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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!

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Hi @NatureLover sorry I just call any grassy clumps of natives tufties - I like them as they add texture and are good for breeding butterflies but I'm noticing a trend of people shearing them off. Yes most of the garden has already gone.

No no new diagnoses, I just felt overwrought. Today was better. I vacuumed and cleaned a bit, bought some favourite plants for my own patch to compensate for some lost in the common area, and indulged in fresh pasta and sauce that were on special.

Interesting and sad you have that dream. I have that sort of feeling when I'm awake. It can build up quite strongly. I have some additional layers of difficulty... and trauma I guess... with the stuff offsite. I think it's a bit too much for my new helper.

It's nice to have milder weather. My goal for tomorrow is to continue on from today's successes and start moving forward again.

Thanks for bearing with me.

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

No "bearing" with" about it, @Dimity - our correspondence is a pleasure. 🙂

Well done for your successes yesterday 👍


@Dimity wrote:

Yes most of the garden has already gone.


That is just so sad!


@Dimity wrote:

I think it's a bit too much for my new helper.


What's too much for her - your traumas? The offsite stuff? Oh dear 😞

Yes, I got that impression you felt like my dream, when awake. It's an awful feeling.

I've already broken my new glasses! I dropped them, but caught them - however they were bent, and one lens fell out.

I managed to wake up nice and early today so am planning to start tidying early...the aim is 4 hours today.

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

What a nuisance re your glasses @NatureLover .

4 hours is fantastic if you managed it.

I'm sneaking up on decluttering- haven't got there yet. Did domestic stuff today, starting a batch of marmalade.

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Hi @Dimity , good news re my broken glasses: I took them in yesterday when I went to pick up my new home glasses, and they fixed the broken ones on the spot, for free!

I only managed just over an hour yesterday. Well - I was busy all day, tidying... But not on the things that counted - the floor. It has stymied me.

Oh yum - marmalade is my favourite 🙂 I happily eat it out of the jar, instead of chocolate. What flavour are you making?

I like the image of sneaking up on the decluttering...hopoe you can get there when you're ready.

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Grapefruit marmalade @NatureLover from my tree. I finished making it today.

Glad you had some wins yesterday with your glasses and over an hour's tidying.

I'm trying to push through but it's an effort. I seem to have been busy but haven't done everything I'd hoped. I did discard a couple of things, but 2 doesn't really count as decluttering.

I got a nice surprise today when the pharmacy gave me a big bag of gifts and samples.

Friday tomorrow. Hope it's a good day.

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Grapefruit marmalade is my absolute favourite! 🙂 And your own grapefruit tree - how lovely!

Happy to hear about your bag of gifts 🙂

You are being busy - well done 👍

I'm having a day of technological problems. This morning a pop-up was on my computer screen and I couldn't figure out how to remove it. It was a slider for screen brightness. I spent about an hour trying to figure it out first thing this morning, before giving up. Luckily just then it seems to have disappeared. Then I cleaned up several bits of spilt marmalade (English Breakfast) on my computer keyboard, and now quite a few keys are sticking down, especially the space bar! So I spent a while researching keyboards online, but when I went to buy one my PayPal account had been suspended due to me questioning a payment. So I spent ages trying to sort that out - I think I have. Plus my mobile phone's playing up,so I researched a new one, but haven't bought one yet, as new phones always throw me.

(Gosh-thattookagestotypeand correct!) <-- keyboardproblems!

Hoping today goes well for you...

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Oh dear @NatureLover tech problems are so frustrating. Glad a couple are resolved. Do you have a local computer repair place? They might be able to un-gunk your keyboard.

I've not done much yet. My nephew and a neighbour got in touch about different problems and I've done some cleaning. Garden next.

Cheers.

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Thanks for you reply...the local computer repair place charges $90 to see you, sadly...cheaper to buy a n ew one.

My keyboard is driving me batty! The space bar either doesn'tleave aspace or gets stuck down and leaves 20 spaces. Hence short message.

Sounds like you are supporting afew people...must be quitedraining.

Glad you could get into your garden, yay 🙂 Good luck today 🤞

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@NatureLoverhope you don't have to wait too long on the new keyboard. Maybe you could try accessing forums on a smartphone in the meantime?

I was pleased with my gardening yesterday, I raked leaves and planted out some new purchases. I also made progress with paperwork, finally getting my new photo id and making a healthcare claim after hitches with both. But I succumbed to the grumps today. Stayed in bed late then pitied myself for feeling tired and unwell. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. It would be nice to report on some actual decluttering.

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@Dimity I think the new keyboard is coming Monday or Tuesday. Phone access is agood idea. Guess what I'm eating right now...toast with grapefruit and lemon marmalade! I also bought some ruby grapefruit marmalade, but the lemon one is even nicer 🙂 I'm actually not meant to have grapefruit, something to do with one of my diabetes meds, but I've never quite understood it...plus the amount of grapefruit isfairly small when spread on toast...that's if I can stop myself eating it from the jar! 😄

So glad you have your garden. I don't think I could live without a garden...imagine just having concrete 😞

Well done with achieving the paperwork successes despite feeling yuck👍

I hope when you wake up today you don't feel tired or unwell...it's due to be sunny, so hopefully that will help and you won't feel grumpy... 💚

Oh - nearly forgot to tell you - I did 10 minutes' short of 4 hours on the house yesterday, and totally cleared the kitchen bench. Am really pleased, even though I still haven't done the kitchen floor...that's the aim for today, well, not to finish it but to make progress hopefully.🤞

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