Sanitizing OCD vs. Indifference: How to Strike a Balance
The Pandemic’s Affects
This ambiguous situation may have affected you in many ways. Perhaps you’re feeling helpless and hopeless about avoiding contamination. You’ve decided cleaning and sanitizing is pointless. You’ve developed a sense of indifference.
Or you’re determined to do everything in your power to keep yourself and your environment sanitized — even to the point of developing OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder).
Either way, you’ve been affected. You’re probably a little scared and sad about the uncertainty. You hate how life has changed.
Pandemic Trauma
Both of these scenarios (sanitizing OCD vs. indifference regarding the virus) can be signs of trauma. While many think of trauma as going through violent, dangerous physical or emotional situations, it goes beyond that. Trauma can also be experienced on a global level through natural events such as pandemics.
Consider all you’ve experienced as a result of the pandemic. Job loss, financial struggles, educational upheaval, disruption of any sense of normalcy, social isolation, and so much more might have affected you. Naturally, you might have had an emotional response to stress and anxiety in this situation.
Indifference
Indifference can be a sign that you’ve shut down. When humans encounter a negative situation over an extended amount of time, they can start to feel hopeless. This mindset is especially true if they don’t see any positive improvements or changes over time.
As the havoc wreaked by the pandemic remains, perhaps you’ve given up. You don’t think it’s worth it to prevent transmission of the virus to you and your family. When it comes to sanitizing OCD vs. indifference, only the latter response makes sense to you.
But it’s important to know that you can take proactive steps. It isn’t entirely out of your hands.
OCD
OCD is directly related to the experience of anxiety and trauma. By obsessively cleaning your home and sanitizing any surfaces you come into contact with, you’re trying to control everything. This approach is understandable in the face of the uncertainty and severity of coronavirus.
Of course, there are undoubtedly proactive steps you can take. But you risk developing chronic anxiety if you allow OCD and fear to rule your life. And this can be as bad or worse than the virus itself.
Finding Balance
Whether you fall into indifference or OCD regarding cleaning and sanitizing, it’s essential to find a balance. While you can’t control everything, you can control some things. Amazingly, some of the steps you can take will boost your immune response, which is more important than ever during this time.
Here are some tips:
Keep yourself physically healthy. Exercise, practice good sleep hygiene, eat nutritiously, and take supplements. Many experts recommend Vitamin D as an immune booster. Other supplements have known stress-reducing properties. Exercise keeps your system healthy, as does adequate sleep.
Wear a face mask in public and use hand sanitizer when out.
Clean surfaces in your home, but find a way to limit yourself if you find it getting out of control.
Identify and use mental health resources.
Seek counseling if needed. Anyone who experiences trauma and anxiety can benefit from the support and guidance of a counselor.
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We can come alongside you to identify the pandemic’s toll on your mental health. We can work together to find balance and courage for the future. Please contact us today or visit our trauma counseling page to learn more about how we can help.