I suffer from mental stress as I am always worried about me and my family's health. I always fear of chemical contamination. For example, I am afraid to touch the door with wet hand as its painting has a toxic chemical which is dangerous for the health. I am afraid of cleaning the house with chemicals, and I am scared to touch or change batteries as I feel touching them is dangerous.
When I give my car for maintenance, I am scared to touch the key and the steering as I think there might have been some chemicals on the hands of the car mechanic which he touched the key with without washing them, so the chemicals may transfer to my hand. I am also afraid of getting cancer or other dangerous deceases. Could you please give some Islamic advises to my problem? Thank you.
Answer
In this counseling answer:
• Seek mental health treatment with a mental health professional in your area who can treat disorders such as OCD.
• Keep a journal and write down the obsessive thoughts that come into your mind. The key here is to gain more control over your thoughts and feelings.
Salamu ‘Alaikum Brother,
Thank you for sending us your question. I ask Allah (swt) to help you overcome the obsessive thoughts that you have and grant you and your family peace of mind.
I am not an Islamic scholar, so I will not be answering with an “Islamic” solution. However, I will answer you as a mental health professional. It appears that you are suffering from obsessive-compulsive thoughts. Of course, I cannot give you a diagnosis from just reading your written description, but the symptoms that you described are so. I understand that such thoughts can be overwhelming and have taken over your life in such a negative manner. That is typical for someone who suffers from the symptoms you do.
Check out this counseling audio:
Brother, the first thing I would advise you to do is to seek mental health treatment with a mental health professional in your area who can treat disorders such as OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), and the like. Your case is something that you most likely need professional help for. A mental health professional can guide you and provide you with the right treatment to help you gradually overcome these thoughts. This first step is really important and vital for you to reach your goals and improve your overall situation. If such services are available, please do not hesitate to use them.
In the meantime, it is important for you to keep a journal and write down the obsessive thoughts that come into your mind. The key here is to gain more control over your thoughts and feelings by better understanding the way you think. Write down when exactly they happen, where, and how you felt. Then brainstorm how much you believe your thoughts and write them down next to your feelings. This link may be helpful for you to fill out as a journal entry.
After you have consistently written down your thoughts and feelings and then analyzed how much you believe in them, you should start exposing yourself to the negative feelings that you experience in order to prove yourself wrong. Certainly, this is the most difficult step but is important in order for you to overcome your anxieties/obsessive thoughts. You can also refer to this helpful resource.
I ask Allah (swt) to help you overcome the difficulties that you are facing.
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