Washing your hands was the worst message you could get – NRK Lifestyle – Tips, advice and insight



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Earlier this year, NRK spoke about Ørjan having obsessive thoughts. He had to wash up all the time and align himself with his story in the “What’s wrong?” Knowledge contest.

Ørjan had been concerned since high school that things might be dirty and full of bacteria.

Ørjan Enger in his teens.  He is standing in a blue suit and looking to the right.

FLAUT: When Ørjan was a teenager, he developed a compulsion to wash. He thought it was embarrassing and tried to hide it from others.

Photo: Private

She knew she didn’t need to wash that often, but she did. In the worst case, you could use two hand soaps a day.

I was in control

Ørjan received psychological help to deal with anxiety and not give in to obsessions.

Then came the crown.

All of Norway focused on washing hands. And you do what they ask you, Ørjan says.

At first he tried to suppress his thoughts, but soon began to wash his hands thoroughly after touching the light switch or mobile phone.

He also began to freak out over things, like he did before getting help. At the end of May, Ørjan realized that she had regained her compulsion to wash..

Man washes the playstation console

WASHING: Clean the Playstation control thoroughly with a disposable cloth.

Photo: Sara Høines / NRK

High demand

The OCD Ananke association claims they have made great progress during the pandemic. Especially from those who have previously been in treatment.

– Queries have a lot to do with washing. Many have thoughts that carry and continue. They ask for cleaning advice and ask if what they are doing is correct. Many have said they had problems during the pandemic, says MP Sissel Myhr.

She says that many returned home after treatment with the message not to wash as much. Then came the pandemic and they told him to wash more often.

– They feel the treatment has been in vain because they weren’t allowed to use the tool they brought home, says Myhr.

People who fought have gotten worse

Great interest in washing and infection can cause someone to develop a compulsion to wash.

That’s what says Bjarne Hansen, a professor of psychology at the University of Bergen and an expert on obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Sign with the text

POSTER: Everywhere we are reminded to wash our hands.

Photo: Sara Høines / NRK

The pandemic hasn’t triggered as many new cases, but what we see is that people trying to control the compulsion to wash now tend to get a little worse.

Hansen says the relapse may be due to more than just the focus on infection and flushing.

– It is the total burden during the pandemic that becomes too great. It can be suddenly having an unsafe job, being isolated, and feeling pressure on family and finances. It appears to be a push in the wrong direction, he says.

I want help

– The compulsion to wash controls a large part of my daily life now, says Ørjan.

Also his friend Mattis Myrvang Evenrud (24) confirmed. They have known each other since they were little.

Mattis says Ørjan stayed in the bathroom for a long time and washed his hands before NRK came to visit him.

– It is not a quick wash, it can often take some time, he says. The mobile phone and the Playstation control have also been washed.

Now Ørjan wants help with obsessive compulsive disorder and have a better life. He has done it before.

It is important to dare to ask for help again. Don’t be afraid of it, he says.

Two men are playing video games

FRIENDSHIP: – I really appreciate Mattis as a friend. It is a good help, even in difficult periods, says Ørjan (left).

Photo: Sara Høines / NRK


NRK
Explain

Four Signs You May Have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

for answers

1. Does the fact that unpleasant thoughts keep popping up bothers you?

These can be thoughts that you may be affected by a serious illness, that you have forgotten something important like turning off the hob, that a loved one may be affected by an accident, or that you may take actions you don’t want to do. Act.

2. Are these thoughts you experience as meaningless or highly exaggerated?

If the thoughts are perceived as nonsensical, you may still find it difficult to dismiss them. The reason may be that you think there is a possibility of it happening if you do nothing to prevent it.

Do you have to do certain actions?

You experience that you for example should Overwash or fix things in a certain way.

Try to ward off unpleasant thoughts or try to make sure what he is thinking doesn’t happen.

4. Do the thoughts take up so much time that they are annoying?

You spend more than an hour every day in your thoughts and actions, or it comes up so often that it bothers you and prevents you from living as you would like.

What if you have obsessions sometimes?

If unpleasant thoughts appear from time to time without causing great discomfort or disrupting your life, this is completely normal.

What if thoughts and actions characterize everyday life?

If it bothers you so much that you go beyond your everyday life, you should contact your GP. In the case of suspected obsessive compulsive disorder, there should be a low threshold for referral to an OCD team with specialized expertise. There is a very good treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder and most people will experience significant improvement through it.

Martin got rid of obsessive compulsive disorder in four days

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