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Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Hi, I have just joined. I have a few mental illnesses, but am especially interested in hearing if there are any diagnosed germophobes or people with hoarding disorder on these forums?

I don't know any germophobes in real life, and would be interested to know how any of you pre-Corona germophobes are doing. Can you find enough sanitiser? If not, what are you using instead? Has your germophobia gone sky-high in this pandemic? Do you find it less or more lonely now that nearly everyone is a self-confessed germophobe?

My germophobia is quite bad - I can't have anyone in my house, and need lots of sanitiser when I go out. E.g. I use it after leaving my house and before I get in the car; again before I touch the steering wheel, again after touching my purse, again before putting my seat belt on, etc. I am struggling to find enough sanitiser. If I run out, I was thinking about diluting some disinfectant and putting it into an old water bottle to take out with me. I had one really bad panic lasting 3 days that was debilitating, due to COVID-19, but after that thankfully my germophobia came back down to normal levels. I guess normal levels are not that great but at least I am used to them!

I am strangely finding it more lonely as a diagnosed germophobe now, and would really like to meet some other germophobes online and hear how you're going. At least I had a friend tell me that I was in a stronger position than him, during this health crisis, as he had trouble remembering to wash his hands, whereas I wash them a hundred times a day already!

6458 replies

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In response to: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Dropping in some 💞❣️❤️💞 to you all

@NatureLover @Maggie @outlander @Emelia8 @Lilly6

Thinking of you all x

In response to: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

💜 @NatureLover @Former-Member @Maggie

In response to: Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Hi @Former-Member and thank you. Are you ok tonight?

In response to: Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Not so great but trying to stay distracted @Former-Member I have been around the fourm much and am missing you all. How are doing my friend?

In response to: Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@Former-Member, oh no, "not good" ... what's going on? I'm pretty good considering. Lots of self care in the shape of laziness lol & sipping tea continually.
💙💚💛🧡💓💜

In response to: Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@Former-Member , laziness and sipping tea sounds fantastic to me. I have a lot of hard, annoying anniversaries this month. Today is one then Sunday the hardest I guess when my world was ripped apart and tipped upside down. It hard for me because the one person that I thought couldn't hurt me did and that's a wound like no other. I hope you are fast asleep by now my friend.

In response to: Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@Former-Member thank you so much for visiting...it's great to see you. I'm sorry to hear this month has some bad anniversaries, including this Sunday which sounds like the worst one of all... 😞 I am wishing you all you need to get through it 💜 and the whole month.

In response to: Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@Maggie @Anastasia and @outlander thank you heaps for visiting and dropping off

Sending back 🧡 to each of you...I hope you are managing OK.

In response to: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@Former-Member I feel you! I found it easier to stop 'gathering' than to get rid of things I'd had for ages, as the new things didn't hold any memories or associations. The easiest way to get rid of the new things you gathered the other day would be to put them straight out by the kerb, for other random people to collect, but you might want money for the sewing machine, I guess, if you can even bring yourself to pass it on.

As for stopping gathering, I am trying to remember how I stopped. I remember my psychologist did some work on it with me, showing me that the stuff I brought home just created problems for me. For instance, I used to collect brochures...like, if I was in the chemist and I saw a brochure on an illness, I'd take it home "just in case". But then I would stack it on top of the ever-growing pile inside, to ritually clean before reading or storing it...and it would sit there for ages, with me unable to deal with it.

I guess the fact that I have germophobia helped me to stop gathering, as I'd have to clean everything I brought in (still do), so I realised I couldn't handle the volume of stuff to clean. However, I wouldn't wish germophobia on you or anyone... So I guess the 'problem' method still works - these things you bring home are a problem to you, as you have no space for them, or they need work. Even the fact that the sewing machine was to honour your mum...it still creates a problem for you, and would your mum want that? Would you want to be annoyed at that sewing machine every time you trip over it / have to shuffle round it in the middle of your lounge-room?

Wish I could help more.

In response to: Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@Former-Member I've thought of something else you could do, if you want...you could take a photo of the treddle sewing machine, then store the photo on your computer, to honour your mum still. Then maybe sell on the sewing machine?

Sorry if this is too much.

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