Are you in therapy right now?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is shown to be the most effective. Also when you have more than one therapy: CBT, counseling, medication. It increases the chances of recovery. From what I have read it is possible to recover.

here is my idea:

first, realize that you are already a good person and you deserve to be happy and a part of society. you can let go of any insecurities. they only bog us down.

second, realize that your purpose here is to flourish. we flourish best when we give ourselves good lives that stand for something and contributes something good to this world. when we first do that, then, we can give ourselves permission to play and have fun lives.

give yourself permission to go out and really have fun. do silly things with friends. let the kid in you out to have some fun, especially things like dancing, singing, sports, etc.

trouble is I can't go out and have fun etc because I worry about the contamination cuz of the OCD.

I'm not in therapy atm. I have had CBT in the past. I had it when I was a teenager and very ill with the OCD. I now can mostly control it but it is the other side effects of the anxiety like the stomach problems. Unfortunately where I life (west sussex, UK) there is only one place to send me for CBT with one counsellor and she is the one I saw before. She gave up on me because I couldn't get over my fear of sick and she kept asking me how I would get over it. If I knew that then I wouldnt have gone to see her! I have asked if there is anyone else but before I was told no. Am going back to the GP soon to ask again. I just wondered if there was any medication that can stop the anxiety having all these side effects on my body?

Sounds like you need to be on meds for anxiety. There is no way you can totally relax when you are going thru this.

Anxiety does cause many symptoms. The best treatment is CBT and sometimes medication. I had both but I am under control now with no meds or need for cbt. I am surprised that during your cbt you were not taught about how to relax by deep breathing, changing negative thoughts to positive, distraction, relaxation through meditation or music, diet is very important, make sure you are not eating or drinking anything with caffeine like coffe or tea or chocolate. Are you getting enough calcium or magnesium and B complex vitimins either through food or supplements. I wrote a comment to one of you journal entries. Hope this helps.

P.S. I also forgot to mention exercise. This isvery,very helpfull. Take a walk everyday.

yep I was taught about relaxing etc but I never really got it. I have the ocd under control it is just the fear of sick.My cbt therapist was a trainee and she kept asking me how i thought it was best to treat my phobia. if i knew that i wouldnt have gone and seen her!