Washing before Sleep?

[sleepless_in_nyc]

This is my first post to the forum... I had OCD as a teenager and child. It used to be very bad, and involved having to take a shower beeforee beed, and then making sure I was 100% clean and germ free before I entered bed. Every time my hand or leg would brush against something or I even thought it would, I'd havee to wash all over again. It was terrible if someething got on my foot from the floor... anyhow, through a variety of antidepressants and time, it somehow went away.

 

I'm 30 years old now, and went through a period of high stress and very little sleep over the past few months. I had a bit of a mental breakdown and went to my doctor for some ambien CR and a prescription for zoloft after noticing that my OCD symptoms seem to be returning. This is scaring me to death... I was a normal, functioning adult for so long and am now a mess again. It's taking me so long to get ready for sleep because of these stupid rituals. I'm afraid if I don't wash, I will lay awake in bed and the ball of anxiety will keep me awake all night. My life has become centered around trying to get enouogh time to sleep because it's starteed taking forever.

 

I just upped my dosage of zoloft from 25 mg. on 1/31 to 50 mg. last Thurs. and don't feel much better yet. I'm starting to see a new therapist but obviously these things take time. I've started to shun my friends and b/f.

 

Does anyone have any idea how to deal with this? I'm going insane here...