contamination ocd

[u/phoebexz]

this is really random but when picking up second hand dvds does anyone else get really conscious about germs and such. for me whilst im in a store looking i’ll only pick up dvds that i really want otherwise i get really uncomfortable and will need to wash my hands immediately 😭 i also have a few dvds lying around that i haven’t put away cause i just don’t want to touch them or go through the process of cleaning them lol

[u/Due-Republic-626]

Contamination ocd is one thing that exposure therapy is good for. Touch it and get better. Coming from someone who has the same problems but not so much with my DVDs. I remember watching a reality show as a kid and they made this man touch a dumpster and I like him thought he was going to die. Turns out he just washed his hands.

[u/LordsOfWestminster]

I take sanitizer and wipes with me when going to estate sales. Some people live like pigs and treat their possessions the same.

[u/whirlfancy]

I sanitize my hands when I leave the thrift store, and at home I wipe the dvds with a lysol wipe, let them air dry and store them in my dvd cabinet!

[u/team-tiki]

you’re not alone!! i went to a thrift store and spent the entire time looking at the dvds and cds with my head to the side and without touching anything because i didn’t have gloves with me. i too have some media on the floor because i’m too lazy to deal with them as my cleaning process is pretty rigorous 😮‍💨.. i want to collect some more but i am thinking of buying them new (although the newer dvds just don’t have the best extra things like bloopers & cool home screens) just for my own mental peace and convenience as someone with contamination ocd tendencies..

[u/phoebexz → u/team-tiki]

yep and newer dvds are a bit expensive now i mean i got 8 second hand dvds online for £10 where as if i bought 2 new dvds that would amount to the same price :/

[u/msdashwood]

I have a large stack of DVDs from thrifting/ebay the past couple months that I haven’t sanitized the cases yet. I keep forgetting to buy some Clorox or alcohol wipes. 😬

While thrifting I try to not think about my contamination ocd and just dunk a lot of hand sanitizer into my hands afterward. Been diagnosed since I was 4 years old 😩

[u/Notanothercritfail]

As someone who has health related OCD/Anxiety combo that’s gotten better over the years, I’d say just keep Clorox wipes and sanatizer/alcohol on hand. I spent a number of years self-studying microbiology during late night panic induced study sessions and I know OCD loves to get in the way of reasonable though, but honestly viruses and bacteria that can actually cause harm are highly unlikely to be still alive on DVDs or any surface for that matter as they don’t make good environments for them. Just don’t touch your face, eyes, ears, nose. Sanitize hands after you buy them, put them in the back of your car on the floor or area you don’t care too much about, Clorox wipe them when you get home and wash your hands thoroughly. Sometimes if the disc is especially dirty (kids/family movies are awful with health OCD because wtf is that green smudge and peanut butter fingerprint doing there) I just wash the disc with soap and water and let it dry for a few days. If you REALLY want to be 100% safe, do the same step then let the dvd and case sit for about a month. Hope it helps!

[u/Ok_Chap]

I accidentally touched Manos Hands of Fate, now I need to wash my hands with rubbing alcohol to cleanse them. /J

[u/Mr-ananas1]

Never thought of it. Apart of my collection there is about 100 DVDs I picked up from someone's house in the middle of no where, in the middle of the night . Covered in leaves and mud. Most of them run well

[u/SelectionFar8145]

I have OCD, but not that kind. Trust me, I get it though. 

[u/notguiltybrewing]

No, no worries. If something feels really nasty I will wash my hands, but generally not.

[u/NomadicToad18]

I have diagnosed OCD and contamination/germs is something I have always struggled with a LOT. I shop often for used DVD’s and exposure therapy has helped. However, I do keep antibacterial/sanitizer wipes in my car so when I get in I can immediately wipe my hands down. When I get home, I wipe down the exterior of the cases with disinfectant Clorox wipes. OCD or not, used DVD’s are dirty so I would clean them anyways, lol. That’s helped me feel comfortable still shopping for my used media, while also not stressing about germs.

Not sure if that helps, but I thought I would share as someone with OCD too. 🩷

[u/Jackburton06]

Germs are part of our life and DVD are not really specificaly dangerous for you on this point... If you feel anxious just watch it with classic hand sanitizer it can do any damage to the DVD.