What constitutes too much cleaning/hand washing

[hollybree]

Right now my hand washing and cleaning are out of control. But what is an adequate amount of cleaning? Right now I clean the taps and door knobs in my house every time they have been have touched (especially after the toilet or going outside) I use ha cloth to turn off the taps in case of contamination then throw it in the wash. I wash my hands after I touch something that has been in the outside world recently or been touched by someone else, for example a milk carton ( it came from the supermarket where anyone could touch it) I wash my hands after I touch anything new especially if I'm cooking. For example get out the olive oil, wash hands, get out a spice container, wash hands... I am really scared to eat anything at work because I have to touch 5 door handles from the bathroom to the kitchen and by the time I get there I feel contaminated. I know this is excessive, but what is safe?

[lelliottxx]

hey,
it sounds like you have developed ocd from having emetophobia? dont worry its normal, recently since my phobia has got worse i have started continously washing my hands all the time and there a mess from it! but i reccently started cbt, not sure if you have heard of it but it helpes me to overcome my emetophobia and a couple of week ago i told my theropist about my hand washing and he gave me a way to stop it and i think if it consits you should see someone to help with your hand washing.
i dont know if this will help but what my theoripist told me to do about my hand washing is to, everytime i was my hands i get a tissue and then rub the tissue on a door handle and every time i was my hands i have to wipe my hands on this tissue thats been touched by the door handle (or whatever you think is contamintaed, so for you a milk carton) but if you keep washing your hands and then wiping them on the dirty tissue, you will eventually stop washing your hands because it would be pointless to wash your hands if you keep re contaminating them.