My hands are bleeding.

[oda_elmira]

Today, my hands started bleeding.
My phobia has gotten to the point where I no longer trust in normal handwashing. I only trust in very hot water and bleech.
It started when I read an article in a Sweedish newspaper about this sv* season some weeks ago. The headline was "A true nightmare", and there was an interview with a girl who had got the norovirus and suddenly started v* when she was on the subway. She said it was a true nightmare, and she also fainted. Then there was a micro biologist saying that this norovirus season was the worst ever. He said 1 million Sweeds would probably get the virus within three months and in Sweeden there lives eight million people. That makes one out of eight! He also said it's hard to protect oneself because normal handwashing is not always enough! He also said the virus is worse this year because the symptoms appear more sudden and they last for longer!
My ex boyfriend lives together with three people who all had the sv* last week but he didn't get it. This morning, he came to my house to get some of his stuff he has stored in my basement. Then he borrowed my toilet three times in a row because he had d*. I started questioning him to find out if it was the sv* and he said his stomach was probably just upset because he had been drunk all night, but I wasn't too sure, so after he left, I decided to leave my house too.
I bought a new toothbrush and a bottle of bleech and went to my sisters house. My sister lives in the other end of the city and I didn't want to be on a subway or in a cab so I walked for almost two hours!
When I got there, I said I had to move into her house for some days because there might be norovirus in my appartment. All right, she said, but why didn't you call? The truth is I didn't want to touch my cell phone cause my ex boyfriend borrowed it, and I didn't want to wash my cell phone with bleech out on the streets!
This is really driving me mad.
I'll rather die than get the norovirus. And that's true. I had it in 2005 and it was worse than I had imagined! If I go to therapy and the therapist makes me wash my hands less, there's a bigger chance of getting it.
What do I do? I don't want this. Any advice?
Sorry about the spelling errors, my English is really bad

[polkadots_008]

You really are doing a big number on your hands with all the hot water and bleach. Over drying your hands like that can actually make it harder to get them clean since washing vigorously becomes painful. The CDC and every healthcare institution in USA recommends warm water with a regular soap, vigorously scrubbing, for at least 20 seconds.

I overwash my hands as well, to the point that they bleed sometimes. What you need to do is get a good lotion to apply after you wash your hands. This will help keep them soft and uncracked.

I hope you feel better :| Try to relax about your boyfriend ~ it truly does sound like a hangover from drinking too much as opposed to a sv*. We all know how tough it is to ignore it though, once the thought has entered your head. I pray that you make it through the rest of this season without catching the dreaded.

[sage]

Oda, all I can say is that my heart goes out to you. You are really, really afraid. Whenever someone says "I'd rather die than get norwalk" I feel so badly for them. I truly hope that you can find some good professional help to help you with your anxiety. They won't necessarily tell you to wash your hands less! (I wouldn't tell someone that, anyway....I'd work on the anxiety issues and eventually the client will decide herself to wash her hands less or whatever.)

Whatever you do, please stop using hot water. You're making your hands MORE succeptible to viral particles - not less. You'd have to use boiling water to "kill" viral particles anyway, so there's no sense in having the water extra hot and hurting yourself. Also, don't EVER wash your hands with bleach! You can wash other things with DILUTED bleach (even 1:10 if you like, although that's pretty strong). But you'll damage the skin on your hands and again, this will make it harder for plain soap and normal temp. water to wash viral particles off.

Please, please get some help. Find someone you trust!
Check out my website (link below) for info on how the virus spreads, and how to find good professional help.

Godspeed to you,
Sage