I washed my hands before it was fashionable, and they called me crazy

Oh the irony

Ever since I was around 10 years old I have been extra aware of my hygiene when it comes to touching things. I try to avoid touching door handles, money, light switches, shopping basket handles, petrol pumps (not always avoidable). If I have to touch one of these I absolutely have to wash my hands before using my PC or touching my face for example, it is right at the front of my mind. The reason being that some other people don't wash their hands and then their germs/faecal matter/virus goes onto it (bathroom door handles are the worst), then onto your hand, then onto your steering wheel, then onto your face.

In my opinion I consider this as normal/common sense, however my family have always said that it was nonsense and an obsession which is not normal that I wash my hands every time after touching something dirty and before eating food. When I was diagnosed "repetitive handwashing" was a sign of autism according to the psychologist. I know we can't see the germs and most of the time it doesn't mean you will be infected but I just don't get how people can touch a toilet door handle and then their face/phone/steering wheel without a care in the world.

Obviously now with Coronavirus people have somehow became more aware, but I bet it is being spread through shopping basket and trolley handles as people sneeze on them and the next person to use it touches their mouth as we speak

Parents
  • My family considered me crazy / weird and all sorts of words I cannot write here for decent people to read, since I was an infant.  

    When I went to college and lived with other people, they considered my personal hygiene such as washing hands to be unacceptable. 

    When I moved back to my family and brought back my new hygiene habits, they considered these new ones to be unacceptable and weird again.

    I could not win!!!!

    The point I am making is hygiene and washing hands is family and culture dependent.  If you depart from the social norm of the people around you.  They will call you crazy and try to make you change you're behaviour and make you conform. 

    Don't take any notice of what other people say about you.  Do what you think is best.

Reply
  • My family considered me crazy / weird and all sorts of words I cannot write here for decent people to read, since I was an infant.  

    When I went to college and lived with other people, they considered my personal hygiene such as washing hands to be unacceptable. 

    When I moved back to my family and brought back my new hygiene habits, they considered these new ones to be unacceptable and weird again.

    I could not win!!!!

    The point I am making is hygiene and washing hands is family and culture dependent.  If you depart from the social norm of the people around you.  They will call you crazy and try to make you change you're behaviour and make you conform. 

    Don't take any notice of what other people say about you.  Do what you think is best.

Children
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