I suffer from OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and find it hard to know when simply being very strict about my veganism spills over into obsessive behaviour. For instance, I won't kiss my boyfriend if he's been eating meat (until he brushes his teeth, or something along those lines to "decontaminate", as it were) and to me, that's quite normal. I also won't hold his hands (until he's washed them) if he's handled anything that contains meat (e.g. a sandwich), which, again, might sound a bit extreme, but is kind of understandable perhaps...
But then it goes much, much further. For example, I am so fearful of contamination from animal products that I find it difficult to touch anything (door-handles, taps etc.) in a kitchen, or sometimes even a whole house, where people cook and eat meat. Eating at the same time, or in the same environment, as meat-eaters is a minefield as I'm scared to touch things (menus, plates, salt & pepper mills, etc.) they might have touched after having come into contact with animal fat (it's the grease that gets to me as it's so easily transfered from one surface to another). If I do, I have to wash. And wash.
It gets ridiculous sometimes, and I know that no-one can possibly be expected to live their life this way and that my veganism has been hijacked by my OCD, but I just don't know what's "normal". I don't really know many vegans - none I could observe to see how they deal with the animal contamination thing. The list of things I avoid touching, and that send me washing if I do come into contact with them (or anything else that might have had contact with them), is endless - I'm sure you can imagine how the "chain of contact" (and the resultant urge to wash) grows as you get more and more obsessive.
I know it may sound crazy, but there is a logic, albeit extreme, to the whole thing. I'm sure I can't be the only one here to experience this. I could really do with some help if it's out there because, whilst it's one thing to make yourself miserable in this way, it becomes altogether more destructive when (inevitably) you start placing unreasonable demands on those around you.
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