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Originally Posted by thinker22
Hi, I was reading this thread and starting to wonder if I have a compulsion but not necessarily an obsession. I do it constantly, which is washing my hands or putting on hand sanititzer all day long. I don't feel well or right unless my hands are cleaned, and half the time I do it unconsciously. Just what I do in between other things. If i go to touch any food, even if I just washed a second ago, I have to do it again. I figure I'm worried about germs and getting sick, but it's evolved beyond that to a ritual of security.
Does this make sense anyone? It totally creeps me out when I see people open a door to enter a restaurant, sit down, and start eating a piece of bread. I have hand sanitizer in my purse, my car, beside my desk and almost every time I get up I wash my hands for one reason or another, or just because it feels good. I have a cat (and I'm allergic to cats and dogs) so everytime I pet her I need to wash my hands, and after I use the bathroom is appropriate, but all the other times?
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I am no doctor but from what I've learned from my OCD therapist, it sounds to me like the beginings of OCD. Sense of safety or security from performing a compulsion and a sense of disgust &/or anxiety if you can't perform the compulsion are classic OCD. But it is also very, very common these days for people to be germaphobes and wash and use a lot of hand sanitizer. It doesn't nessesarily mean they have OCD. So, I guess it comes down to how much distress it causes you and how much it interferrs with your functioning--at work, school and or your personal relationships.
I hope that helps.