I am looking for ideas on how to overcome my OCD. I excessively use lotion on my hands and feet. Any Ideas?

I also wet my hands often. I wet my hands b4 and after I leave the bathroom. I wet them even when Im in the kitchen just getting something out of the refrigerator. I feel some sort of comfort when my hands are moist. My heart rate increases when lotion is not accessible to me. I put it on my feet at least 20 times b4 I go to sleep. I cant even count how many times I do it during an entire course of a day. I really need help. I was thinking of hypnosis.I am looking for ideas on how to overcome my OCD. I excessively use lotion on my hands and feet. Any Ideas?
There are a few things you could try. The first thing would be to see a Psychiatrist or a Psychologist. I would start with the Psychologist first because he or she will determine whether you need medication. You might just need some behavior modification.





If you do not want to see a doctor, you could try some behavior modification on your own. For two days, keep a small journal of how often you lotion your feet. Write down the times. Do the same thing for when you wet your hands. Next, pick one of the areas to work on first, either the lotion problem or hand wetting. Let's say you want to work on the lotion first. If you find that you are lotioning your feet 20 times before bed, then do it 19 times. You will feel anxious at first, but stick to the 19 times. When you are feeling ok with lotioning 19 times, cut it down to 18 times. Continue in this fashion. When you conquer the lotion obsession, do the same thing for the hand wetting.





You should also keep a journal of your thoughts. Write down what you think will happen if you do not lotion your feet. You are probably trapped in a negative thought pattern . . . ';if I don't lotion my feet . . . xxx will happen.'; You will see that most of your thoughts are irrational. Keeping a journal will give you insight into why you do what you do.





Finally, keep in mind that breaking yourself of these habits will not be easy. You WILL experience anxiety. You just have to bear the anxiety. It will get better.I am looking for ideas on how to overcome my OCD. I excessively use lotion on my hands and feet. Any Ideas?
I am a hypnotherapist and would be glad to help you with your problem. If you have been diagnosed with a medical problem or are receiving psychiatric care, I would need a referral from a licensed medical professional. I do hypnosis by phone, or personalize sessions that you can download or I could mail you the Cd's. Visit this to learn more www.lifechangeshypnosis.org
May also be linked to Bi-Polar disorder where I saw this same behavior in a former girlfriend who suffered from it.





It's a hard thing, and big props to you for having the clarity and courage to admit there is a problem. That really means there is hope before it goes so far it really becomes severely dangerous. Nothing to play with:


Your present welfare is at stake, and perhaps your actual life as well if Bi-Polar is present as well as OCD.





EDIT: As regards H.B.'s answer, I don't like to ';crosstalk';, but this too important to let be. I would ALWAYS see a psychologist before seeing a psychiatrist precisely because a psychologist does NOT prescribe drugs. See another, too, to get a second opinion about your case and diagnosis. Medication may prove necessary for any person -- but all too often these days it is the first course and proves to be the wrong one. My next-door neighbor at this moment had similar problems to the ones you describe and was given drug after drug one on top of another -- ';treatment'; which almost cost her life, and took years and enormous hardship to undo. She is not yet fully weaned off all the drugs which created torment as bad as her original illness could ever have become. I know or have known many like her, including my own mother whose welfare I had to fight full-time for during the last three years of her life. Her battle and unnecessary suffering was something I would not wish on anyone.





I'm not saying all medication is wrong. Far from it. But it is a sad fact that in the present psychiatric community and climate, particularly in the United States, much of what is diagnosed and prescribed IS wrong. Reasons for this range from incompetency, to greed, to plain nonchalance and even fear of malpractice suits if one steps out of the herd. There are fine psychiatrists, to be sure. But in my experience there are just as many or more bad ones. So get references from someone with PERSONAL experience with the practitioner you choose. It is a most important decision!
Regarding SSRIs - One of them (Zoloft) works well for me for my anxiety disorder, but it takes time to get up to a therapeutic dose. It's worth it though.





One problem is that you have strongly reinforced those pathways in your brain that deal with your OCD behaviors. You need to find a way to help yourself step away from that. If hypnosis does not work, then I would strongly recommend going to a psychiatrist to get help - from SSRI meds. It does not mean that you will be on them forever. Some people are, but many get weaned off of them after a year or so at therapeutic level.
is there really anything wrong with you putting lotion on your feet? does it prevent you from living semi normally? they told me that i have ocd cause i scratch myself but it doesn't prevent me from working and being mostly normal. if its really a problem there are medications and therapies that might help you as the diagnosing dr. what they would recommend they can usually refer you to someone for help
there are medicines you can get from the dr that help treat ocd. Thats probably your best and easiest option.





Failing that, try and break it down. Use your will power to go longer amounts of time and cut back bit by bit on how much you do it. This will only work if you have SERIOUS will power, or your prepared to draw on your personal strength.
You need to see a psychology professional who can prescribe medication for you. Maybe even your regular doctor can do this. A class of drugs called SSRI's have been proven to be very effective in treating your condition. You do not have to live like this. Good luck!
Bless! That must be horrid. I think a regular therapist who can also perform hypnotherapy would be best. Maybe Cognitive behavioural therapy would be good too... Are you on any OCD meds? If not you should see your doctor as they can prescribe stuff to help with the compulsions...
Behavioural therapy might be able to help you, my partner has OCD but its very very sever type and nothing has helped, not drugs not behavioural therapy... good luck.
Please talk to your doctor. There are medications that will truly help you with this behavior.
my friend has really bad ocd and he got medication from the doctors and also counselling, talk to your doc.
You must be lovely and soft.
wear boxing gloves.............ok, i am sorry, really!!. i think hypnosis is a good idea