My OCD tends to focus around issues of contamination and health but is not restricted to that. It also includes fears that I might cause harm to others by contaminating them with any germs I might have picked up. I am a religious person and my OCD related religious thoughts tend to be around the idea of God punishing me by inflicting harm on me or my loved ones because of my failings. This is despite my not intellectually believing that God would behave in such a way. My compulsions or neutralisers have really affected the way I live my life and that finally drove me to see the doctor a few months ago. They referred me to a psychotherapist who is really helping me and progress is being made.

If you are like me the intrusive thoughts when they are going round and round in your head feel very very real, as if they truly reflect reality. It helps me to know when I am afflicted by these thoughts, that they are the product of my illness and not necessarily a reflection on reality.

The best advice I can offer is to seek out professional help if you can. I suffered for 10 years before doing so.