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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?

Thanks @NatureLover 😊 how did your shopping go?

I made it to the Indian store and Bunnings but I left my Bunnings list at home.. didn't transfer it to my phone so didn't get everything but got enough to make a start.

I have actually been good with the numbers lately... very low. I'm still in my walking clothes which is why the hesitation regarding going somewhere besides hardware store. I don't mind looking a bit scruffy there but I was hesitant to look this scruffy elsewhere but I did it anyway. It's just the last day for these clothes and I didn't want to put clean clothes on until I showered and I didn't want to shower before I went out because then I probably wouldn't have gone out. It's just how my mind works. But now I feel happy that I got the hair oil for $4.95 instead of an arm, a leg, my first born and all the future earnings of my grandchildren which is what it costs at the hairdressers. Hopefully that helps stop it falling out. Now it's lunchtime so I'm going to eat again. 😂

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@Escaped_Goat well done for going out to the Indian store and Bunnings. Thanks for explaining why you were reluctant...I understand about the clean clothes. Have you really found a hair oil that stops hair falling out? I need some of that.

My shopping went well thanks, I didn't have much to get and I didn't have to go far. Then I went and lay out in the sun for an hour and a half...it was bliss. I want to get back out there...stuff the housework! 😄

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@NatureLover I had asked at the hairdresser and they tried to sell me some but I'm not rich so I said I'd think about it. Then I researched on Pinterest and found a lot of articles that referred to Ayurveda and India so I figured I'd go see what the Indian store had and they had quite a selection. I got one that said for premature hair fall and said Ayurvedic medicine. Bonus it smells lovely. The idea is to massage it into the scalp on dry and leave for two hours.. or overnight.. then shampoo hair as usual. Do several times a week and supposed to strengthen hair follicles and promote growth and stop it falling out. There's nothing in it that's going to harm my head so I'm going to try it and hopefully it will help. I had nice hair before surgery now my vacuum has most of it. 😂

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Oh gosh, your surgery caused hair loss? I've never heard of that before.

Thanks for describing the hair oil. Will you let me know how it works? @Escaped_Goat

I've just accepted an invitation from a friend to meet up for takeaway coffee and a walk next week. I was shocked at her invitation as I'm not ready to socialise face-to-face yet due to fear of germs and the fact I'm a high risk person if I get Covid-19. But she was hating lockdown, so I can understand she wants to get out and about and socialise again. I gave myself a talking-to...I figured I'm chatting with my nice neighbour most days, so I can manage to meet my friend. I hope I will be ready by then. I didn't tell her I was very anxious about meeting and leaving the house.

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@NatureLover I will definitely let you know if my hair stops falling out. If you want to try it yourself and you have an Indian shop nearby this is the one I got.

A takeaway coffee and a walk is a good first step socialising... it's not like sitting face to face in a germ zone. It will be good! 😃

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

Thanks for the image of the hair oil @Escaped_Goat - I'm a visual person.

Thanks for your encouragement. You're right, and it will be lovely to see my friend. She needs a bit of support at the moment, which is what decided me. And she does know about my germophobia and agoraphobia, just not how bad it's got lately. I hope I'll be ready (psyched up for the possible germs) in time.

Have you started your project(s)?

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@NatureLover didn't start anything today. Lost track of time for some reason.

I went over to talk to my son a few minutes ago and ended up crying. I can't seem to talk to anyone without crying.. it's much better in my pretend space in my brain. I'm guessing I should book an appointment with my therapist but I kind of don't want my pretend space to be taken away... if you can understand that?

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?


@Escaped_Goat wrote:

I went over to talk to my son a few minutes ago and ended up crying. I can't seem to talk to anyone without crying.. it's much better in my pretend space in my brain. I'm guessing I should book an appointment with my therapist but I kind of don't want my pretend space to be taken away... if you can understand that?


Yes, I understand.

If you booked now, how long would it take for the appointment to come around? If it's weeks, then you'd have time to come around to the idea slowly...

I didn't end up doing much useful either today, just a little tidying. I just had some vegetable gyoza that I found in the freezer, with sweet chilli sauce.

I hope you are OK, @Escaped_Goat ...

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

@NatureLover Probably ages. It's usually a long wait... 6 weeks or more. We are limited up here as we have visiting specialists including mental health. We have to share. I tried to get in over at community health once but they had a minimum 3 month wait to see any of their clinicians... unless you had a drug or alcohol problem.

I had vegan prawns for lunch. They were marked down at Coles because nobody looks in the meat section for vegan prawns so they never get sold... I decided to try them. They were okay.. the batter didn't stay on though and I'm pretty sure they didn't taste like prawns but as far as a quick bite of vegan protein they were okay and totally worth $2 but I wouldn't have paid whatever exorbitant amount they usually sell for. 😂 My son told me they were marked down because he was doing the markdowns yesterday. He's good like that.

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

Re: Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?


@Escaped_Goat wrote:

Probably ages. It's usually a long wait... 6 weeks or more.


How would you feel about booking an appointment for 6 weeks' time? That would give you plenty of time to stay in the safe place in your head...?

That's handy having a son who tells you the specials! I've never had vegan prawns or any of the mock meats, apart from one brand and type of vegetarian /vegan sausages occasionally.

Edited as I forgot to tag you again @Escaped_Goat !

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