# Germophobia



## Polaris (Nov 9, 2018)

This basically translates to a pathological fear of germs and contamination. Everyone is afraid of germs to some degree, since we’re instinctively aware that bad bacteria can make us sick. However, some people go to great lengths to keep themselves from coming into contact with germs and dirt, that it interferes with their life and decreases their life quality.

How strong is your germophobia on a scale of one to ten? What preventative measures do you take in order to not become contaminated/sick? Do you wash your hands often and etc.?


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## Lew (Nov 9, 2018)

I wouldn't say we're instinctively aware that bad bacteria can make us sick. A few centuries ago we thought bad smells were the cause of illness. 

I'm not particularly worried about germs, so I guess 3/10. Though I do take normal measures like cleaning my hands after going to the toilet, etc.


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## Ashi (Nov 9, 2018)

4/10

Usually if a surface at least looks or smells clean I don’t think about it too much 

And yes I wash my hands after going to the bathroom, picking something up etc


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## Polaris (Nov 9, 2018)

Lewd said:


> I wouldn't say we're instinctively aware that bad bacteria can make us sick.



Yes we are, that’s why we find people who poke their noses gross and are wary of coming into contact with other people’s body fluids, for example.


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## Lew (Nov 9, 2018)

taught != instinctive


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## Polaris (Nov 9, 2018)

Lewd said:


> taught != instinctive



People don't have to be taught that, "poking your nose is bad" in order to find it disgusting.


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## nobody (Nov 9, 2018)

i have lived with family members who have questionable hygiene which has somewhat rubbed off on me a little. { pun intended }i don't wash my hair often or even take bath/showers everyday unless i am going out or work. 3/10


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## White Wolf (Nov 10, 2018)

Polaris said:


> Yes we are, that’s why we find people who poke their noses gross and are wary of coming into contact with other people’s body fluids, for example.


That seems rather inconclusive by all means. I really couldn't give a hoot if someone picks their nose and I doubt that I'm an anomaly in that regard, and "wary of coming into contact with other people's body fluids" is questionable at best. A big part of dating is swapping all sorts of body fluids! 

Hell, you have fetishists who incorporate even the more questionable body fluids on a day to day basis. 


Anyways, not particularly germaphobic. Most I get is paranoid of pet hair which makes me wash my hands more often after playing with my dogs, but outside of that not too bothered.


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## Mider T (Nov 10, 2018)

I always wash my hands.  I don't feel correct if I touch something and just leave it like that.

How about you @DemonDragonJ ?

Reactions: Like 1


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## Polaris (Nov 10, 2018)

White Wolf said:


> inconclusive by all means. I really couldn't give a hoot if someone picks their nose and I doubt that I'm an anomaly in that regard, and "wary of coming into contact with other people's body fluids" is questionable at best. A big part of dating is swapping all sorts of body fluids!



Well yes, humans are less susceptible to feeling disgusted of someone’s body fluids when they’re attracted to the person in question or are aroused. But it’s a different story when it comes to body fluid’s belonging to strangers or acquaintances.

Also, that’s just one example.

If someone coughed in your face, would you not find it repulsive?

Would you use someone else’s dirty Q-tip to clean your ears with?

Could you touch someone else’s vomit without feeling disgusted?


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## White Wolf (Nov 10, 2018)

Polaris said:


> If someone coughed in your face, would you not find it repulsive?


Not really, no. 


Polaris said:


> Would you use someone else’s dirty Q-tip to clean your ears with?


Maybe depends how gunky it is if there was any logical merit in getting any usage out of it.


Polaris said:


> Could you touch someone else’s vomit without feeling disgusted?


I mean bare handed I wouldn't even want to touch my own? But again not much of an issue after raising so many dogs and living rural shit like that is not something that triggers me. 

I clean up entire pools of blood at times so piss and vomit and earwax feels pretty lacking in comparison.


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## Polaris (Nov 10, 2018)

White Wolf said:


> Not really, no.
> 
> Maybe depends how gunky it is if there was any logical merit in getting any usage out of it.
> 
> ...



We’re like day and night when it comes to this. I pull down my sleeves whenever I take the bus, so that my skin won’t come into contact with anything that hundreds of strangers have touched and neurotically wash clean cutlery before using it since I fear that it isn’t clean enough.


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## DemonDragonJ (Nov 10, 2018)

Mider T said:


> How about you @DemonDragonJ ?



I very much believe that a fondness for being clean is a trait that makes us humans so unique and special, so I was my hands many times every day, I wash every part of my body whenever I shower or bathe, I wash my dishes every time after I have finished with them, and I wash my clothing every time that I wear it, as well.


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## Yamato (Nov 11, 2018)

6.5/10
Always after I come back inside or touch my pets. Or touching something that I think is contaminated, like door handles, objects, money, etc.


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## Catamount (Nov 16, 2018)

Polaris said:


> People don't have to be taught that, "poking your nose is bad" in order to find it disgusting.


Where do people poking their noses come from then?


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## Kitsune (Nov 16, 2018)

I'm about 6/10 in terms of germophobia. I'll eat a chip if it falls on a fairly clean floor at home, but if someone sick starts sneezing around me I feel very unsettled and gross.


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## Dr. White (Nov 16, 2018)

Polaris said:


> Well yes, humans are less susceptible to feeling disgusted of someone’s body fluids when they’re attracted to the person in question or are aroused. But it’s a different story when it comes to body fluid’s belonging to strangers or acquaintances.
> 
> Also, that’s just one example.
> 
> ...


Stop making up bullshit. None of this has to do with distal psychology.

Cell theory is barely centuries old and health standards being remotely were they are now are also relatively new.


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## Aphrodite (Nov 18, 2018)

Im bad when it comes to germs. I wash my hands like 50 times a day plus other things.


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## Virus (Nov 18, 2018)

Worked in microbiology lab without problems. I respect the dangers though.


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## Polaris (Dec 6, 2018)

Dr. White said:


> Stop making up bullshit.



I’m not, ”making up bullshit” 

Pathogen disgust functions as a behavioural immune system. Infectious microbes have been a consistent source of danger for homo sapiens and other hominids throughout the history of humankind, especially for those in developing nations. Pathogen disgust thus functions as a behavioural immune system, motivating humans to avoid contact with potential disease vectors.


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## ~M~ (Dec 7, 2018)

I stay very sanitary because I work under sterile conditions and I'm mindful of things like cross contamination. You'd be amazed at the unclean behavior I've seen people such as nurses engage in... No thanks.


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## Lord Valgaav (Dec 8, 2018)

About 5/10


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## StarlightAshley (Dec 8, 2018)

I'm super sensitive to germs especially in regards to my food. I think i'm almost to the point of germaphobia, like i'm afraid to touch bathroom doorknobs with my bare hands or else I have to wash them again.


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## Island (Dec 10, 2018)

Polaris said:


> I’m not, ”making up bullshit”
> 
> Pathogen disgust functions as a behavioural immune system. Infectious microbes have been a consistent source of danger for homo sapiens and other hominids throughout the history of humankind, especially for those in developing nations. Pathogen disgust thus functions as a behavioural immune system, motivating humans to avoid contact with potential disease vectors.


Being "instinctively aware that bad bacteria can make us sick" implies (1) we're unconsciously aware of the existence of bacteria and (2) that we can unconsciously discern good bacteria from bad bacteria.

There's no way either of those are true.

It's probably more like natural selection resulting in us not liking tastes, smells, and visual cues associated with certain diseases. We don't eat shit, for example, because it tastes and smells bad, and it tastes and smells bad because natural selection weeded out the shit eaters.

In other words, it's more "this resembles something I have a biological predisposition to dislike so therefore I don't like it" and less "I am innately aware that microscopic organisms exist and can make me sick, and since this thing is full of said organisms, I will avoid it."


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## A Optimistic (Dec 10, 2018)

I wash my hands about 10 times a day.


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## Nep Nep (Dec 15, 2018)

I dunno about a 5?

I chew my nails so my hands and nails are washed everytime I touch most surfaces.

I refuse to sit on a toilet seat after someone else, even my family. I'll rub it down with rubbing alcohol first.

I also hate touching anything remotely dirty even with gloves. You can see me grasping it with my finger tips and holding it as far away as possible.


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