Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me point me in the right direction to get help about my irrational behaviours.
The one that affects my life the most at this moment is the number of times I need to vacuum clean a day. To me, it doesn't feel like a big task (as I just use the stick vacuum) to sweep up any crumbs or pet hairs I can see on the floors. But the problem is that it drives my partner crazy. He says it's excessive the amount of times I vacuum (I probably use the stick vacuum about 4-5 times to pick up things from the floor).
I know it probably is unreasonable but if I don't do it, I can't relax and feel comfortable. I feel like I'm not even a 'clean freak' because there are other filthy places of the house I won't bother cleaning, it's more the visible things on the floor that I can't stand.
I also noticed more recently I can't stand the way the carpet pile goes in different directions and I need it smoothed out. I'll step over uneven patches to make them smooth again (I know this is irrational but I can't stop doing it).
During my high school years I had also experienced excessive hand washing that was very detrimental to the skin on my hands - they were always cracked and sore from overwashing. I couldn't get rid of the 'dusty' feeling on my hands and it could only be relieved from washing them with soap. I have no idea how or when I left that behaviour behind but I don't do that anymore.
This was more for some background information but I'm more concerned about how I can actually stop the urge to vacuum so often. I KNOW it doesn't need to be done more than once a day, but how do I leave it alone? I feel hopeless because these behaviours are beginning to impact others. Does anyone know whether it sounds like OCD? Because recent articles I've read keep saying that 'OCD isn't about cleanliness etc' so I'm confused as to whether it is.
Thank you to anyone who has bothered to read this extremely long post.
