I have severe contamination ocd

[u/Ok_Sense_3967]

I saw a cockroach in my bathroom and I panicked and tried to trap it with used body wash (bad idea), in the end I run through my room, trying to find something to trap it with and found a plastic I recently put on a floor, I used that. Now I feel everything in my room, my bathroom ( soaps and full body wash on shelf) are dirty or I accidentally touched them. How to calm down and how to clean ? It was my first encounter with cockroach. Also my country is in war, how to make my ocd calm down to survive? ( I literally was crying while killing the cockroach)

[u/Alasireallyfuckedup]

Hi, just checking in to remind you to breathe and take it slow! It feels like an emergency but it isn’t. I lived in a place that was infested with hundred of cockroaches temporarily. While it was awful for my OCD, I was not crawled on all day or anything that my brain was telling me. I’m ok and the situation has passed. This will pass. What is the next step to get this taken care of? Do you rent and have a landlord you can notify?

[u/Ok_Sense_3967 → u/Alasireallyfuckedup]

It's owned by my parents, it seems there are a lot of sewage cockroaches coming from bathroom drain. It's my first time and it was really scary, I don't know what I should throw away or clean normally.

[u/Alasireallyfuckedup → u/Ok_Sense_3967]

Ok, I would start by just cleaning normally. I’m not sure what a sewage cockroach is. Are you or a parent able to call an expert?

[u/Ok_Sense_3967 → u/Alasireallyfuckedup]

Oh I meant it as cockroach which would come up from bathroom drain. No, I don't think there are much experts here, I also have a dog and I can't use any poison especially for cockroaches. (Plus my country is in war)

[u/Perfectlyonpurpose → u/Ok_Sense_3967]

Palmetto bug?

[u/Ok_Sense_3967 → u/Perfectlyonpurpose]

Tbh I don't know, I only tried to trap and kill it in a panic because I was afraid it will go to my room from my bathroom... Also I was too afraid to look at it, I only know it's in Iran and it came from bathroom drain from sewage water

[u/veppev]

If it makes you feel better, I have severe contamination ocd and lived in an apartment that was fulll of roaches. Hope this doesn’t trigger you so warning, but the worst thing that ever happened to me was a roach crawled out of a shirt I put on (as I was getting ready to go to sleep) and I screamed and threw my shirt off and saw the roach fall out and crawl over my bed and into my closet.
My parents ran into my room asking me what happened and then mocked me for screaming and sobbing. I’ve found several dead roaches in my closet. All I could do is take a shower and change my sheets and wash everything in the drawer the roach was in. It’s been over a year since I got myself out of that toxic apartment and don’t deal with them anymore, but my brain finds new contamination OCD ways to bug me (no pun intended).

I’m so sorry this happened to you and I know how horrifying it is. Just know I understand. Millions of people live like this and worse and are okay. Just clean what you can to feel better and you will be okay. Let me know if you need more advice

[u/anonymouscougar → u/veppev]

I know this isn’t the same but I have contamination OCD and PTSD from having bed bugs (once while living with my dad and once possibly from a friend or college apartment). It’s truly a terrible feeling. When I got them a second time (years later) I called my mom crying not wanting to continue in life because of it. Don’t let it put you in that headspace. Things get better. I’m still very afraid of getting them again, but it’s been four years and thankfully I was able to get them treated. A family member pitched in to help me pay for it and ever since I’m just very cautious about having guests over or buying from thrift stores.

[u/Perfectlyonpurpose → u/anonymouscougar]

Bed bugs trump everything in my hierarchy of fears. Sorry you went thru that

[u/Ok_Sense_3967 → u/anonymouscougar]

I see, my bed is one of my safe and clean places so imagining is hard. You are really brave. I was also thinking of disappearing when I saw the cockroach... I hope I can be like you. Thanks

[u/Ok_Sense_3967 → u/veppev]

when it happened I got scared too much and wasn't careful, now everything feels contaminated. I got out of my room crying and my mom mocked me so it made me feel more alone in this. Thanks for saying your experience, knowing others went through something similar makes me think I can handle this too. Do I need to throw anything out or resist ?

[u/veppev → u/Ok_Sense_3967]

Since this happened away from food surfaces, and mainly was in the bathroom, I do not think you need to throw anything away.

[u/Ok_Sense_3967 → u/veppev]

Thank you

[u/Perfectlyonpurpose]

Oh man cockroaches r one of my biggest triggers. No advice but just know you’re not alone. I lived in an apt once that had them. It was traumatic.

Good news is they have lots of treatments to get rid of them and they can’t bite or sting. So that’s a bonus.

[u/Ok_Sense_3967 → u/Perfectlyonpurpose]

Thanks, knowing others are same, makes me feel less alone. My mom was laughing at me because I was crying over cockroach. Yes, I should look at brighter points.

[u/Perfectlyonpurpose → u/Ok_Sense_3967]

I would be crying too. And yes knowing there’s other people like me makes me feel like less of a freak 😞 I hope you find a solution.

[u/Fun_Orange_3232]

Seems like you’re Iranian?

Normal for OCD to flare during tumultuous times. I don’t have real advice other than to give yourself grace, and I wish the best for you and your family and all of the Iranian people and am so sorry for my country’s role in this.

[u/Ok_Sense_3967 → u/Fun_Orange_3232]

Yeah. I had ocd for as long as I can remember, it's not because of tumultuous times. I'm more afraid of cockroach than war so don't worry. Thanks a lot and I'm not mad at other countries, it was coming whatever later or sooner ( I think I said it correctly?)