English 102
10 June 2010

Contamination OCD and Our Health Contamination obsessive-compulsive disorder can be the most unnecessary and most annoying disorder out there. Consider the feeling of constantly tracing the history of germ contents for everything you touch. It’s nearly impossible, but enough to drive a person crazy. Dealing with contamination OCD myself, I am a self-proclaimed “germ-a-phobe” or “germ-freak,” but living in fear of germs is not what I always dreamed of. Anxiety is an understatement in regards to never touching the TV remote control just because I don’t know who touched it last and what they’ve touched last, or letting everyone believe I’m unfriendly just to avoid a high-five, even though I do carry hand sanitizer with me. These are unnecessary and irrelevant thoughts to anything worthwhile, but somehow they aren’t as easy to get rid of as you might think. Contamination OCD can cause so much fear and anxiety in a person’s life, but what is it that actually jump starts this seemingly endless annoyance? Should the rest of the world consider our thoughts on the fact that maybe germs are dangerous or is it the disinfectants that are really causing us harm? Even though disinfectants pose such a dangerous threat to our health due to toxins in them, those living with contamination OCD still can’t seem to accept that fact and put down the cleaners in fear of being contaminated by germs because of the habits and rituals that have taken over in our minds and therapy and/or drugs may be the only relief for a person who suffers from contamination obsessive-compulsive disorder. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a disorder filled with fear and anxiety that interferes with a persons daily life. Melinda Smith, M.A. and Ellen Jaffe-Gill describe obsessions as, “involuntary, seemingly uncontrollable thoughts, images, or impulses that occur over and over again in your mind.” Compulsions are the compelling “behaviors or rituals” that are carried out just to make the obsessions go away (Smith and Jaffe-Gill). Unfortunately the more these compulsions are carried out the stronger and more frequent the obsessions tend to get. For instance; we may touch the doorknob for the front door on our house. Maybe if we felt as though our hands were dirty before entering the house we may wash our hands. Now the next day comes and we enter the house thinking that yesterday I touched the door with my filthy hands. Well now it’s automatic that every time we walk into the front door we head right to the kitchen sink to scrub our hands. According to Melinda Smith, M.A. and Ellen Jaffe-Gill, M.A., there are five main categories of OCD that a person can fall under: checkers, doubters and sinners, counters and arrangers, hoarders, and washers. Checkers are those people that are constantly checking things in fear that those things will bring harm or danger to them. Maybe they can’t remember if they locked their car door. Well instead of going back to check it once, they end up being late for a meeting because they go back thirty times just to make sure. Doubters and Sinners believe that if everything isn’t perfect or done just right they will be punished or something terrible will happen to them. Simple as that, they are afraid to live life all because of fear. Counters and arrangers are always thinking about order and symmetry. They may go to a friends house for a party, open up the fridge and see how unsymmetrical it is. Now because of that thought they spend the whole night just reorganizing their friends fridge just to fit their standards. Hoarders tend to keep things just because they are afraid something bad will happen to them if they get rid of anything. They usually don’t have any friends over and if they do it’s an embarrassment to their families because the living room may be filled with boxes of what we consider junk. It’s not like they even go through their boxes very often, they just sit in the way. Washers are the most common category. They are simply afraid of contamination, whether it be contamination of themselves or anyone else. However most cases deal with people unable to come to peace with the thought of accepting germs into their lives (Smith and Jaffe-Gill). Washers and people with contamination obsessive-compulsive disorder are simply the same thing. They have a way of thinking that disrupts and interferes with their normal daily routine. In their minds it is mandatory to react in a certain way that makes them have a need to live in a very sanitary environment. People with contamination obsessive-compulsive disorder are consumed by the fear that germs are out to get us, but in reality, exposure to germs really isn’t a bad thing. The “hygiene-hypothesis” is known throughout the world. It’s basically described as an idea that children who are exposed to germs and bacteria at a young age have less of a chance of suffering from diseases later on in their lives (“Asthma: The Hygiene Hypothesis”). Pat Vaughan Tremmel has written an article explaining a study comparing Filipino and U.S. children conducted by Thomas McDade, associate professor of anthropology in Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. Starting in the early 1980’s, 3,327 Filipino children were being studied from the time their mother’s were in their third trimester of pregnancy until the children were twenty-two years old. Researchers were looking for a relationship between the C-reactive protein production in adulthood by comparing Filipino children with American children. C-reactive protein (CRP) production contributes to raised levels of protein in the blood caused by inflammation which is due to the body’s immune system and its fight against infections. It became apparent throughout the study that young Filipino children grow up in a country where disease in children is a lot more common than in western countries such as the U.S. The children in America live in much cleaner environments where more people are aware and in control of germs and bacteria. The study concluded that those Filipino children had built up such strong immune systems, because of being exposed to so many germs and bacteria, that when they reached the age of twenty-two they were far less likely to end up with diseases, more specifically cardiovascular disease, than the children in the U.S. Based on the young adult Filipino’s who were involved in the study, blood tests had proven that the C-reactive proteins were 80% lower in them than the young adults in America. This means that even though Filipino’s are more likely to face disease as a young child, they have far less of a chance of encountering diseases in the future (Tremmel). Bacteria is all around us and most of them aren’t here to harm us. Actually, a lot of people have a hard time understanding the difference between germs and bacteria. Germs can be thought of as anything that causes harm to us, and most people are thinking of bacteria when the say, “germs” (Cushwa). According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, less than 1% of bacteria actually makes us sick. Those that cause infections are; Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and E. coli. A lot of bacteria is used in making cheese and yogurt which is good for us. Bacteria is also helpful in digesting food and helping our immune system fight off disease, which in turn causes cells to give our bodies certain vitamins. Without the exposure of germs, it would be very easy for us to get sick and stay that way for a long time (“Bacterial Infections”). When people say “germs” or “bacteria” a good thought is not what usually comes to mind, especially for a person with contamination OCD. In society, we are frequently being scared into believing that all germs are harmful. Cleaners and disinfectants are making their way onto our TV commercials more often and we have come to accept what we are told, that they are the only way we can be saved by these awful germs. However, little do we know that these disinfectants may be the ones doing more harm than that of the bacteria. According to Health Care Without Harm, a lot of disinfectants aid in causing cancer, reproductive disorders, respiratory disorders such as asthma, and other diseases due to certain chemicals found in those cleaners. A number of cleaners consist of “persistent bioaccumulative toxins (PBTs)” (“Cleaners and Disinfectants”). PBTs are actually “classified as hazardous waste” and while being manufactured, being used, or being disposed of, they succeed in filling our environment with pollution (“Cleaners and Disinfectants”). Even though we like to believe that disinfectants are keeping us safe, maybe it would be better to clean in moderation. Whenever buying hand soaps or detergent we have an option of whether we want anti-bacterial or not. Anti-bacterial soap actually contains an anti-bacterial biocide which increases the effectiveness of bacteria to fight against antibiotics, and in the long run, aiding in heath defects (“Cleaners and Disinfectants”). Even though those of us with contamination obsessive-compulsive disorder may know theses facts about the importance of bacteria and the harmfulness of disinfectants, living with this need for cleanliness is still an issue. It is a habit that we have instilled in our minds which we can’t seem to get rid of. I think it is true to say that people who don’t live with this anxiety don’t understand what the big deal is. There are those people like me who seem to have a more mild case of contamination obsessive-compulsive disorder. In the mind of a contamination OCD person everything is linked together in an absurd way that makes perfect sense to us. One blogger explains it perfectly, “The piece of hair on the table that my hands accidentally touches will transfer the germs from the hair piece to my hands and if I use my hands to staple an essay, the germs will transfer from my hands to the stapler, to the staple, to the essay, and if the essay is handed to the professor, the germs will be transferred from the essay to the professor...” (Hulbert). It’s not uncommon to work backwards either, usually how I determine whether to wash up or not. Perhaps I find a coffee stain on the paper and now wonder where the teacher had corrected his papers. Well now I believe it was in his filthy kitchen where most germs live. Now I don’t even touch the paper in fear of being contaminated. Or how about not even picking up a book that you haven’t kept a close eye on because what if someone decided to read it while in the restroom? Sometimes I am faced with someone who asks to use my phone. Now I have about a half of a second to examine this person to see if they are clean, or worthy enough, of taking my cell phone into their germ infested hands. I usually come out with the answer “yes” just because I really don’t have a good excuse that isn’t embarrassing such as, “no, you look like you haven’t washed your hands in the last ten minutes, sorry.” Now when the phone is handed back to me, I try to reach for it with my left hand because I’m right handed and don’t need to use my left hand quite as often. So what do I do with my phone now? Do I place it in my purse where it can contaminate everything else in my purse or my jean pocket? Probably my pocket, because I hardly place anything in there, and besides, I can always wash my jeans easier than my purse. After I find the nearest bathroom to wash my hands from touching my infected phone it seems like a closed case, until of course my phone rings or someone texts me and I have to reach into my pocket, with my left hand, and then find another close sink with soap and water, and then of course completely sanitize my phone when I get home. You and I both know this is ridiculous. People with contamination OCD even make the most effort not to wash our hands, because of the lasting effect that it has on us; dry, cracking skin. But if we do mess up and touch a door knob or hand rail, no big deal, just find the nearest bathroom and do a little scrubbing. Yes, we know there is no rational point to these thoughts but they are there and we have, unfortunately, learned to live with it. There are also those cases of contamination obsessive-compulsive disorder where it’s hard to simply live with it. It’s become such a part of a persons life that it takes a person over where living a normal life seems impossible to reach. Contamination obsessive-compulsive disorder can be such an issue that it is debilitating. Howie Mandel, a famous comedian, actor, and game show host is a prime example of someone with an extreme case of contamination OCD. In an interview with 20/20 he stated, “The biggest fear I have is being triggered, and if I'm triggered and I get some sort of weird thought in my head that can't go, then my day is, is stopped. My life stops" (Haddad, Strauss, and Muir). Mandel has set up a lot of things in his life where germs seem to be completely avoidable. In a video clip next to the article, Howie Mandel gives us a bit of an insight into his life. In the video clip Mandel explains how he doesn’t wear shoe laces because he thinks they are dirty and doesn’t want to touch them, and he isn’t bald because of hair loss, it simply makes him feel clean. Not only does he wash all of his money, but he also has a separate house to retreat to when anyone in his family is sick and when wearing a mask becomes an annoyance. He has made the “fist bump” famous due to his show, “Deal Or No Deal” where he would never shake hands with any of the contestants. He jokes about his disorder because he knows it’s funny and ridiculous, but still, he is unable to shake this fear and anxiety (Haddad, Strauss, and Muir). In that video interview with 20/20, Howie Mandel talked about a situation of what I think to be an extreme case of contamination OCD. There was food out on tables, buffet style, where chicken or warm meals are kept in metal containers with a lid. Well, if someone wasn’t there to serve him his meal, he just wouldn’t eat (Haddad, Strauss, and Muir). He would never dream of touching the handle on the lid and taking it off thanks to the thought of it be infested with germs and bacteria. What if the lid was already off? Still not going to happen. The tongs, ladle, or whatever is used to serve the food is still covered in germs so picking it up is out of the question. I, and a lot of other people, would sacrifice hand washing for a little food. However, then the plate would be contaminated with the hand that pick up the ladle, therefore making the food unappetizing because it is touching the plate. Let’s be honest, there really is no “win-win” situation here. Obviously not everyone with contamination obsessive-compulsive disorder gets the same compulsions. Some, such as in the case of Howie Mandel, are a lot more crippling than others. Most cases of contamination OCD aren’t developed until adolescence or young adulthood. Only about 2% of Americans from the ages of 18 to 54 have actually suffered from contamination OCD at any given time (“Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: What It Is And How To Treat It”). There is no actual determined reason for this disorder, but according to MayoClinic.com, there are four main theories that have been considered. Biology is one theory. Some evidence makes it apparent that it could be possible for OCD to happen because of heredity or because of the chemical changes that happen in a person’s body or brain (“ Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)”). In an article in The American Journal of Psychiatry, Susan E. Swedo, M.D. et al explains how strep throat seems to be another thought based on some studies linking children with strep throat to OCD. Apparently, children who get strep throat, or streptococcal infections, trigger a “pathogenic process” that can lead to Obsessive-compulsive disorder along with some other disorders such as tics and motoric hyperactivity (Swedo et al). However this seems to be the most unlikely case because there is not enough evidence supporting this theory (“ Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)”). Another theory from MayoClinic.com is based on the idea that different behaviors and habits that we learn from the environment we live in can be the source of such a disorder. The most talked about and most likely theory deals with the lack of serotonin in a person’s brain. Serotonin is one of the chemical messengers in the brain. One of the reasons this theory is very possible is because people who take medication, such as anti-depressants, to increase the levels of serotonin in their brain tend to not have quite as many obsessions or compulsions for their obsessive-compulsive disorder (“ Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)”). According to Simon N. Young, from the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, there are ways to increase the amount of serotonin without the intake of drugs. Studies have shown that having a positive attitude, being exposed to bright light, exercising, and dieting could in fact raise the levels of serotonin in the brain, therefore getting a person one step further to overcoming obsessive-compulsive disorder (Young). The treatment that seems to be the most effective for those dealing with contamination OCD is cognitive-behavioral therapy. There are two different elements when dealing with cognitive-behavioral therapy. The first element is called: exposure and response prevention, which has the patient deal with the obsessions head on. According to Melinda Smith, M.A. and Ellen Jaffe-Gill of Helpguide.org, “Exposure and response prevention involves repeated exposure to the source of your obsession.” If that weren’t enough, the patients are then suppose to not exhibit any sort of compulsions they would usually carry out, for instance shaking hands with a person and not washing their hands. Hopefully after a while the compulsions and anxiety will be forgotten about and contamination OCD won’t be such an interference. Cognitive therapy is the second element which is centered around the thoughts and feelings that are manifested inside those who deal with obsessive-compulsive disorder. It teaches people to recognize the obsessions and learn how to overcome them by not following out those deep compulsions they find hard to maneuver around. Based on the fear and anxiety that contamination obsessive-compulsive disorder deals with, it can cause such an interference and annoyance to a person’s life. Among the five different types of OCD, people tend to fit in with the washers, or contamination OCD, the most. We constantly see germs and bacteria as the enemies so disinfectants have become our retreat to all things healthy and clean. Disinfectants are really not any better than germs, maybe even worse in some ways. Germs can cause disease and infections but the more exposure we have to them the better our bodies have a chance at fighting off those diseases and infections. Disinfectants kill germs very well but the toxins they leave behind for us to inhale can cause us to get sick and kill whatever helps to fight off diseases. Even though a lot of us know this fact about disinfectants, it doesn’t matter, we still can’t shake these unnecessary thoughts out of our heads. I have researched germs and disinfectants. I know that a little doorknob touching could be good for the soul. However there is no way, at least not right now, that I am going to open my bathroom door without a towel wrapped around it. It’s difficult for people with contamination OCD to be understood because most people don’t think on the same levels as we do. Our minds are taken over by thoughts that we can’t seem to get rid of no matter how much we hate them. The obsessions get more frequent and the rituals get worse the more we think about our habits. It’s hard to control, but it can be done with a little help and a lot of determination.

Work Cited

“Asthma: The Hygiene Hypothesis.” FDA U.S. Food and Drug Administration. U.S.

Department of Health & Human Services, 18 June 2009. Web. 9 June 2010.

“Bacterial Infections.” MedlinePlus. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 28 Apr. 2010. Web. 15 May 2010.
“Cleaners and Disinfectants.” Health Care Without Harm. Health Care Without Harm, n.d. Web. 15 May 2010.
Cushwa, William. “Help question.” Message to Alyssa Husemoen. 19 May 2010. E-mail.
Haddad, Jessica, Eric M. Strauss, and David Muir. “Germs: 'No Deal' for Host Howie Mandel.” ABC News/20/20. ABCNews.com, 24 Nov. 2009. Web. 1 June 2010.
Lee Hulbert. “Test #2: Physical Contaminations.” The Life Of An OCD Blogger. World’s Strongest Librarian. 11 March 2010. Web. 1 June 2010.
“ Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).” MayoClinic.com. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 19 Dec 2008. Web. 14 May 2010.
“Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).” Milton S. Hershey Medical Center College of

Medicine. Penn State, 31 Oct. 2006. Web. 15 May 2010.

“Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: What It Is And How To Treat It.” FamilyDoctor.org. American Academy of Family Physicians, Dec. 2009. Web. 15 May 2010.
Smith, Melinda, and Ellen Jaffe-Gill. “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).” Helpguide.org. Helpguide, Sept. 2008. Web. 14 May 2010.
Swedo, Susan E., et al. “Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated With Streptococcal Infections: Clinical Description of the First 50 Cases.” The American Journal of Psychiatry. 155 (1998): 264-271. American Psychiatric Association. Web. 1 June 2010.
Tremmel, Pat Vaughan. “Think Again About Keeping Little Ones So Squeaky Clean.” NewsCenter. Northwestern University NewsCenter, 8 Dec. 2009. Web. 19 May 2010.
Young, Simon N. “How to increase serotonin in the human brain without drugs.” Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience. 32.6 (2007): 394-399. Canadian Medical Association. Web. 14 May 2010.