Co-worker v* and I'm freaking out!

[jd_rormy]

I work at a grocery store pushing carts, and this morning at work the girl who was the people greeter had to run to the bathroom to v*. She went home, but I immediately started trying to think of how I could have touched something she touched. I know we both touched the time clock and possibly the cabinet with the walkie-talkies, so I feel like I'm pretty much trapped with the germs all around me by now. I'm terrified about it and am so stressed out trying to keep things clean, and I don't even know why she v*. It might not even be from something contageous! I'm just looking for some relief...I'm so scared that I either have already ingested the germs somehow or that I will if I'm not careful enough.

[gumdropper1]

If you weren't exposed to the actual puke, you'll be fine. As a shopping cart handler, you are exposed to everything that people who touch the handles have. You are probably a lot tougher than you think. A good rule is just to not touch your mouth or nose and to wash your hands before eating. Use Purell frequently. If you washed your hands (in a different bathroom) soon after the greeter girl did the tummy toss and left, you would have nothing to worry about.

Doug

[EmR]

I think you should be fine - just make sure you eash your hands often and don't touch your face

[TiredofFear]

I think you should be fine - just make sure you eash your hands often and don't touch your face

Ditto this.

[jd_rormy]

See that's what people always say, "Just don't touch your face," but that's practically impossible for me. I get little itches and tickles all the time, and it's not realistic to wash my hands everytime I have a small itch on my nose or eye, so I pretty much have given up on that. I don't know how others can do it though. It's frustrating that to most people it's apparently so easy but to me it's not really an option. If I didn't scratch my nose or eye when I had an itch I would go crazy!

I think I may have some OCD along with my emet, because whenever somebody around me gets sick I turn into a total germaphobe. I used to try and quarantine anything that (in my mind) could possibly have the "bad germs" on it and disinfect anything I may have touched without washing my hands, but trying to keep that up everyday took so much out of me that I just gave up on that too. I still wash my hands constantly and take a very thorough shower before I go anywhere near my bed because then that's the one place that I feel like I know is safe so I can relax.

I hate being this way more than I can put into words, but this website does offer me some comfort. It's so good knowing that there are so many others going through the same things or worse, and reading all of your stories and advice and experiences has really given me some relief. Some say that there is nothing you can do about emetaphobia, that it's impossible to get rid of, but I refuse to believe that. It's all in your mind, and although it may seem impossible to get control of your mind, it's not, I know it's not. It's just really really hard. But I'm not giving up

[Marmite]

Like you say, you don't know why she actually v*d in the first place! Remember that you touch hundreds of things everyday and are okay. Like the others have said just keep up the hygiene and I am sure you will be fine

[Marmite]

See that's what people always say, "Just don't touch your face," but that's practically impossible for me. I get little itches and tickles all the time, and it's not realistic to wash my hands everytime I have a small itch on my nose or eye, so I pretty much have given up on that. I don't know how others can do it though. It's frustrating that to most people it's apparently so easy but to me it's not really an option. If I didn't scratch my nose or eye when I had an itch I would go crazy!

I think I may have some OCD along with my emet, because whenever somebody around me gets sick I turn into a total germaphobe. I used to try and quarantine anything that (in my mind) could possibly have the "bad germs" on it and disinfect anything I may have touched without washing my hands, but trying to keep that up everyday took so much out of me that I just gave up on that too. I still wash my hands constantly and take a very thorough shower before I go anywhere near my bed because then that's the one place that I feel like I know is safe so I can relax.

I hate being this way more than I can put into words, but this website does offer me some comfort. It's so good knowing that there are so many others going through the same things or worse, and reading all of your stories and advice and experiences has really given me some relief. Some say that there is nothing you can do about emetaphobia, that it's impossible to get rid of, but I refuse to believe that. It's all in your mind, and although it may seem impossible to get control of your mind, it's not, I know it's not. It's just really really hard. But I'm not giving up

All of us do some or all of these things and I for one hate it as well but like you, I haven't been on this site very long and it is very comforting to know of others in the same situation. I have read that there is and isn't a cure for emet but we all find our own way of dealing with it and sharing definitely helps

[abbi]

That is OCD. I have it, and it was as bad as yours before I started on citalopram. You should look into some anti-anxiety meds, they really help. Just keep your hands clean, and you'll be fine!

[BreaRose]

I usually have a tiny bottle of hand sanitizer in my purse or pocket, I would suggest maybe trying that any time you feel like your hands are unclean or something like that happens.