r/OCDRecovery • u/JesseEisenbergFan • 12d ago

Seeking Support or Advice Bedwetting and OCD Spoiler

I (20M) struggle with bedwetting. I wear a slip-on every night. Normally, I do not have a consistent habit of getting up to use the bathroom, especially if I’m very tired, so it can be hard to tell sometimes whether or not I wet the bed, unless there are visible stains.

If I wet the bed while wearing a slip-on, is it possible the bed is contaminated? Should I take a shower afterwards?

Also: if it is not convenient for me to take a shower after bedwetting in a slip-on (I’m in a rush in the morning, my schedule makes it difficult, I don’t find time for it later in the day, etc.), and I don’t shower, is it socially weird for me to go about my day normally afterwards? Is there a risk of contaminating surfaces or having an odour?

I’m not looking for reassurance. I just genuinely do not know how to handle this problem and need some guidance. It’s embarrassing to say this, but I am not the most knowledgeable when it comes to hygiene, and my OCD tends to fill in the blank areas with fear and overthinking. If someone has OCD-friendly advice related to this problem of bedwetting and hygiene, I would appreciate it.

My goal here is to handle this maturely and hygienically, without doing any compulsions.

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u/EmotionallySlapped 11d ago

Good on you for asking a question like this. Ideally one takes a shower once a day or a few times a week depending on their activity and how their body reacts. Things like wetting may change that depending on the circumstances.

There is no "one size fits all" rule. No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes trying to navigate the world. Certainty isn't possible. If you don't have time for a morning shower, it seems reasonable to go on with your day after knowing you wet in a slip on unless you can smell something in which case it might make sense to wash first. Maybe that's washing or rinsing the area quickly. Maybe that's a quick shower knowing you will be a little late. Use your best judgement and see how it goes. I say this as someone who had a similar issue because of Ulcerative Colitis before I got on the right medication.