually advise clients to incorporate a breathing or mindfulness exercise to keep them grounded and _"slow down"_ their thinking. It can also act as a distraction from their thoughts. I will certainly check out more of your videos👏
Gods bless you beautiful peoples thank you for sharing! This is a real struggle for me right now and this video gives me hope I can change. And it is nice to not feel alone in this struggle
You are not alone! 😊
Thankyou so much such a sweet video! I almost cried. I will try.
Thank you guys for this video, I really hate taking showers sometimes, especially when washing my hair because it just takes me so long to do and when cleaning my groin area, I spend so long doing it because I just don’t feel like I’ve cleaned it properly, so I’m there for like 10 minutes sometimes just cleaning my groin, not even joking and this causes me to get stressed because I get less time with the family at night and the thought wasting loads of water frightens me because I know I’m using so much and I’m usually in the shower for about an hour and maybe sometimes more, and if I’m really struggling then close to 2 hours which then really annoys me because that’s a lot of time in the day that I’ve wasted and it’s made me start to hate showers more and more but it’s weird cos the second I get out the shower I feel good about myself for finally getting out and no longer wasting anymore water but then here comes the drying part and I hate it cos I spend ages drying myself and my groin area especially cos I feel like I need to get it really proper dry otherwise if I leave a little bit of wet still on there, it could cause me to feel wet down there later on at the night and that would then make me feel anxious and stress about it for the rest of the night thinking that I’m dirty down there and then I get into bed and I think oh great time to chill and enjoy the comfy ness of the bed and enjoy the moment while it last but then the morning comes and I feel shit and dread the night coming cos I know I’ve got to have another shower again all this and you’re meant to enjoy a shower and have it be a relaxing end to your day yeah well for me it’s the complete opposite
same 😢
I always get in trouble with my parents for taking too long to bathe. I wish they understood I can’t stop myself from soaping up multiple times. If there are 2 different shampoos or soaps in the bathroom I have to use everyone and I have to do it multiple times. What is wrong with me?
Omg same and i hate this feeling.
Same here and I'm so sorry to hear that
There is nothing wrong with you !! My daughter sufferers from this and it devastates me. I want to help her but I've been trying for a decade and she's no better, if not worse.
Yes my brothers and mom would get really mad at me for taking so long. I just think you guys don't understanddd it kills me tooo
same!! my parents always yell at me to get out and I get so irritated because they make me feel guilty for something I have no control of. My parents also sometimes turn off the lights when I shower (at night) as a way to tell me that I need to get out and I get so scared and upset. I just wish they would help me instead of making me feel worse.
it’s got to the point where i convinced myself shampooing twice isn’t enough and i need to shampoo a third time
Just after using toilet i have to clear my throat vigorously because i feel the dirty smell of my own waste matter has gone down my throat and have to get rid of it. I feel lump in my throat if i dont do. Bath has to follow after this process. Bath is also ritualistic and painful. All this will take 2 hrs. Taking bath has become nightmare.
Thank you for this video. My family says i take “hour showers” but i struggle keeping track of how much soap i need to wash and if im scrubbing enough. I usually go over multiple times and over scrub. I will try this method, hope it works 👍🏽.
Please do more vids! You are the best on this subject!
I have really been struggling with false memories, or lack of memory, "did I really wash my legs" then I get stuck in a repeat, I am trying so hard, your videos really help, I can't wait for more, take care
I am very disapointed with my life.i have tried everything,but i did not get rid off from ocd.i am suffering from last 2 years,i was doing BSCS,but ocd spoiled my studies.while i am taking bath,i use too much soap on my body,even my hands look like plaster of paris.while i am applying soap on my armpit and on pubic area etc,i consider that my hands have been contaminated ,then i wash my hands many times.while taking bath,i also have fear that sprinkles of water will collide with walls of washroom or with floor of washroom and that sprinkles of water will come on my face and that may harm to my face,that sprinkles of water sometimes come on my face that make me too much anxious.i dont wash my face during bath,after taking bath,i come out from washroom and wash hands with soaps many times at sink.then i start to wash my face with new soap.i use three news soaps in a day.whenever i want to wash my face,i use new soap.
while i am washing my face,i wash my hands many times with soap before splashing of water on face,then after some splashes of water on face,i wash my hands again because i consider that the oli has been stuck to my hands and i should wash my hands again with soap to remove oil.i think if i will not do like that,something will happen wrong to my face in case of some infection,alergy or acnes etc.this process is taking more than half hour or sometimes hour.i apply soap on my face in a very weird way,first of all i apply on my cheeks,then forhead and then on beard and moustache.after applying soap,i wash my hands again and again,at least twice,then i am start to wash my face.after washing,i dont satisfy.i think that my face has not been washed in a proper way.sometimes i dont satisfy after washing my face once.so i wash twice or thrice with soap.using excessive of soap on face,some part of my face become redish,dry and i also feel some burning on my face.i am looking in mirror to see my face many times in a day.i dont use towel bcz i consider that it is not clean.when i go to toilet,i have fear that some dirty sprinkles/drops of water will come on my face,that may harm to my face.after coming out from toilet,i wash hands at least 5 times.after coming out from toilet,i cant wash my face.i think that my hands are dirty even washed with soap many times.
my ocd is now at peak,i dont allowed anyone to touch my face.when i pass from any dirty area,street or road,i become restless.i think that germs came on my face,now i need to wash my face.
I am very hopeless.....plzz help me 😢😢😢
I do exact same things and have exact same anxieties like you do... It's exhausting but reading about someone doing exactly like me actually made me laugh...we OCD's are extremely crazy people....as u said u will wash for five times,being brave just for once skip one time and do four times,ur anxiety will kick in big time, it's extremely hard to do it for the first time but if you keep doing it u will witness yourself that u r still fine and will feel confident to skip even more...look around yourself others are not washing hands like us but still they are doing fine, right?! These are our thoughts only , otherwise none but only OCD's would have been alive...5times hand washing OCD and 1 time washing normal people we all are surviving, isn't it?
@@km4940 you r right......but yeh sb me kr k dekh chuka hn 😢😢
Al salam alikom
brother .... how often do you have to take a shower?
I HATE OCD I have it>:(
thank you so much...you might just save my life!!
Your amazing ❤️❤️ you help me so much ! To face my fears and you talked about all the problems that sick people facing ! 😍 merci and thank you so much .. Really thanks .. And i hope that i'm and everyone that have this problem can leave it for ever ❤️
I shower twice a day but for maybe 5-10 minutes at a time. In and out quickly and effectively as possible. Never had a problem with bacteria or smell. That’s all you need.
I can’t be in shower for long or else I might have to go to the bathroom and then I must shower again. So I jump in shower soap up my body and the interior of the shower, then just wash it of, quick and fast. Only soap I use.
i take 3 hours in the shower it’s a nightmare, so many hours wasted but i never feel clean, i dread it before i get in there but i can’t get into my clean bed otherwise if i feel dirty
Thanks James for this video. I am glad I am not alone. This just started happening to me the past couple of years. I dont look forward to a shower, since it is frustrating everytime. How are you making out with your new schedule?
wow, i didn’t realize this was an OCD thing. i’ve been suspecting having OCD a couple years now, but it’s always been at the back of my head. it’s starting to get more and more annoying in my twenties though so this video was helpful!
Anyone else weird about rinsing but not really washing? I wash for about the normal amount of time but I have to rinse for super long because I can't stand soap residue on my skin, and will scrub even when there's no bubbles left. I also have a skin condition that makes me allergic to soap/it's residue.
Omg same! I don’t know how long and how to rinse of properly until I can shut down the shower.
The nicest couple ever!!!!😍😍😍😍
I struggle to shower
I cant move on like u do i time myself its getting worse
Maybe we can coach/help each other out? If you want to
I toke 1 hour showers last year then early this year I took 2 hours showers now currently I'm taking 3 hour showers. I shower everyday when I wake up before I eat my breakfast. It's absolutely absurd, I'm wasting so much time in there. I want to change and beat this. I'm gonna try and reduce the time and try this technique. Showers use to be really fun but now they are just a pain. I feel so depressed when coming out the shower, I hate it but I have to shower right when I wake up my body demands it but for that long is ridiculous. The thing is it doesn't feel like I'm in there for 3 hours, it feels like I'm in there for 1 hour. I hope I can overcome this, ocd sucks.
I really love the videos you guys do, I had early onset OCD, about 13years old, I'm 34 now, I have gotten better, then worse again, contamination is my trigger, unwanted thoughts and contamination, not so much "germs" I am watching the videos of shower tactics and hand washing, and they help, but I'm still struggling, going to try again, and watching the videos definitely helps to motivate me, it seems like Jim has a similar form of OCD, reminds me of myself almost exactly, thanks guys, and keep up the great work
Thank you Thank you Thank you dear Lovely Jenine Thank you Thank you Thank you James .. Love to both ..
It takes me forever to bathe and shower because I feel I'm not clean enough if I don't wash my hair twice or my body twice but doing that it takes so long. I really need to try and shorten it. I use a timer but I'm still in there after the timer goes off🤷♀️
When you started out reducing down your shower time, did you try to do a new method for all of your body or did you target certain bits so you don't overstress yourself?
Please make a video on how to wash long hair for OCD patient🙏
Hi simran, would u like to speak to me regarding this problem
@@Sonia-zv9qh yes, please
I just finished having a meltdown in my room because i havent showered in a few days and i really need to but my showers take 2 hours and its alot of hard scrubbing and no matter what ive tried over the years nothing has helped so now im here
This comforts me in how I used to and am partly with showers atm Thankyou 🥰
My problem is i ve to scrub all my bathroom,that too after taking shower and again take shower after scrubbing bathroom so actually i take shower for 2-3 times in one go and when i scrub my feet i ve to wash my loofah and botttles and all so its not easy for me and i ve found out each ocd pt is different from other and even a ocd person doesn't understand the other one
Great one, your videos are a big help, hope to see more
I am afraid once will make me severely itch over a few hours after the shower. I also feel I must be like rubber type feeling or its not clean anything from dishes to a shower.
I still cant get past washing and rewashing it aggrevates me so i dont take showers i just tend to sponge bathe even that takez long for me.
I have ocd with social phobia,last 7years,
If I am with my family and close friend only,,my ocd goes away, but when I'm interact with socially again ocd comes,
I was in good condition for 6months with no ocd symptoms while living with my family and closed friend only,
But now got a job, where I have to interact socially my ocd again came back, what should I do?
I tired using timers and sometimes they work and sometimes they don't.🤷♂️
I am trying this technique too while I am in the shower.
Thanks a ton 🙏.... Hoping this v'do shall help me...I have been struggling on bath nd hand washing part due to which I have developed Hand nd Feet Eczema 🙄🥺🙄...OCD leads to physical nd mental issues...OCD is a Evil inside U 🤬🧟🤬...
Ppl ard u dnt understand what an OCD person feels nd undergo..🥺...it hurts..🥺...
However, am glad found this v'do nd u folks ☺️
Would love to see a video focused on washing the private/butt areas specifically. These are my primary issues in the shower. I cannot not overwash these areas at least 15-20 times, the butt area especially.
Serious question I'm being completely honest here. I know it sounds crazy but do you wash the inside of your crack? I noticed you didn't do that or did u just skip it in the video. Anyways I have over been struggling with showers still they last 1hr & 30 min to 2 hr. Please get back to me asap thanks. I do notice that I have to literally get everywhere my neck back etc I talked to some people & they said they don't really wash their back or neck they just let water hit it but I feel dirty if I just do that because my neck feels greasy
Everyone has different ways of washing themselves. I personally wash my crack but not the inside of my bum hole. I also have OCD myself, and have watched a few people shower and they do the same thing. Hope that helps
I know this is a year late but this is what I do - I wash from the top down but skip the genitals. After I've washed my legs, then I will go back up to the private areas. Using just my hands or just the soap freaks me out, so I always use a flannel for this bit - I wash my genitals first (I am female so I always must wash down there before washing my butt, if germs from your butt get near your vagina it can cause infection). Then I use the flannel to clean my crack and butt. I don't use the flannel for any other part of my body once I've done that.
You can get away with just rinsing your genitals and butt on occasion, but most of the time they need to washed with soap like everything else. It's difficult but try not to panic whilst doing it and try not to over-scrub - just a bit is all you need.
I hope this has helped xx
I have shit issues, so I have to take about 3 minutes to wash my crack and asshole. If I feel like my asshole isn’t clean I freak out and have to re wash my asshole but that’s my issue with ocd
I think baby wipes would be better. They clean when in bathroom unlike toliet paper
I hate touching the bottles and i preferably wear do flops in the shower. or if I have roommates it does have to be cleaned often. That's why i avoid showers, wah
I think this is way to thoroughly.
I think a lot of obsessive washing comes from what we are taught. For example we the use of soap. The purpose of soap is to desolve fat/oils. We are told that we need soap in order to get rid of bacteria and dirt. But there’s no harmful bacteria either in poop or pee so just rinse with warm-water thoroughly, ass and groin and a lot of time is saved. In fact ask a doctor if you should lather in your whole body in soap, they would say no, one messes up both the skins elasticity and microbiom. If anyone wants a source of this I can provide you with it. Tip for you who are lathering every square inch of your body.
Wow never knew this! Could u provide a source to look at please?
Would love to get the source on this! I’m going through entire bottles of soap every time I shower unfortunately
@@RayneRain77 just Google, ”should i use soap on my anus and genitals” a doctor would say no or maybe a very mild soap. The point is that the goal is not to be completely bacteria free, it’s to get the dirt away and stool/ dirt are water soluble.
Thank you for this video! It really help me a lot!🙏🏽❤️
Thank you so much James and Mrs. Callner
I have OCD and I know I’m not supposed to do things over and over but I don’t know if I’ll be clean if I don’t. So what should I do?
What about the back of the ears?
What about the genital parts? and between the legs?
Rami Fakhry
2 scrub
great video, please make more
Thank you! This video was helpful! Thanks🌷🙏💝
In dont think allot in the bath but i last for like 45 min what worked for me was put a timer to 15 min when i hear the timer i have to stop no matter what
this was really helpful thank you
I struggle with the shower Susan
Does this involves application of soap,scrubbing and rinsing or only applying soap and rinse?
thank you for this king
Thank you i will definitely try this method to my partner.Hope this will help him.
I dont have OCD, but I wash from top to bottom once with a wash cloth and soap. I rinse, then always soapy a second time for the hot spots only (pits, groin, feet) using only hands and soap or body wash. Then I rinse again and Im done. I wash my hair maybe 2 times a week. Thats it.
Yeah, like you said, you "don't have OCD".
@@cindy846 My point was I still wash more than once and I don't have OCD...what's your point???
@@Anudawn8787 Oh. I thought your point was "look at how quick and easy my washing routine is" so I was like, of course if you don't have OCD.....
I have been struggling with OCD for 13 years and after getting some control of my compulsions things have started to spiral out of control again. I'm not sure what's triggered it, but my time in the shower has increased to 14 hours. It's gotten so bad I start to experience shortness of breath before my showers and in July I had my first panic attack. I've had three panic attacks since then. My mom scheduled an appointment with a Psychiatrist, but I'm reluctant to go because I don't want to depend on medication. Is medication really the best option to manage this?
Musi Pusi I hope you're doing ok sweety. xx
My meds have definitely helped with my frequent panic attacks, social anxiety and depression and somewhat with my ocd but I think I just need to increase my Zoloft some more for it to be even more effective for my ocd. Hope ur doing better!
How many mg of Zoloft are you on per day?
I have been on meds and off, and I had way worse mental problems while on meds. And I tried MANY different meds over many years to make sure I found what worked for me. The problem is that with medicine you're not attacking the true problem that's deep inside. You're not a answering the "why" of it. I know many people on meds for OCD and anxiety and literally ALL of them still have OCD and anxiety. Not one was "cured" by meds. I've had many admit later that they thought it was working, but when they actually looked at how much OCD they had per day, it was the same as before being on meds.
Two natural things you can try is L-Tyrosine, which causes your dopamine levels to go up, and then 5-HTP, which ups your serotonin levels. People with OCD, anxiety, depression, etc., ALL have low levels of these chemicals in our bodies, and that's what causes our anxiety (at least chemically). Prescription meds usually work by upping your serotonin, but they also have way more side effects than "good" effects, usually. Try these two things. Neither of them can hurt you. If you 'overdose' on serotonin, it literally just causes a little stomach ache, if that. Both of these vitamins are completely safe and can be found at any drug store in the vitamin aisle. I recommend going to a health-food store, because usually regular vitamins may have the same mg count as other vitamins, but they don't absorb into your system correctly. This is why it's important to buy higher quality, natural, organic vitamins. Otherwise, you are paying for vitamins that get destroyed before absorbing into your system, meaning you're paying for nothing.
Hope this helps. Stick with the vitamins as well as doing cognitive therapy to really combat the real problem inside of you that is causing anxiety. The vitamins don't work on the first day, you have to regularly take them every single day. I take more than the dose it says to take, because most vitamins have a lower recommended dose on the bottle than is supposed to be taken.
Anyway, hope this helps. Good luck to you. Stay strong-- you are completely in control of everything YOU do, even if that's a very hard concept for us OCD people to realize. But, that is what will set us free, if only we can recognize it. In reality, that statement is absolutely true for each one of us. We just need to fully put our faith in ourselves and realize we have the power to control every move we make. Each little accomplishment will give us more strength and more belief in ourselves. Try to just make small goals for your OCD, and set a plan (literally, feel free to write everything out that you're gonna do before you do it), and then work your way up to the big "not having OCD anymore". Small steps won't be overly intimidating, and they will get you where you need to go. You can do it--believe in yourself. Believe that you are WORTH the change. 🍃🌱🌷
14 hours 😬😱
Should you slide up and down with the bar of soap under the running water or away from it and then soak under the water after you've lathered? Does it matter? 🤔
I can not stop scrubbing myself even I know it is not necessary.
Thank you so much for this 😁😁
I have the problem of not being able to take shower, I get paralized when I try to do it. I need to do it. Sometimes I can but not many times, it has to be forced its very hard to do it.
Normal people don't use their hands to rinse off the soap?!?! Literally 20 mins of my shower is rinsing off. U don't feel residue on ur skin??
WAIT THEY DON'T? No wonder my showers have been at least 30 minutes every time
@@kristoferpaunonen9650 Dude, like 2/5ths of my shower length is rinsing off my body 😂. But this guy's wife is like "Nah, just let the water rinse u off." I hate the thought of doing that 😬😬.
Me too, I think it depens on how much soap we use, using too much soap or too many times accumulates it, so it's hard to rinse off :(
Thanks
Thanks a lot for this video...Sir
So I would like to know please...what could contamination for example dirty water or dirty dust outside cause for our skin...if we suppose to staying for a week without shower...cos I needed to make this experience as exposure..!?
What about washing your butt and genitals? These are the areas I'm worried about cleaning, and washing my hands after cleaning these areas and worrying about cross contamination is an issue. I was hoping you mentioned these areas so I could gauge how someone else does it =/
For some reason I'm unable to hear this video. Wish I could hear it
Same!!!!!
What do you do If you tried to cut down your cleaning time, and you did but after a few days your time becomes long again when it comes to cleaning.
Then you're not satisfied again or you're not satisfied again to your new time which is shorter and you settle for the longer time of cleaning again
Thank you 🙏
I have OCD . this video does not help at all. It is not that easy
It does help if you commit yourself to make it
Take baby steps
Like first try to lessen down on rituals that aren’t as important as other rituals