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Contamination OCD is so much more than liking things clean. In this episode of Just Checking, OCD specialists Jess and Laura unpack what contamination OCD really is, how it differs from everyday cleanliness, and why it can leave people feeling like nowhere is ever truly safe.
We explore the different types of contamination fear, the lasting impact of the pandemic, the role of shame, and the hidden secondary consequences that affect daily life and relationships. We also tackle the big worry for many people: what does therapy actually look like? From where ERP (exposure and response prevention) starts to how family accommodation can keep OCD going, we walk through recovery step by step. Plus, Jess shares how she used ERP with her seven-year-old, Laura makes an admission, and we discuss neurodivergence and chronic illness in contamination OCD.
Brain Spam brings Laura's spicy intrusive thought and Jess' unfortunate mum fail. We finish with a listener question, our Weekly Win and this week's Exposure Lab challenge.
Whether you live with OCD, love someone who does, or support clients as a clinician, this episode will help you understand contamination OCD with warmth, honesty and a bit of humour.
Podcast by:
Laura Mole, Adv. Dip, MBACP OCD specialist therapist
and
Jessica Hayes, Msc PGDip, BABCP Accred OCD and perinatal specialist therapist
Edited by Christian Nickson
Resource from the Show: Asbestos fear blog: Asbestos OCD: Understanding the Challenges and Rewards of Treatment – Southampton CBT Therapy Services Time Stamps:
00:37 Episode overview
02:30 Why contamination OCD now
06:40 Brain Spam
14:20 Contamination OCD vs wanting to be clean
20:20 The impact of the pandemic
27:00 Anxiety equation impact on fear
29:05 Types of contamination fear
32:35 Never feeling safe
34:05 Contributory factors to this theme
35:50 The practical impact of this OCD theme
37:40 Shame and contamination fears
38:20 Secondary consequences
41:20 Fears of what therapy can look like
45:50 Where does therapy start?
48:00 How do things look through therapy?
52:28 Family accommodation
56:05 Why OCD therapists love this
58:00 Jess used ERP with her 7 year old
58:55 Laura's admission
1:00:00 Over-correcting
1:02:00 Did you get ill?
1:03:40 Neurodivergence and chronic illness in contamination OCD
1:07:18 Listener Question
1:09:20 Weekly Win
1:10:40 Exposure Lab
1:11:10 Goodbyes
Get in Touch:
Got intrusive thoughts to share or questions for us:
Email us at ocdcollectiveuk@gmail.com
Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok: @justcheckingpod
For our individual OCD pages, you can find Laura on Tiktok and Instagram as @ocdtherapylaura and Jess as @jess_helps_your_ocd
Please check out our privacy policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YJZ4Sdh4OpxjRR9twGY6dOMH9n55Mq6qTqLBxOtN3Fw/edit?usp=sharing
Content Warnings:
We do reference some thoughts that people may find distressing so please listen with caution if this is you, and take a break if you need to.
Disclaimer:
This podcast provides educational content only and is not a substitute for professional mental health support, please contact a mental health professional for advice and support.
