Not Afraid of Germs

[luckistar2]

I am a little embarassed to admit this among this group but I am not afraid of germs. Not any more than the "normal" person anyway.


First, let me state that I am an emet. I have panic attacks when I think I may be sick and cannot stand to see, hear, or smell v*.


However, I am not afraid of crowds. I do not clean obsessively. And I am not overly cautious about eating in public places.


Am I the only emet like this?


There is a reason why I am like this, I often feel that if I am going to get sick it will happen whether I try to prevent it or not. Also, I am teacher and I feel like I need to be exposed to germs to create an immunity. I am sick with regular cold-like symptoms about 2 times a year. My husband, a non-emet, is very, very clean and I tease him about being the 'boy in a plastic bubble' and that he isn't allowing his body to learn how to fight off germs.

[SimplyMe]

No need to be embarrassed! that's great that you aren't overly cautious/afraid. I am someplace int he middle. i won't eat or touch my face w/o washing my hands but I will eat in public and go places (like school) that may have a large number of people and therefore more germs. I wish I were more like you!

[missgoddess]

i am also not afraid of germs...i was brought up to believe you are
more liekly to get ill if you are never exposed to germs and then
suddenly come into contact with somthing...although im not unhygenic i
tend not to worry about stuff to much...the only think i worry about
really is whether meat is cooked

[fabulouspaula]

I'm not afraid of germs either, at all. I am a clean person, but I never think twice about germs. I share drinks with friends, hug sick friends, and have never touched Lysol or Purell. I never get sick, either. I can't imagine how hard it must be to have to constantly worry about germs. It must be difficult, because apparently you can never be certain that something is clean enough.

[matmysunshine]

I understand were u are coming from, I am the same way, I freak out if I hear someone is sick, and see it, and all.. But I am not afriad of crowds, I do use hand sanitzer, and all.. but am pretty calm 99 % of the time, unless I start to feel sick I FREAK OUT!! But I am hardly home,I am always out and about, thisEMET hit me when my sonwas 3 months,he 13 months now.. I want to desperatly get over it.. I bought the Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, andso far I am able to understand the type of Anxiety Ihave...SO this is a good..Iam looking forward to the outcome, butI dounderstand.

[japa]

Yep, I'm the same way. I don't worry about germs and don't use the sanitizer things. I eat anything and anywhere, and I go anywhere and don't care.On many occasions,I have put food into my mouth without washing my hands first. I can't even make a claim to being a very hygienic person in general. This is why I tend to think that a lot of germ-avoidance precautions, unless you are immuno-compromised in some way, probably are not really decreasing anyone's chances of getting ill. But that's just my opinion; don't anyone get mad at me for it.


I just hate vomit is the only thing.

[harmonygirl72]

I'm just like you all! And, a teacher, too! What do you teach, luckistar?


Mary

[luckistar2]

I'm just like you all! And, a teacher, too! What do you teach, luckistar?


Mary

I am a Reading Teacher from grade K through 6. I work at a brand new school that is K-8 until 2006, then the elementary kids will move to their own campus. How about you? What do you teach?





I am so glad I am not alone here. I was starting to feel 'dirty'.

[blood_tears]

im not afraid of germs, with one exception. im a little paranoid about my drinking cups, checking to make sure they are completely clean and dont smell off.


i go out, eat out, heck, even hang out with sickies (there is a lesson to be learned from that thoug: if you hang out with kids with strep/scarlet fever..dont be surpised when you get an infection as well...) so long as they aren't v*.

[sillygirl]

I've heard that it is actually bad to use too much hand sanitizer. It kills the good bacteria along with the bad and then it is harder to fight the bad stuff. I still can't break myself rom using it though!

[harmonygirl72]

Luckistar,


I am a music teacher for students in Pre-K-8! It's at a Catholic school and I have worked here for 6 years. Tomorrow morning I go for a second interview to a public school, though, and I really hope I get it! That would only be K-5 and much better money! If you ever want to chat about teaching, emet, or anything, I have AIM, Yahoo and MSN! Do you?


Mary

[spilled_milk]

I don't usually freak out about crowds or clean obsessively. I'm only worried about sv germs, but i dont think that everything is germy, you know? I think that everybody's emet is expressed in different ways.


<3 Anya--

[luckistar2]

Luckistar,


I am a music teacher for students in Pre-K-8! It's at a Catholic school and I have worked here for 6 years. Tomorrow morning I go for a second interview to a public school, though, and I really hope I get it! That would only be K-5 and much better money! If you ever want to chat about teaching, emet, or anything, I have AIM, Yahoo and MSN! Do you?


Mary

I have AIM but I never log on.


I can though. When are you usually around and which time zone on you in?


My screen name is LuckiStar2. I will try to log on when you think you may around and you can look for me...or I can look for you. It is always good to know another teacher.


Good luck with your interviews.

[shiva]

For all of those who do not fear germs all I can say is... LUCKY!!![img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]


My germ thing started recently. I miss the good old days when that stuff didn't bother me. I didn't get funny about germs until my daughter was 2 and caught her first tummy bug. So, good for you! Seriously, do everything in your power to stay that way

[2jo2]

Don't be embarrassed about not being afraid of germs, there are those like me who are striving to get to where you are. I have OCD and a huge issue with contamination and so it's obvious that I don't like germs. My meds are making me be more and more like you all though, and that's a good thing!!! [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]


Good luck at your interview Mary!![img]smileys/smilies_39.gif[/img]

[harmonygirl72]

LuckiStar, I added you to AIM. I am harmonygirl1972 on there. I am online a lot, at all different times. I am in Chicago, CST. Thanks for wishing me luck on the interview...you, too, 2jo2! It's tomorrow morning and I am really nervous!!


Mary

[wing]

I dont even know whereI stand anymore lol. Sometimes, i am lazy and try to forget about cleaning (like i'm sitting here eating a poptart and I havent washed my hands for a while) and things but other times even lazyness does not hold me back from washing my hands. I do use my purell but definitely not as much as before for some reason thatI dont know. I suppose i'm scared of germs, sadly. IfI wasnt lazy i'd be cleaning like crazy. lol. I've always had a problem with clensiness (spelling?) since I was really little.


Just the other day whenI was at school, this stupid kid (sorry just mad at him for what he did..), he kept spitting and took joy in scaring me. My friend almost killed him lol. anyway yea, my other friend, later on was like "why are you afraid of him spitting?" (maybe my response was a bit extreme but eh..(I accidentally screamed and ran -_-))


And the funny thing is, I LIKE crowds (not sittingdownthough, I'mweird, when i sitdown i like to beby myself)just as long as I know the people I am standing next to arent sick. Anyway I like themI think because i can blend in and not stand out. Does that make sense at all? I dont like to be the center of attention and when a crowd I try to blend in. Edited by: wing