Germs can get into the body through the eyes, nose and mouth and make us sick. Germs from unwashed hands can get into foods and drinks while people prepare or consume them. Germs can multiply in some types of foods or drinks, under certain conditions, and make people sick.
Compulsive hand washing can result in inflammatory, degenerative, and infective changes to the dorsal and palmar sides of the hands, usually manifesting as hand dermatitis. It can also exacerbate pre-existing skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis or allergic contact dermatitis.
Frequent handwashing or use of hand sanitizers dry and irritate the skin and lead to cracks in the skin barrier. Frequent handwashing can even be a source of stress and anxiety, which can also lead to an eczema flare.
People with OCD repeat these behaviors to satisfy an obsessive thought. This can be things like: Cleaning or hand washing too much. Putting things in a very specific order.
There is no one magic number of times that defines the limit of “reasonable” hand washing. The appropriate number per day depends on what you do during the day. For example, if you use the restroom more (or less) often than most people, your hand washing should change accordingly.
Repetitive hand washing is one of the most common manifestations of OCD. People with OCD have thoughts and fears that compel them to perform repetitive actions. These actions help them deal with those fears. Your OCD might make you fear germs and dirt, and repetitive or even ritualized hand washing may help you cope.
Doctors and mental health professionals often recommend “exposure therapy” to treat this and other forms of OCD. Exposure therapy encourages people with OCD to start touching potentially contaminating surfaces without washing their hands afterward.
A child with OCD has obsessive thoughts that are not wanted. They are linked to fears, such as touching dirty objects. The child uses compulsive rituals such as handwashing to control the fears. These rituals may feel rational or irrational to the person doing them.
Excessive hand washing, out of a fear of contamination or germs, is one of the most common and best-known examples of obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD.
Symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
If you have OCD, you'll usually experience frequent obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours. An obsession is an unwanted and unpleasant thought, image or urge that repeatedly enters your mind, causing feelings of anxiety, disgust or unease.
Although your immune system attacks germs, it may not be able to kill every one. Cleaning your hands with soap and water gets rid of the germs before they can cause trouble.
Hand washing & Hand sanitiser
Though necessary and absolutely the best thing to do, it can leave sensitive skin feeling just a bit irritated. Repeated washing – particularly with liquid soaps and high-in-alcohol hand sanitisers – can strip the hands of their natural oils, leaving them dry and rough.
The majority of adults (58%) who Gallup surveyed in 118 countries and areas in the latter half of 2020 said they washed their hands with soap and water -- or used hand sanitizer -- five or more times the previous day.
People with OCD tend to have obsessive thoughts, which they try to prevent by engaging in repetitive rituals, or compulsions. In contrast, a person with ADHD typically presents with excessive hyperactivity and impulsivity and difficulty focusing on one task at a time.
It's Not Just Hand-Washing, Either
People with OCD feel compelled to repeat certain thoughts or behaviors to counteract their obsessions. Frequent hand-washing, for example, may provide a temporary escape from nagging worries about being clean.
Numb tingling tingly hands description:
This anxiety symptom is often described as a numb and tingling sensation in the hands and fingers, a numb feeling, or that your hands and fingers feel tingly, pins and needles feeling, or 'crawly. ' This sensation can occur in one hand, both hands, or alternate between each hand.
The exact cause of OCD is unknown. Children with OCD don't have enough of a chemical called serotonin in their brain. Obsessive symptoms include repeated doubts and extreme preoccupation with dirt or germs. Compulsive behaviors include hoarding objects and checking things often.
Having to think about or say something over and over (for example, counting, or repeating words over and over silently or out loud) Having to do something over and over (for example, handwashing, placing things in a specific order, or checking the same things over and over, like whether a door is locked)
Unfortunately, OCD doesn't just go away. There is no “cure” for the condition. Thoughts are intrusive by nature, and it's not possible to eliminate them entirely. However, people with OCD can learn to acknowledge their obsessions and find relief without acting on their compulsions.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for OCD. However, there are methods that many people use to manage their symptoms so that they do not impact their lives negatively. Treatment for OCD includes various medical and therapeutic services.
While some people who are exceptionally clean have OCD, others do not have a mental disorder. The difference is in whether the desire to clean comes from obsessive thought and compulsions or simply a desire. More to the point, a person only has OCD if the symptoms cause disruption and mental anguish.
OCD is a genetic disorder. If one parent has OCD, there's a 15-20% chance that his/her child will also have OCD. If both parents have OCD, there's a 50% chance that their child will also have OCD. Children may start to show behaviors that resemble OCD between the ages of 3 and 7.
This internal feeling of being dirty is usually triggered by thinking, meeting or having memories of someone who had hurt them, violated, humiliated or abused them.