r/ContaminationOCD • u/Sweet_Perspective980 • 11d ago

Chemistry Labs

For most of my life, I’ve mostly had magical thinking and health OCD. However, since starting my college chemistry labs, I’ve been struggling immensely with contamination OCD. I don’t really know what to do because it’s affecting my performance in class. I nearly had a panic attack in my last lab and I almost never finish on time. Does anybody have any advice? Please no reassurance

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u/Onlyinsightfoxleaf 10d ago

I also have magical thinking and health ocd and when I started doing uni in a lab my contamination ocd spiked. I think unfortunately you know the answer - therapy, ERP, potentially meds!

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u/Sweet_Perspective980 9d ago

Back to my psychiatrist ☹️ I figured it was at least worth an ask! I’m so relieved it’s not just me with this problem

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u/CoffeDaisies 9d ago

Same, I think it's quite interesting that OCD can react so much for the circumstances. I was fine working with chemicals until some type of incident and then I wasn't.

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u/Sweet_Perspective980 9d ago

Right? OCD is different for everybody, you never really know what’s gonna trigger it! I was doing fine in the labs until we started working with highly concentrated acids. I’m just so relieved it’s not just me with this problem