Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Thank you, cloudcore!

I count myself lucky in that my germophobia has not got significantly worse in the last 2 years. I am more careful now in not going to large gatherings like Christmas parties etc...but it's become more acceptable to say that you're not going cos of the Covid risk in large gatherings due to underlying health conditions. It's also become more acceptable to wear a mask, so I will still be wearing a mask after mask restrictions drop here in Melbourne, to the chemist and the doctor and the hospital.

So my germophobia goes up and down due to triggers, but it did that before Covid too...it's largely remained moderate, not severe, just with some spikes occasionally.

Hi @HenryX , thanks for your post...

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@HenryX wrote:

Unfortunately, it seems to be difficult to make productive gains while in the tunnel, but there is, at least, hope and some progress.

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I'm glad there seems to be some hope and progress forward for you. 🙂

Hello dear @NatureLover

So happy you have internet and you had your friend over, well done. I'm so proud of you!!!!

I hope your work day today is kind to you.

I am meeting my ex boss during my lunch break for a cuppa. I'm looking forward to seeing him. He's still not working.

I best run and get organised for work and the day. Sending you love NL 🌄☕🌼🌲🌳☀️

Thanks, dear @Anastasia ! My friend's visit went really well! That was less due to the unfinished state of the housework and more due to my friend's beautiful nature. She is quite a recent friend, I've just got to know her in the last year, and she's never been over before. But I was very relaxed with her here, and would definitely have her over again. 🙂

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@Anastasia wrote:

I am meeting my ex boss during my lunch break for a cuppa. I'm looking forward to seeing him. He's still not working.

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Oh no - is he not working due to not being able to find a job? But I hope you have a lovely time 🙂

Thanks for your message I hope today goes well and isn't too draining.

💚☕🎉

Hi @Pippyl , so sorry to hear about your intense suffering with the germophobia 😞

I also fear germs carried through heating and aircon. And I guess wind too, as I couldn't live near a hospital 😞

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@Pippyl wrote:

I have been unable to unpack boxes all yr because I have to clean every item it's overwhelming it's like I've become a hoarder.

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I can so relate to this! 😞 It's one reason why things pile up in my home.

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@Pippyl wrote:

I'm so desperate to be cured I can't function I'm in bed all day because the compulsions are too much.

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I don't want to be like this I resist help because of fear of germs but I really need help it's so isolating. despite all the trauma I've been through I feel this is the most difficult thing to overcome I don't know how to win. I've researched I've accepted it I've worked on trauma just gets worse.

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I'm just so sorry to hear 😞

What does your regular psych say?

Sending virtual hugs...

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@Rosemary4 wrote:

As for being a gemaphobe during the Pandemic. I'm just sooooo glad I live alone.or I'd be stressing over any shared utensils, taps, door handles and shared spaces...After I have a visitor I get the Glen20 out and metho and wipe where they've been. ... I just refuse to Be in big crowds anymore. Especially now. Also, I shop early in the morning before all the other shoppers contaminate a freshly cleaned environment.

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Me too, with all of this! @Rosemary4 (Except touching door handles with my sleeve...I touch them with my hands and then use sanitiser.) I don't think you're weird. I absolutely have to live alone, I couldn't cope with someone else touching things. My home is my safe space.

Kindred spirits there @NatureLover 🤗

Hello @Rosemary4 and other members visiting this thread

Thank you for your reply and discussion. Regarding the internal barrier, as in head/psyche, it seems to me that my hoarding behaviour is more of a present manifestation, reaction, or set of reactions or involuntary responses {as distinct from appropriate responses} to issues imprinted on my mind, in and from the past. It is my set of actions in the present that seem to be guided or exhibited as a result of continued mall-adaptive reactions, in the present, as if those past events are still 'in play' in this present.

My reactions, exhibited in the present, are likely to be associated with a sense of loss or deprivation, built up over a significant period of time in the past. Up till recently, I had thought of certain events and periods in my life to have been relatively "normal". But, it appears, that even what we may consider to be, or to have been normal, in our own minds, may subsequently, result in significantly adverse effects in our lives, through behaviours that are no longer appropriate for our present situation(s). This, I understand, is the continued mall-adaptive behaviour that may, in the past, have been useful to us in some way. Because we continue to apply such behaviours in our present, often in very different situations, we may be reacting inappropriately in and to those present situations. Such reactions may be those to which we have been conditioned, or have conditioned ourselves to react in the past.

To deal with the hoarding problem, I believe that I have to deal with those long standing issues from the past and differentiate them from issues and situations in the present. By establishing a new mindset, I hope to develop new, more beneficial behaviour patterns that will replace the hoarding behaviour. Until I am able to do this, I am not likely to change the behaviour that leads to accumulation of "stuff". I believe that will be the situation, even if I make some possibly superficial attempts to fix the problem by throwing out some "stuff". I believe that I have to deal with the problem, before I can deal with the symptoms.

Like you, I do have some issues "over any shared utensils, taps, door handles" etc,. particularly in public access areas. However, this was the case even before covid. I think that I am really just very careful. For example, I will use something that I know is likely to be clean, such as a sheet of paper towel, to open a door, after which the paper is disposed of. To me, this is just normal behaviour in environments where others may not practice the same or similar hygiene habits to my own. I don't think that my habits with regard to hygiene have changed significantly because of covid. If anything I have been pleased that emphasis on improved public hygiene has been implemented. When these requirements diminish, I will continue to practice my own defensive hygiene habits.

I don't think that you are so weird @Rosemary4

With Best Wishes

@HenryX

Hi @Rosemary4 I so relate to you. I will also wipe down after guests and I avoid any professional help in my home which is what I actually need but I don't want anyone spreading germs on surfaces. Everything in my home has a different amount of germs so I don't want to spread more it makes no sense I know but it's comforting to know I'm not the only one, no one gets it, it's so isolating. @NatureLover my psych is very good has helped me with many issues but I feel she can't help with this. I feel she doesn't get it even though she does. She tries and I find every excuse to resist help I saw her for the 1st time in months as I've been having phone appts due to my fear of spreading germs in public. It's jus getting worse and worse. My home is upside down and I don't know where to begin even if I wanted to which of course there no motivation.

Hello dear @NatureLover

I'm so happy to hear that your friends visit was so wonderful and that you'd do it again ❤️

No ex boss hasn't found a job yet. Apparently he applies every day but hasn't been successful. He's in top end so I guess few jobs and many candidates?

He told me that he's engaged!!!

The wedding is planned for May on an island just family and low key. I'm so happy for him. I applied for two jobs yesterday both are open to applications to end December do don't expect to hear before but I'm not enjoying work so need to be proactive. My ex boss offered to review my resume for me so I've sent it to him. This wasn't in the plan but I'm unhappy and I have to give 4 weeks notice so the balls rolling now...

What plans do you have for the weekend? Have you been having some sun?

We are meant to have sun here. It's been raining for days on end so really hoping the weather people are right.

Enjoy your day off today. Keep smiling dear friend 🙏☕🌳☀️💛💚