To think I can't be the only one?

[sugaredstrawberries]

Very strange but wondered about this for some time now. Whenever I am around electronics (tv, phones, plugs, consoles, remotes, fitbits etc...) they seem to go wrong or break not all the time but a good proportion of the time. My phones never seem to last more than a year as they start messing up, my DH doesn't like me touching the XBOX remote because it starts lagging, the TV sometimes won't work for me but then I'll go upstairs and DH tells me it's working fine then! It's the strangest thing

AIBU to think there must be others out there who have something similar?! Does anyone know what it is? It started around 3 years ago....

Oh and also I get shocks of things when they aren't plugged in?!?! how is that even possible

I guess that's no one then?

I have had a gazillion watches over the years, both dial face and digital, cheap and expensive. They don't keep time from day one and stop altogether within a month or so.

I gave up a long time ago!

Yes I do that too it's a pita I can't keep an iron they constantly blow up

My mum. She stops watches!

You're clearly some sort of gremlin.

Yes, it is a thing. I know someone who used to work in an office where the photocopier kept going wrong. Every time one person used it. Just her - nobody else. The copier repair man got chatting to her and apparently she told him that everything electrical she touched would blow up or go wrong really quickly. Weird.

I know someone who has this! Perhaps you are her but if not then you're not the only one, it's not me but she has described something very similar to me several times although I've never witnessed it!

Regarding the whole 'getting shocks off things that aren't plugged in' thing that's just static - it's the same thing that makes your hair crackle or go flyaway when you touch it with certain plastics or rub a balloon over it. You can get a static shock from touching almost anything, including pets, hand rails, door handles, cars, clothes and other people so whether items are plugged in or not is irrelevant. There's nothing unusual or different about that. Wearing certain shoes or walking on synthetic carpets often makes it worse.

If you're someone who carries a lot of static electricity that could be affecting the way certain electrical devices perform when you touch them - again, it's not that unusual.

My friend had this so badly she has to live in a desert (Karoo) to get away from electricity. It's severe she's now had to give up her mobile phone as it's making her ill.

Here's some info on it:

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_hypersensitivity

I cant wear a watch; or carry charged batteries in my pocket, they get red hot. And I can tell if they are charged or not by holding them.
DF think its all tres hilaire

Yeah, all gadgets hate me too!

I have terrible luck with watches, phones and electrical goods, but generally I'm a walking disaster.

My mum. She stops watches!

This is moi. Only watches with a clock face, mind.

Digitals seem immune to my 'charms'.

My mum never wore watches because, as she said, she 'sent them haywire'.

yes I break watches - no idea why but I can't keep them alive!

My nan could never wear watches, as soon as she put them on they would stop.

I think you must be possessed by some sort of electromagnetic demon

It's touch screens for me - tablet and smart phone often don't seem to register that my finger is actually touching them and nothings happens, then one of the kids takes over and everything works!

I work with someone this happens with. Contactless payment never works around her. And computers always have random problems when she works in our office.

Good job she is lovely or no one would want her there

Thanks all. Nice to know I'm not alone... I don't suppose anyone knows the cause?!

My oldest DD is like this. Breaks technology just by being nearby. I started to have trouble with clocks and watches when I moved into my current house and eventually gave up replacing the batteries for n the clocks.

The watch on my Fitbit has been gone crazy a couple times, but it sorts itself out during syncing.

You are actually an alien being from a galaxy far, far away, Op.
You just are not aware of this.......at the moment.
When the Mothership returns, you and all the other alien kind will rise up and smite the human race.
But until this glorious day arrives, just don't go near anything connected to the national grid.

Watches stop on my left wrist, fine on my right one.

I have this, especially in work. I am banned from being near the fax/copier in work as they just die when I'm around. I am also extremely statically charged