At what point does cleanliness cross the line into obsession?

Question

I admit to carrying hand sanitizer in my purse, which I use to clean my hands (and my son's hands) before meals or when bathroom soap is unavailable. I don't think I'm obsessive, though some friends have chuckled about the hand sanitizer. I saw Howie Mandel on Conan O'Brien the other night. He's a self-described "germophobe." He wears a surgical mask on airplanes, and takes two showers a day. (He said he used to take ten a day.) I appreciate that Mandel's able to talk about it. Perhaps he's even helped other people by doing so. So, when is being clean just too much?

Answer 1

This is a good question. I used to have a girlfriend who was in that grey area between "clean enough" and "obsessive compulsive".

Firstly, there's nothing wrong with washing your hands before meals. But I contend there's probably something wrong if you *insist* on it or if you cannot eat until you've washed your hands. It would make sense if you'd been doing something genuinely unsanitary - changing a baby's diaper, for example, or planting things in your garden.

What it boils down to is that you need to understand that perfect cleanliness cannot be achieved, and that some small degree of "dirt" is actually good for you. Studies have shown that people who obsessively use anti-bacterial soap get more illnesses than people who only wash their hands after using the bathroom and not at other times.

My ex-girlfriend's behaviour should give you some examples of "too extreme". Clothes hangers had to be washed every month, and new clothes hangers had to be washed before they were used. Underwear had to be washed by hand, and could not be washed in the communal washing machines, because they might "have diseases" in them. And we couldn't go out and eat burgers unless we held the burgers with napkins; if you touched a burger with your fingers it was "dirty" and could not be eaten.

Get the idea?

Answer 2

It doesn't sound like you have a problem. When it interferes with your work or social life, then it is a problem. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is what Howie Mandel has. He is happily married and his wife doesn't seem to mind it. I have a slight case of it. When I washed my hands so much that it caused my hands to be extremely dry, chapped and bleeding, then it was a problem. Now I have backed off of washing my hands to the point where they are back to a healthy state. You see alot of times you can gauge the OCD by looking to see if it presents problems in other areas either socially, mentally or physically. I hope that helps. Good luck to you.

Answer 3

When your behavior interfers with your life and others' lives so that you and they don't have the freedom to make individual choices for each situation.

I remember a girlfriend's father who had OCD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. His family did not live a normal life because of his behaviors. He had to use a handkerchief to handle doorhandles, the television knobs (before remote controls), his silverware, the faucets. He washed his hands excessively and this caused a lot of long waits for everyone in the family.

Your need to sanitize your hands and your son's hands doesn't sound obsessive to me.

Look up OCD on the internet.

Also check out a condition called OCPD which is about someone who is anxiety proned and deals with their anxiety through excessively ordering their lives and the lives of people around them. These are two different disorders OCD and OCPD but frequently confused. OCPD is a personality disorder which can be treated and cured with therapy. OCD is disorder managed by medicine and you have for life.

Answer 4

i have a friend who would wash his hands 5 times before eating.... even with spoon and fork.. he does not eat outside because it is not sanitized....he's a total "germophobe" as your term is.....

Answer 5

Its an obsession if it interferes with the quality of your daily life.