Panicking about likely asbestos in my home. Please help!

[247worrier]

Long time reader, first time posting.

I have read every thread about asbestos..over and over. I’m desperate for some rational reassurance. I can’t stop crying, im sick to the stomach with fear.

I have been in a rental for 6 months now. In the lounge room, there is gap in the brick wall that is covered by a piece of metal. Behind it is copper pipe with what looks like asbestos around it. It looks like it is damaged/not sealed and I’m fretting that it has/is putting it in to the air. I didn’t realise what it could be until a few days ago. My children play right next to it as that is where their toys are and the cover has been knocked off a fair few times. I sent pictures to a asbestos removal company and they said it does look like asbestos insulation, the guy is coming tomorrow night to check it out.

I don’t know what to do between now and tomorrow. And then if it is confirmed, I don’t know how I will cope. I have OCD and Asbestos has been a trigger of obsessive thought and fear for a long time, which is why I’m angry at myself for not realising what it could be until now. My worries are for my kids, not myself. My husband isn’t too concerned by it and tries to reassure me but it hasn’t worked.

Any help is appreciated

[Croix]

Dear 24/7 worrier~

Welcome to the Forum. I cannot give you much more reassurance than your husband as to the actual threat. Tomorrow you will find out if it is in fact asbestos, if it is one of the dangerous types, and the likelihood of significant amounts having become airborne. Hopefully it will turn out to be nothing that is dangerous.

You can't change that, except maybe to keep everyone away from the suspect area. What you can change is how you feel, and I would hope wiht an anxiety condition such as OCD you have medical support, maybe even meds and exercises to go through.

So if you doctor or therapist has talked of these matters you may already have things you can do, from exercise to distraction.

Of course if you are not under medical treatment I would suggest you see your GP when oyu can and make a start, it can only help.

For now, you my think my answers trivial. Go to the movies, visit relatives and friends, go for a drive and eat fast food, see if you -or the rest of the family- can come up with any ideas. The whole idea being to try to get your mind off the subject, in short bursts if necessary.

It is so easy to see a whole vista of woe reaching into the future, at this stage it is not justified, just doing you harm

One other thing, when I'm trapped in circular thoughts of anxiety I use a free smartphone app called Smiling Mind. With practice it is pretty good and can be relied upon. if you do not have it then maybe it is something you might download and practice tonight.

Please let us know how you get on

Croix

[Croix]

Dear 24/7 worrier~

Would you like to say how you got on?

Croix

[geoff]

Hello 24/7 worrier, welcome to the forums and concerned about your question.

I also have OCD so can appreciate how you feel.

First thing I'd like to say is that it's a rental house/unit and any work has to be agreed to and paid for by the landlord, especially if the pipes are covered in asbestos, and if they are I'd like to talk to you more about this.

If the asbestos, (that is if it is) isn't touched and not moving, then there won't be any fibres in the air and if you are able to spray water over it, then it will be temporarily ok.

The house/unit should not have been rented out, but there are a couple of questions I'd like to know, if that's possible, what colour is it and is there any plastic wrapped around the 'asbestos'.

What product do you have on the walls and ceiling in the bathroom, laundry and toilet, if it's painted is it hard to hammer a nail through or does it have screws attaching it to the frame, if you can't see any screws then it's nailed to the frame.

If you can get back to us that would be great.

Geoff.

[lostchook]

24/7 worrier you seem to have vanished. If you come back please reply. I have an identical fear and it has over taken my world. I'd love to be able to connect to someone who can relate.

[247worrier]

Hi everyone, sorry for the lack of response.

All was fine, it was not asbestos. He also checked a weird panel outsides, it was fine too. Then I contacted them about some worn out carpet. Fine.

Then to top off all the unwarranted stress, tonight I picked up my daughter from my parents house. When I got there, she was laying on the floor with her face right near a bundle of pet hair and dust. Which has set me off again because I know there is asbestos in my parents house (not loose or or renovated in many many years though) however, my mind goes straight to “oh my god, what if it is in that dust”

It’s consuming me. I can’t enjoy the “right now” because I’m always worried about what might happen in the future 😞

[Croix]

Dear 24/7 worrier~

I'm glad it was a false alarm and I suspect you realize if the material in your parent's house has not been disturbed then things should be fine.

When you say:

It’s consuming me. I can’t enjoy the “right now” because I’m always worried about what might happen in the future 😞

Then it really is time to get competent help, OCD is treatable, and provided you find a psychologist, or psychiatrist who is used to assisting the the condition you life can improve immeasurably. It will no longer dominate. Not necessarily a very quick process, but even starting gives hope.

What do you think?

Croix

[247worrier]

Thanks Croix.

i absolutely do need to get help, I realise this now. I have a few things that really trigger me, it’s all based on health worries. Health anxiety is definitely my biggest struggle and it’s even worse when it’s about my children.

I find it very difficult to talk to anyone in person about it, which is the reason it has spiralled so badly.

Just need to pluck up the courage..but it’s easier said than done

[Croix]

Dear 24/7 worrier~

Yes it is easier said than done, do you mind a suggestion?

I found talking face-to-face most difficult, I felt I'd muddle things up, leave out important bits, or more worrying still simple chicken out and not say everything. I found if I took a couple of days to write things down point-form I could get everything right -no rush.

Then book a long appointment with a GP and hand it over, You end up answering questions, not explaining from scratch, an awful lot easier. My doctors have seemed quite pleased at this approach, gives them an oversight straight away rather than having to dig for it.

If you explain what has gone on with the asbestos, and health in general, and how much it has affected your life it will be the start of things getting better. You deserve a life free from the dictations of OCD or related condition.

Doable do you think?

Croix

[blondguy]

Hi 24/7

you are not alone with health anxiety and good on you for posting about it too!

A friend of mine has the same anxiety when she visits my place. When my dog kicks up some dirt/dust in the backyard she cant tolerate to be near the cloud of dust even though its 30 feet away. The thought of dust/dirt in the air makes her panic...badly.

I was working in an old commercial office building in Melbourne's northern suburbs and was told it was lined with asbestos insulation. That was 20 years ago and yes it was a surprise yet as Croix mentioned above...'it wasnt disturbed' since its installation so I had nothing to fear

Great to have you as part of the forum family 24/7!

my kind thoughts always

Paul