Hi see,Scientifically, washing hands once properly with soap and water for about 20 seconds is enough to remove most germs, bacteria, viruses, and fungi including those responsible for illnesses. Washing multiple times doesn’t make your hands safer; it only reinforces the OCD cycle by telling your brain that you can’t trust once to be enough.
Your goal in therapy will be to rebuild trust in a single wash and reduce the anxiety that urges you to repeat the ritual. Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), a CBT technique, helps gradually reduce these compulsions by training your brain to tolerate uncertainty and discomfort without giving in to repeated washing. You don’t need more washing you need to reduce reassurance-seeking to reclaim control from OCD.
Take therapy. You can connect with me on nine two six six seven two six zero six five.
Answered2025-11-12 11:50:03
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