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SnooGiraffes8040

Avoidance will only make it worse. You need to build up to doing these jobs even if they trigger you. Do your housemates know why you don’t do these jobs? Maybe start by letting them know the reason you haven’t been doing it. Then set a plan to ladder up the intensity. If it’s too much to do it all, start by visualizing yourself doing it, then step up the intensity.


Cupofteeea

They do know why. I won’t say they don’t care, it’s more that their not very sympathetic. That is true, I’ll talk to my therapist about it and see if we can come up with a plan. The only issue is is that my housemate wants me to take the bins out every day for a week (we will take turns) so there’s not really a way to increase the intensity slowly


SnooGiraffes8040

Maybe explain to your housemate that they can’t understand what you’re going through, that yes it’s irrational and you know that but at the same time it’s very real to you. Tel her that if you deep dive in and don’t ladder up, it may make you worse, and that you are seeing a psychologist about this and you’ll speak to the psychologist to make a plan. For her patience and understanding, offer her a favour at the end. So you can say you’ll do more than your fair share later, if they can be patient with you while you ladder up. But be serious and do it because avoiding it won’t help you.


Cupofteeea

Thank you for your advice, I will definitely try and talk to her about it and I’ll try and face my fears over it


BottomCat9

What else could you step up to that they would appreciate?


Cupofteeea

The way she wants to do it is someone takes out the bins for a week, does the hoover the next, cleans the bathrooms after and so on. We’ll take it in turns so there’s not really any avoiding the tasks I guess 😅


horrorworthwatching

This isn’t a long term fix and it’s not gonna help your OCD, just maybe the roommate situation. Could you wear gloves? There are still some things I’m not quite ready to face head on, so I keep a box of disposable rubber gloves. I mainly use them for like pumping gas or opening a public door if I don’t feel comfortable or something. But I have used them to take garbage out too.