#tw germaphobia

[whereisldshadowlady]

Oh no! You caught the ldshadowdisease

[soullessseraphim]

D:'

[etherealspacejelly]

i have run into a very oddly specific problem in my life due to conflicting autism symptoms

chewing is one of my favourite stims, so i bought a couple of chew necklaces. they're great! i like using them! however. i am also a bit of a germaphobe, so after i have chewed them a couple of times im like. hmm. the germs. i need to wash them. but my executive dysfunction prevents me from taking them downstairs to wash them when i do the dishes, even though im already taking my dishes downstairs to wash them anyway!! so they end up sitting on my desk for weeks, untouched, because my brain says im not allowed to chew them until they are clean, and i cant clean them until my executive dysfunction decides to let me. so i just end up chewing gum all the time, which probably isnt good for my jaw or my wallet. yippee /s

[marshmallowprotection]

OCD anon here again;;; (sorry..)

I had a flare up today and was convinced that no matter how many times I washed my hands, I couldn't get my dog's 'germs' off - I'd been playing with her in the garden, throwing a little ball which of course got wet and slimy with her mouth - usually I'm okay with washing my hands a few times, then a few scrubs antibacterial wipes, all good!

But oh man, today

Mind you, things were no different to any other day, not at all

I must've just been feeling particularly anxious about something which I can't remember because as soon as the flare up hits everything else is nothing compared to it

Well

I basically thought everything in my house was infected with dog germs. If I touched anything, a sofa, tv remote, chair, kitchen counter - it was there.

I hadn't touched anything.

Everything was fine.

I had to call in my parents to tell me that everything was fine.

Many, many times.

Are you sure?

Are you sure?

But - but -

Eventually I calmed down about my entirely spotless surroundings and just ended up washing my hands at least three more times until I was satisfied

Until I thought that I was okay.

Which of course...I was the whole time.

The worst thing is hindsight, when you look back on yourself and are like I'm so stupid and dumb. Replaying even that in your head.

But - here I go again with a Saeran request ~

I'll never stop feeling guilty for putting my parents through my antics almost every single day.

I'm like a whining leech, I must be...infuriating.

Actually, I know that I am.

Well, I know that my parents won't ever fully understand what it's like. But it does hurt when they sigh and puff and get very visibly irritated, and even laugh sometimes at my checking, like '...really? Come on.'

Oh yeah! What I meant to say all along was Saeran -

Kait, you and your writings are such a great comfort to all of us here.

But the way you write Saeran is just...perfect. I wanted to thank you for that! <3

Especially because what you've written for me before - even though you don't even have to answer - really cheers me up when I'm feeling skittish.

So I...I um - I'd really love a little cuddle and squeeze from Saeran today...and just go and lie on my bed and with all the lights down or even just off, so nothing's too jarring or distracting...

And just kind of nuzzle into him and cuddle all nice and warm and cozy!

... >.< <3 <3

On the worst days, that's when you can count on GE Saeran to hold you. he knows what you must be feeling when you give him that look that says all he needs to know about it. He hates that there isn't very much he can do to help you feel comfortable with your fears. But, he knows that being there for you, being sympathetic and considerate... that's really what matters to your needs is what matters at the end of the day.

You need someone who gets it and doesn't question why you must do something a dozen times to feel comfortable. He doesn't want the pain to get so bad that you wind up hurting yourself through any of it. Compulsions are hard to combat, and he doesn't want you to think of how you might make things harder on yourself.

What's important is that you have a safe space to feel what you need to feel. It doesn't matter how horribly silly you think you sound when the germs are close, to him it's something that people need to take seriously. You're not comfortable. It doesn't take much to make some minor adjustments for your sake.

Sure, you'll also need to work on some of your habits. But, putting all the work on your shoulders now and nobody else will never improve things. There are ways everyone can pitch in to make you feel safe in your body. It doesn't take much to be considerate. That's how Saeran feels about it.

He won't judge you when you come to him in tears about how tough it was for you to deal with your compulsion today.

He has an open-arm policy ready for you when you need him to be there. What do you need him to do? He'll do whatever you ask so things feel cleaner and safe, and he'll even wait for you to run through your steps so you're not alone when you need to repeat something a few times.

Mainly, he's just there when you need to be compressed in a hug that doesn't feel like you're suffocating. Which, sometimes, that's the best medicine for you. You just want to have no stimuli but the rocking of his heartbeat. The feeling of his hand stroking down your back is the best thing you could ever ask for, right?

"No matter how alone you feel in your fears, I will never leave you to suffer alone in the darkness. I will always be here to lull you to peace until you feel ready to come back to the light," he will murmur against the sound of your heartbeat. "Even if we fall into the darkness on the bad days, there will always be time to find the warmth later. But, for now, let's find peace from the cold together... until you feel ready to talk about it."

[jeff-the-kills-you]

My favorite leper. His name’s Talvace :3

[washingtoncapricorns]

Dont you love anxiety? I’m having an anxiety attack because Walmart, Walgreens, and target are out of hand sanitizer. I got some surgical hand cleaner from Walgreens and some 91% isopropyl alcohol to also put on my hands when I can’t wash them so hopefully that will help. Idk I have an irrational fear of germs and getting sick so this is hell for me.

[harmonysystemcollective]

Tis the season for candy canes, Christmas trees, and also...GERMS! Fear not, because germs are actually usually quite easy to kill if you stay on top of it. This is your friendly reminder to:

-Drink lots of water to keep your body healthy and hydrated

-Try to consume fruits or vegetables every day. Juice and smoothies count too, the goal is just to get some extra vitamins in.

-Wash your water bottle or cup (this is ESPECIALLY important for my agere friends or anyone who uses a bottle or cup with any kind of sip top or straw- these can grow mold! Use hot water and a straw brush!)

-Wash your hands (use warm water and antibacterial soap and scrub for thirty seconds, play an annoying children's song while you scrub if you have to, and don't forget your nails)

-Wipe down frequently touched surfaces like door knobs, handles, drawers and cabinets, counter tops and tables, and anything else you touch a lot! It only takes a few wipes and a few minutes, so it's a great low energy cleaning task. It's also a good idea to wipe down your devices and surfaces in your car every once in a while as well- they can also get very germy!

[bitterblackboricua]

you’re never alone. there are always dust mites and bacteria around you and they love you and will listen