(or: OCD & germaphobia - now mainstream & hip, or imprudent as well as psychiatric?)
I'll admit it, I'm a bit of a germaphobe. But who isn't these days?
I don't like to shake hands with people a lot, especially during flu season. I may wash my hands more than most people. Of course a lot of my hand washing is usually due to stickiness, from eating candy. Though I have been known, during the winter time, to rush to a public restroom after feeling oblidged to shake hands with someone after I've heard someone in the vicinity sneezing.
I've even done extensive reading on the topic of contagious diseases. It's one of my interests, despite the fact I would never choose a career in the medical profession... Probably because I have a phobia about some types of medical facilities and a, probably healthy, fear of sickness.
But I have the luxury of being able to compare myself to friends and family who have some of the same phobias as myself, or even more phobias than myself. Two my friends who seem more germaphobic than me. Of course they actually both work in the field of health care, which may have something to do with it.
But since I spend time with people who are washing their hands & using antibacterial hand soap & waterless antibacterial hand lotion, quite frequently compared to myself, I can easily consider myself as normal, and simply concerned about real threats. (And I don't mean Ebola or Malaria; I mean viruses known to be a threat in my part of the world, such as influenza or West Nile Virus. Though I never use deet bug repellent yet rarely attract mosquitos even in the woods & countryside.)
I don't think I'm irrational or compulsive about any of that sort of thing. But I can so very easily understand how one can become that way.
Sherry applies raspberry scented antibacterial lotion before eating popcorn at the cinema.
But now it seems as if being germaphobic, even to the point of OCD-like symptoms, or being diagnosed with OCD, is almost in style and hip. And I don't think it's because of the tv series Monk, I think the existence and popularity of the show reflects the widespread openness about these things. As perhaps does the recent popularity of the film The Aviator.
People like Howard Hughs, or the fictional character of Adrian Monk, are, of course, extreme examples. But the behaviours and feelings do seem more popular, more widespread, or at least more & more out in the open.
And this is demonstrated by the popularity of all the "antibacterial" products on the market today. From antibacterial hand soap, antibacterial waterless hand washing lotion, antibacterial everything, and a plethora of disinfectant products.
There's more than just the basic Lysol products of my childhood.
I was getting ready to watch a movie, and before I got the dvd player on, the commercial I saw seemed the very epitome of this target marketing.
Chloe's non antibacterial dish detergent. It has a nice scent, hands are soft, and dishes are clean. The dishes are washed well, it doesn't seem necessary to involve antibacterial agents.
It was a commercial for the new Dawn with Bleach Alternative, which is being touted as a breakthrough formula for removing what they called "Unseen Food Residue", whatever that might be.
Actually, they explain on their web page that though dishes might "appear to be clean", "often there is food residue that is still left on the item".
Well, damn, and all this time I should've been examining my dishes under a microscope!
I'm thinking of the people who run out to buy 'Dawn with Bleach Alternative'. Who's going to be the one to inform these people that they sleep with bugs in their beds?
Probably the brilliant marketing strategist who gets someone to invent some type of more broadly affordable hermetically sealed Bedroom Bubble to sell consumers for their homes which can somehow keep out the bed bugs and everything else.
I think of this because the movie I watched right after seeing that commercial was the film, Fear Dot Com, (which I thought was quite awful); But in this movie, the public health worker informs the cop about dust mites, and he's not too happy about receiving the education.
Now of course some people are actually allergic to dust mites, and that's a real problem. But I think even those people merely have to cut down on the amount they're exposed to. Most people don't have to irradicate them completely & live in a bubble.
And of course today's modern hygeine and disinfection methods provide an environment where people live in much less danger of contagious diseases.
But let's face it, a lot of the fear is not rational. And the more fear people have, and especially the more irrational the fear, the easier it is to prey upon people to part with their money for increasingly elaborate products which are not necessarily imperative to a healthy life.
Indeed, many of the people who carry around antibacterial lotion, or use antibacterial soap, are getting sick just as often as anyone else, if not moreso. Probably because antibacterial agents apparently kill off "good bacteria" as well, which can apparently leave one even more vulnerable to the bad stuff.
I think this is along the same lines as the push for the more prudent use of antibiotics, which my most recent family doctor, (Scott Prince DO of Wilkes-Barre), supports, judging by the posters on the wall in his waiting room, and his reluctance to prescribe antibiotics willy-nilly.
WebMD with AOL Health - Cleanliness Rules Germaphobes' Lives
"In the Monk TV series, gentle detective Adrian Monk works the grimy streets of San Francisco but is so driven by a fear of germs that he must scrub his hands after shaking hands with someone. Monk has been called the "poster boy" for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
...
It's true that hand washing is the single most important thing you can do to prevent catching an infectious disease, including colds, flu, hepatitis A, meningitis, and infectious diarrhea, according to the CDC. But that's not license to scrub hands raw."
APUA: antibacterials
"Using antibacterial agents to destroy many organisms before they enter the body may not always be the best way to stop the spread of infectious disease. This is because we need "good" bacteria to control and compete with "bad" bacteria.
...
In certain settings, antibacterial agents are essential to fight against infection. However, if used too frequently and indiscriminately, certain antibacterial agents�those that leave trace chemical residues and that target particular processes in the life cycle of bacteria�may, like antibiotics, select for resistant strains.
Generally, the best way to remove "bad" bacteria is through good hand-washing practice using a non-bactericidal soap and water. Proper hand-washing will remove 99.9% of bacteria, and normally, few other control measures are needed."
The MUHC on the cutting-edge of research
A relatively new theory called the hygiene hypothesis has gathered steam around the world. This "curve-ball" idea, still in its infancy, works on the basis of �whatever doesn't kill us, will make us stronger.'
...
There is clear scientific evidence to support the hypothesis.
...
The problem, particularly in the developed world, is that our current environment is almost too clean - we've become 'germaphobes'.
...
Many scientists believe that our fastidious hygiene is at the heart of observed increases in autoimmune and inflammatory conditions such as allergic reactions, eczema and asthma; and make no mistake these diseases are raging out of control - one third of North Americans suffer from asthma; as many as 40 percent have some form of allergy.
A definite germaphobe!!!!! Such a timely piece chloe. Last night I was at a meeting and the man next to me was sneezing, hacking and performing almost every other form of mucus building activity. I was horrified!!!! Leaning as far away as I could in my chair. I don't do well with snot nosed kids either... YICK! Wouldn't you know it I got stuck shaking this guys hand after the meeting and immediately went to the bathroom to wash my hands!!!! People should be more considerate!!!!!! Wear a mask or stay home!
Posted by Allison | Friday 01 April 2005 5:19PM
See, now I don't think that's necessarily real germaphobia. Like if you had to run to the bathroom and cleanse yourself raw up to the elbows with hospital strength antibacterial soap, now that's not reasonable. Or if you were bleaching down the surfaces of the room the meeting was in afterwards like a CDC level 4 technician. haha.
Posted by Chloe | Friday 01 April 2005 5:31PM
I like that phrase - a healthy fear of sickness. Oxymoron?
These days you cannot be too careful. How about when you go into a public restroom. You use the toilet, wash your hands as long as it takes to (silently, I hope) sing Yankee Doodle Dandy, and then shut off the faucet - oh oh! you just washed your hands and touched the faucet that everyone including you, had touched with your germy hands. Then you grab for a towel, or use the blow dryer (towels are considered better), wipe your hands and grab for the door knob. I use my elbow to turn off the faucet, then use the towel, then open the door with the towel in my hand and then throw the towel in the trash. Most places put the trash bin next to the sink so its toss time. But what if there are no towels and you have to use the blower? You must use the hem of your clothing to open the door. If they find too many towels on the floor maybe they will learn to put the bin next to the door.
Also, all doors from restrooms should push outward, don't you think?
How about in a restaurant? You sit down to eat and the cup and flatware are on the table. How clean are the hands of the wait help and bus help? Do they really follow the rules and wash after they go? Do they do as above or recontaminate their hands and everything else they touch?
Its a cruel world with sloppy people in it so we have to be germaphobes, I guess, to stay well.
BUT--- we don't want to be like old Howard Hughes do we??
Love, MOM
Posted by Dolores | Friday 01 April 2005 6:19PM
I don't think "healthy fear of sickness" is an oxymoron. But yeah, I did use that because it had some sort of irony to it. "Also, all doors from restrooms should push outward, don't you think?"
I think that would make a lot of people happy. Or the type of door knob that's more of a lever. I know places with those... Easy to use your elbow to open the door.
But beyond that, no I wouldn't want to be like Howard Hughes. Because I tend to believe that regular exposure to average germs isn't a bad thing... "This "curve-ball" idea, still in its infancy, works on the basis of ‘whatever doesn't kill us, will make us stronger.'" - as stated above, "There is clear scientific evidence to support the hypothesis."
But I still won't shake hands with people after they've sneezed into them during flu season. (Or I will rush to the bathroom afterwards.) Because I do, without even realizing it most of the time, touch my face pretty regularly. And I don't want to have to go to the lengths my one friend does to get a piece of gum or candy into the mouth without touching the piece of gum with the fingers. I'm far too impatient when it comes to candy to have to worry about that.
Posted by Chloe | Friday 01 April 2005 6:41PM
I feel that people should really drink more water, eat healthier and take vitamins (like zinc) if they want to avoid the big, bad germs. I noticed a big difference after I raised my water intake and started taking a few vitamins. Like not getting bronchitis, strep throat or the flu. I used to get one of the above every winter (or change of season) before that and I truly believe that drinking more water and taking the vitamins was the difference.
Posted by Lee Ann | Friday 01 April 2005 8:40PM
Lee Ann: I absolutely agree. I didn't get sick at all when I was in Mexico a few years ago, despite the fact that I wasn't careful, I was overweight, a smoker, and bounding up pyramids in humidity & heat. I took precautions, and one was drinking a lot of water and no alcohol or caffeine. I started a month before my vacation by visiting a tanning salon 5 days a week but only going in for 5, then eventually 10-15 minutes. I didn't burn on vacation at all, despite using very little sun block & being out in the sun, closer to the equater, all day every day during the vacation. And I had doubled my water consumption forcibly for the month leading up to the vacation. And then I forced myself to drink more water than I even wanted to, constantly while on vacation. And no digestive problems, no "Montezuma's Revenge", no problems. And I was eating "bad foods" too. Like coconut ice cream with kiwi fruit topping twice a freakin' day there at the resort. haha.
As for vitamins... My 80 year old uncle has only had one or two colds in the past fifteen years! He never gets the flu. And even those colds were very mild he said. And he swears by Vitamin E... And I think he might take something else as well. But he never even goes to the doctor. And he's fit and very strong! Of course he's always active as well, and criticizes 'couch potato' behaviour.
That said, he's also pretty much a neatnick. I don't think he uses anything "antibacterial" or a lot of disinfectants though. But he does seem to enjoy chores, and keeps everything in his house very clean.
But he's also retired, and has no children relatives, so he's probably not exposed to viruses as much as most of us are.
Posted by Chloe | Saturday 02 April 2005 12:58AM
I guess most people today have not read H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" in which technologically advanced and sickness free Martians die as a result of the lowly bacteria on Earth! Being exposed to germs can build strength to help people fight future infections. And this is not just in fiction. Europeans did not just kill American Indians with guns; many died in droves from the diseases Europeans brought that they were very often able to fight off and survive. And what is a vaccination but a bit of disease injected into one?
Since I work in a lab, I can address the concerns of people who potential are exposed to truly dangerous things like hepatitis and AIDS. I work in the office but sometimes find myself in the lab. Although I take the required precautions, I did start keeping anti-bacterial gel on my desk, somewhat pointlessly since AIDS lives only briefly on surfaces and hepatitis has been known to live on surfaces for days, often even after they have been cleaned with bleach! Have I skeeved everyone out yet?
My best friend since I was seven has this form of OCD and its becomes more difficult for her to function as years go by. As a child, her hands became fungal since she washed them so often but was afraid to touch anything to dry them. She opens doors using her sleeve and became almost paralyzied when she dropped her cell phone on a dirty floor at Starbucks (dirty from sand tracked in on winter boots from the parking lot) and my wiping it off on the backside of my jean's for her did not make improve matters! Better to be sloppy and fearless than clean and terrified.
Of course, I am one of the sloppy people that most fear. My cube is always dusty and covered with crumbs and my house looks a bit like Oscar Madison's room. So maybe I am the wrong person to address this issue!
Posted by Georjean | Saturday 09 April 2005 1:23PM
ThisisLondon -- Toothpaste cancer alert Dozens of toothpastes sold at supermarkets are at the centre of a cancer alert today.
Anti-bacterial cleaning products, including dishwashing liquid and handwash, are also affected.
Researchers have discovered that triclosan, a chemical in the products, can react with water to produce chloroform gas. If inhaled in large enough quantities, chloroform can cause depression, liver problems and, in some cases, cancer.
From the tv series, Monk (due to a loose snake, Monk is standing on the kitchen table of a house he and Captain Leland Stottlemeyer are investigating) Capt. Stottmeyer: I thought you were afraid of heights.
Adrian Monk: Snakes trump heights. It goes germs, needles, milk, death, snakes, mushrooms, heights, crowds, elevators.
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superficiality >>If the facade is what's important to you, all you wind up with is an illusion. Disillusionment is the gift of substance.
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A definite germaphobe!!!!! Such a timely piece chloe. Last night I was at a meeting and the man next to me was sneezing, hacking and performing almost every other form of mucus building activity. I was horrified!!!! Leaning as far away as I could in my chair. I don't do well with snot nosed kids either... YICK! Wouldn't you know it I got stuck shaking this guys hand after the meeting and immediately went to the bathroom to wash my hands!!!! People should be more considerate!!!!!! Wear a mask or stay home!
See, now I don't think that's necessarily real germaphobia. Like if you had to run to the bathroom and cleanse yourself raw up to the elbows with hospital strength antibacterial soap, now that's not reasonable. Or if you were bleaching down the surfaces of the room the meeting was in afterwards like a CDC level 4 technician. haha.
I like that phrase - a healthy fear of sickness. Oxymoron?
I feel that people should really drink more water, eat healthier and take vitamins (like zinc) if they want to avoid the big, bad germs. I noticed a big difference after I raised my water intake and started taking a few vitamins. Like not getting bronchitis, strep throat or the flu. I used to get one of the above every winter (or change of season) before that and I truly believe that drinking more water and taking the vitamins was the difference.
I guess most people today have not read H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" in which technologically advanced and sickness free Martians die as a result of the lowly bacteria on Earth! Being exposed to germs can build strength to help people fight future infections. And this is not just in fiction. Europeans did not just kill American Indians with guns; many died in droves from the diseases Europeans brought that they were very often able to fight off and survive. And what is a vaccination but a bit of disease injected into one?
