I didn't make it to the store yesterday, but I did go today. I used the restroom there, right after a mom and little kid- more contaminated, don't you know.
Pushed my grocery cart around in normal fashion. Next I stopped at the video store. I ALWAYS wash my hands after the video store- not today.
Now I'm typing on my computer with those same unwashed hands. I feel like I'm further down the path on this than I've ever been, and it feels great and scary, and I want to keep on walking down it.
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You are stronger than you think!
8 months ago
Well done! Really well done.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck, Ann.
ReplyDeleteFor me, the key to beating severe obsessive compulsive disorder is scrupulously avoiding all forms of anger or irritation, no matter how justified. Maybe it is just me, but that is what does it. Laughing at myself is also key.
Here's an example:
“Having two blue shirts in the closet can be a good thing. But to the obsessive it can be an obscure form of hell. How do you choose between them?
“One is better pressed. But the other is a little warmer. It could be sunny today. Then again the radio is predicting a heat wave for later in the week. That was one radio station. The other radio station is predicting rain. The second radio station is never reliable. Everyone knows that. I’ll just take the shirt that’s further to the right. That will solve everything. But I think I rearranged the shirts last night. Yesterday the other shirt would have been on the right. I’ll close the door, open it fast, and which ever shirt I see first, I’ll wear. There I did it. No. I saw them at the same time. I’ll try it again. This time I’ll open the door on the count of three. One, two, three. There. No. That was no good. The door opened too slowly…
This process proceeds for forty-five minutes then you throw the damn shirts on the floor and wear a T-Shirt.”
An excerpt from my novel “Cutting Through the Knot (Second Edition).” Available as an Amazon Kindle.
Ann, I know it may seem funny to tell the world about your bathroom and hand-washing habits. But I think it's great that your exposures are going well. Hang in there.
ReplyDeletehaha, Greg. I no longer even consider it weird. Maybe I've been blogging too long!
ReplyDelete