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Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

NatureLoverSenior Contributor12 Apr 2020, 12:00 pm AEST

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!

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

NatureLoverSenior Contributor23 June 2023, 7:48 am AEST

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Thanks for your reply @Dimity ❤️

I hope you won't feel you need to support me or others while you feel so low. I am doing OK at the moment thankfully. I mostly do OK these days thankfully, even with the SAD, and trying to juggle my 6 MIs. The constant SAD hasn't seemed to hit yet this year. It usually lasts constantly from August to October, no matter whether sunny days or not. However it can last 9 months of the year sometimes.

I didn't tell you, but I danced for ages on Saturday night - in 6cm heels! 😮 I haven't danced for 20 years! My joints were sore the next morning, but it was worth it 🙂

@Dimity wrote:
I'll weather this, I think, the way I cope with being caught in a rainstorm (as a non-driver) - put my head down and keep walking, then draw breath and recover once I'm under cover.

I really admire this about you - that you just keep walking. It's a highly admirable character trait. (One that I don't have.) You have it in the way you just keep decluttering, a little at a time, and in what you said above also. It might be related to resilience? I'm not sure.

The new coconut milk soap I'm trying seems even better than the last one, so far. Plus it doesn't seem to be dissolving all over the basin.

I am sending wishes for hope for you, and encouragement, and also motivation to do your difficult tasks, and also endurance and strength, especially when helping your sister. Also that your difficult tasks (especially the business/admin tasks) will not be as bad as you expect. Also that you can start to picture your future soon, and that it's a good future. Also for some sun in your days (metaphorical or literal).

Sending hugs and 💚