this post was submitted on 16 Nov 2023
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[–] [email protected] 26 points 11 months ago (2 children)

Relatable. I love a girl like this. It's exhausting and it's slowly impacted my own sanity, but it's not her fault. It's mainly about germs with her. She gets really upset if we don't wash our hands every 15 minutes or so. But at the same time, she's afraid of antibiotics.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I mean the incorrect/over use of antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistant germs which are basically super germs. Strangely logical.

Sorry to hear it's impacting you though. It's tough when someone you're with is dealing with mental health issues.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 11 months ago (1 children)

The only reason antibiotic resistant germs are different than regular germs is that antibiotics don't work on them, which doesn't matter if you don't use antibiotics! 😆

Her reasons are more vague and appeal-to-nature-y. But you do raise a good point.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

The only reason antibiotic resistant germs are different than regular germs is that antibiotics don't work on them, which doesn't matter if you don't use antibiotics!

What? Where do you think antibiotic-resistant bacteria come from?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago

No I think they mean that germs are germs, if you don’t use antibiotics, they make you sick either way.

Resistant bacteria are only a concern of people wiling to take antibiotics, as those are the only ones the antibiotics don’t work on.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Does she understand that being over-hygenic obviously has some negative impacts? Sure it is definitely better at preventing infection, but she's also reducing her exposure to good microbes which is what we rely on to not form allergies, asthma, and even some diseases.

This article summarises it well, but here's a topic-specific part.

But not all of our body has to be washed so stringently. Overall obsessive washing “disrupts the normal flora which keep you healthy by competing with harmful organisms”, says Ruebush. “Operating your immune system in an environment of sterility is like a sensory deprivation for the brain. Eventually, it goes insane, thus the increased amount of allergy and autoimmunity associated with persons who try too hard to avoid all exposure to anything in their environment,” she says.

Around the house, the solution for fighting the wrong kind of bacteria is not excessive cleaning, but timely cleaning.

You should at least being making your own stand for your own health and don't let her ways permanently compromise you down the track.

[–] [email protected] 48 points 11 months ago (3 children)

You can't really debate a mental illness away

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago

Not with that attitude!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Exactly right, Joe.

[–] [email protected] -5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I don't know, I don't wanna sound dismissive of things, but it can probably help in some situations. OP probably knows the situation better and isn't giving all the details (because it just isn't relevant). It's possible their partner actually didn't know that though and it might help them cut back some.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 11 months ago (1 children)

My fiancee has mental issues and using logic will get you nowhere. It is fine to say it and remind them of it but not start arguing or anything. It is not like they have much of a choice, or they do but it is fucking difficult.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to say. I don't think I made it clear. A good example of the sort of thing I'm trying to talk about is setting up a camera to look at the stove if someone is obsessive about making sure it is turned off. I suggested this to someone before and it seemed like it helped them, or at least it was a novel idea they hadn't considered. I know you can't magically "logic" away problems like this.