Do I have an obsession with self-cleanlines.

Question:

I apply deodorant several times a day- every morning, after shower/bath, if I start to sweat at all, before bed. Dad is one of those people who never had a problem with odor and has never had to wear deodorant (lucky him), only anti-perspirant in the summer. My husband says he has never known me to "smell" but I have been known to take more than one shower/bath a day because I felt I needed to (though that's usually in the summer). I wash my hands so much that I sometimes get dry skin around my nails. If I sweat, I will change clothes. Do you think I'm obsessed? No one has ever made fun of me though it bothers me when other people around me don't wash their hands/take showers whether they need to or not.

Answers:
I can't say that you would qualify as someone with an obsessive-compulsive disorder, but based on your post, you are certainly heading in that direction.

Americans are very obssessed about germs, odors, and the such (so are the Japanese). It's made worse by our being constantly bombarded by commercials making the issue seem more important than it really is.

While good hygiene is obviously important, it can be carried to extreme. The skin is your first barrier against disease, and you can break down that barrier by over-cleaning it, drying it out, and washing away the natural oils that coat our skin.

Also, compulsive cleaning and other acts that over-protect the body have the potential to actually lower your immunity because you are not allowing the body to be challenged by normal everyday bacteria. As a result, your body has less resistance to normal bacteria and can be even more susceptible to the dangerous ones when they come along.

Being aware that you have a problem is the first step. You say that you resist some of your urges to clean so that is a positive sign. But if you feel you are getting out of control, you might want to speak with a counselor and find out where these compulsions come from.

Good luck it you.

Other Answers:
Obsessed? No.
Overreacting? Yes.

Don't worry, I'm just like you, it's no problem, just make sure you don't smell.
Be clean, that's they way you are!

If you are constantly washing your hands then yes maybe you do have some obsessive complusive disorder. If you wash them when needed that is different. do you know that having a scent is apealing for the other sex , so try no to overeact and ask you husband what he thinks .

No. You are not obsessed.It is good to take some extra precautions for cleanliness.

i don't think you have a problem with cleanliness just because you like to change your clothes when you sweat or any of your other complaints about yourself.I also have almost the some problems so your not alone

Why not use and antiperspirant? Deodorant will cover the odor but you still sweat. I've taken several showers a day when I get hot and sweaty in summer; I don't think that unusual. But the hand-washing thing, that can be a bit of a problem. You should be washing your hands after going to the bathroom or during cooking, or fooling with pets, etc. So that's a good thing. You could use that alcohol gel to wean yourself from the handwashing if you're worried about it.

The best way to stop one habit is to pick up another one that's more beneficial to you. There are hand creams that kill germs on the market, especiall for medical professionals who have to wash their hands 30-40 times a day. Check it out.

See a good therapist and ask about this if you think it's a problem that's gotten out of hand. There must be some reason that you're doing these things and you seem to have a good handle on the situation. Good Luck.

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Do I have an obsession with self-cleanlines.

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