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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?


@Escaped_Goat wrote:

Look at you winning the day! Prioritorising and all!


Aww, thanks! <blush> I'm on my last task on my To Do list for today - the washing up. I'm half way through and things are soaking in the sink. Plus I've thrown out my one item today. So that's an unusually successful day for me.

Thanks, I hope my neighbour is OK too. She's got kids so there would be all sorts of ramifications if she has Covid-19. They could all be isolated for months if they all get it one after the other...am keeping my fingers crossed for her.

I'm not sure why my germophobia has remained at normal levels...maybe because I don't know anyone with Covid. Yet!

I'm glad your levels are normal too. @Escaped_Goat

How has your To Do list gone today?

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@NatureLover congratulations on the successful day! 🥳

I finished my list but there wasn't anything big on it. I tried to nap but my daughter messaged me annoyed that the fancy high chair I bought was difficult to assemble and she has to take it apart again because the strap is on wrong and she's spent all day on it and doesn't have the energy to do more today.

So I've apologised a bunch of times because that's what I do but I'm kind of upset. I know she was probably just venting and I shouldn't take it personally but sometimes it feels like I can't do anything right by anyone.


Do you think you'll go into full germ warfare if your neighbor comes back positive? I think for me because I know I am doing absolutely everything already to keep myself safe and germ free and have been for years... that's why mine hasn't escalated. Do you have the reject shop there or is it an SA store? I get this stuff from there and nobody else here seems to know it exists because they have plenty 😂

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@Escaped_Goat wrote:

@NatureLover congratulations on the successful day! 🥳


Thanks! Same to you.

I'm sorry to hear about your upset about your daughter. You weren't to know it was going to be difficult to assemble. If it helps, you've done a whole lot of right things by me each day since I met you on here. @Escaped_Goat


@Escaped_Goat wrote:

Do you think you'll go into full germ warfare if your neighbor comes back positive?


Haha, no, I'll be doing her shopping for her! As she would for me, if I got sick. But I would take precautions, obviously. And if we're both sick together, we're stuffed, lol.

Yes, we have the Reject Shop in Vic... What is that Lysol stuff? Is it a liquid disinfectant?

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@NatureLover Thanks for saying that. 😊

Yes Lysol is a disinfectant with hydrogen peroxide. I like that it's a pump top.. I keep it next to the sink so I can just push a cloth down on it and wipe what I need to.

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

You're welcome, @Escaped_Goat . 🙂

A pump top sounds good... I will have to remember that. Thanks for the tip!

I only just finished the washing up as the last sink was hard-to-scrub stuff. Am tired now. But that good sort of tired, you know what I mean.

I hope you can have a nice evening...well, an OK evening maybe?...after your upset today.

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@NatureLover I'm good tired too. Got my list written for tomorrow. Planning an early night with a book.

I'm not hungry after the pizza lunch and chocolate chip cookies for afternoon tea.
I didn't have breakfast but I have had 4 coffees in total today. Not as many as I thought I'd have.

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

So 4 cups x 5 shots each is 20 shots today...WOW. 😮

I hope we both have a better night tonight. With lots of serotonin. I'm determined to go to bed properly, at a reasonable hour. Am eating Shredded Wheat for dinner right now and then will go and lie down and rest, which I haven't yet done today.

Enjoy your book @Escaped_Goat ...

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@NatureLover I hope you managed to go to bed properly last night and get a good nights sleep.

As tired as I was I read until nearly 11pm and then woke at 1:30 and 4:46 and then 6:32. So we are up.. washed.. dressed and first coffee on the go.

I had cereal for dinner last night too. I like shredded wheat... a lot!... but I haven't bought any for ages... I had some muesli and yoghurt.

It's 5° and heading for 15° and partly cloudy but the birds all sound happy out there. I guess I'm okay... neutral. Neutral is good.. no particular strong emotion.

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Good morning @Escaped_Goat ! Sounds like we had a similar night, waking up too frequently. But at least I was in bed properly with the lights out this time: day 1 of my new habit-forming.

Muesli and yoghurt is more nutritious than Shredded Wheat, at least.

We've got 3C this morning, but guess what - sun or part sun in all of the 7-day forecast! Which means I think that you will have similar?

Yes neutral is OK, I agree. See how the day pans out, type of thing. I hope it pans out well for you. I haven't done my list yet, still having breakfast.

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@NatureLover I actually had breakfast this morning... not something I do very often.

I might go for a long walk in a few minutes... it's not particularly warm out but I'm craving the exercise this morning for some reason.

I only have a few small tasks on my list today so plenty of time to get them done.

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