Do You Really Want Your OCD To Be "Cured"?

I have been asked if I want my OCD to be "cured" or if I want to get "better" and to be honest I would have to say no.

I am a hand washer. I do it until I bleed when my anxiety is REALLY bad. I dont want to stop this "problem" because I am afraid I will die. I know how bad germs are and if I stop the hand washing I will be dirty which opens you up for illness. My therapist and husband think I am beyond insane. Why doesnt anyone see where I am coming from?

~Dawn

Ok, I hear you. Now, maybe if the question was expanded , you could work through it? What if it was stated that IF you could alleviate the handwashing because of your knowledge and good practice against germs, and better management of your anxiety... and then didn't feel like you would need to wash your hands so much, would you like to reach that point?

Welcome to psychcentral, dawn.

I can relate. When I look at some of my OCD's I can't help but feel they have kept me safe - if I stop then what will be left to keep me safe? It's hard to let go of that sense of security.

i see EXACTLY where you are coming from....i am a fellow ocd'er and used to be a handwasher......after many trials and errors on different meds and trying different therapies..i finally struck gold!...i am now an average handwasher....maybe a little more than is normal.lol..but nothing like i was!..if you ever care to talk..send me a pm.i'd be glad to chat

Thank you for the replies. I often feel so lonely when dealing with my ocd. I talked to my husband this weekend about the ocd and how I am just going to "deal with it". I know that it is going to be with me for the rest of my life and I am ok with it. He was not really pleased with that. He said that it was like I had a "little devil" in me whispering in my ear saying "you can not destroy me or you will die". That it is hard for him allow me give in to this illness. There was one drug that had made my ocd lessen so much that it could have changed my life forever, however it also took away my sex life and I am not willing to give that up with a new marriage. I have yet to figure out how they think an anti-depressent will make a depressed person happy if it will make you fat and unable to have sex - duh! (smile) I dont know, that is just me I guess. Anyway I am done rambling. Thank you again for your comments. I am not sure where I was going with all of this. It has been been one of those those days.

~Dawn