Wash , but not every few minutes, to keep them clean.
Obsessive hand washing is a condition most often associated with obsessive compulsive disorder, also known as OCD. A person suffering from OCD experiences constant worry or fear, and as a result exercises certain compulsions. When it comes to obsessive hand washing, the person performing this activity compulsively has an overwhelming fear of germs or bacteria; thus, she washes her hands compulsively to get rid of them. Obsessive hand washing results in clean hands, but it has negative effects as well.
Purpose of Hand Washing
Washing hands often is important, especially after leaving the bathroom or before eating a meal. Health experts recommend washing hands, usually with a series of techniques which ensure that each part of the hands gets clean, including the palms, between fingers, around thumbs, behind nails and the backs of hands. Every time you wash your hands thoroughly with soap, you help cleanse them of bacteria and germs, therefore helping to prevent possible disease or infection. It is especially important to wash your hands while out in the public, such as after using a shared computer keyboard or telephone, handling money or holding a bus pole.
Damage to Hands
Obsessive may result in damage to the skin of the hands, most often in the form of dried-out skin. When you wash your hands often, you remove the natural moisture of the skin, especially if you use alcohol-based soap. Sometimes, hands are scrubbed with pressure in hopes of getting rid of bacteria. This may additionally damage the skin of the hands, resulting in blisters, bumps, redness and peeling skin.
Mental State
When you obsessively wash your hands due to a fear of contamination, the action has an effect on your mental state. You become obsessed with the act, disregarding everything else. You worry that your hands aren't clean enough, and you give up activities in fear of getting your hands dirty or because you have to constantly find a sink. This action can be a symptom of OCD. OCD interferes with daily life, according to Help Guide, and as a result, you feel isolated.
Interruption
Without a doubt, obsessive hand washing affects your day-to-day activities and thoughts. First, you are unable to perform certain activities which require touching foreign objects, fearing that these objects are covered with germs and bacteria. Second, you race to the bathroom obsessively to wash your hands, causing numerous interruptions during your typical daily activities. Third, this obsession causes you to lose concentration when it becomes superior to other thoughts. Your main worry becomes the need to wash your hands, here, now and immediately; nothing else matters.
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