Are we all living this way or have I gone mad?!

[stardrops007]

Okay, so I'm not sure if I've just lost touch with normality here or if actually I'm living the "new normal"

Today was the first time in months that I met indoors with a friend (I know )

It was in the centre so I had to pay for parking, I found myself using a wipe to touch the parking meter.
Before entering the restaurant I sanitised my hands, once in the restaurant I sanitised my hands as I'd touched the chair before sitting down and became aware of possible contamination!

We then ordered a drink and I found myself sanitising again as I'd touched the glass.

We were there for two hours and I just couldn't stop sanitising.

I've come home and taken off all my clothes to wash them straight away.

My friend only sanitised before eating, but I noticed she'd touched the chair and other surfaces a lot!!!

Am I being OTT? Or is my friend quite relaxed?

This is totally OTT. I haven't ever bought wipes since my kids were babies, never mind having them in a bag and it crossing my mind to wipe a parking meter. Or sanitising my hands because i'd touched a chair or a glass. And changing clothes when I get home? Never.

This level of anxiety isn't normal, no. None of my circle of friends are doing any of these things.

You have gone nuts, sorry.

Risk is far greater of catching it from a nearby person, than from touching a surface.

@starfish4 and others

Except the OP doesn’t sound completely comfortable with her behaviour, or presumably she wouldn’t be asking?

I would have done all those things you did today at the beginning of lockdown. I had a huge fear of germs and would never go without washing my hands after being out or touching shared surfaces. The good thing about lockdown for me is that it seems to have broken the cycle of hand washing and fear. Not going out during lockdown (my work was closed so I was at home with the kids) and so not having to worry about stranger's germs and constantly cleaning my hands has stopped my compulsive habit. I only noticed when I started venturing out again and I realised that I was much more relaxed in just taking a measured approach to staying safe. Much easier for me to manage and less stressfull all round.

I only mention all of this as it is worrying behaviour that you are exhibiting and you might want to look at your anxiety levels generally and possibly seeking out some help if it is starting to impact on your life. I went out for a meal a couple of weeks ago and I sanitised on the way in and that was it until I got home. We touched menus, cutlery and glasses. I also had a take away last weekend and didn't worry about the packaging being covered in germs, which would have been a huge souce of anxiety for me previously. You have to have some level of trust that businesses are following covid guidelines and keeping customers safe.

I would have been happy to eat and drink out of the glass and used their cutlery. As i’d assume it was clean and that no one had touched the parts that would even touch my mouth and that the servers hands were clean or maybe even wearing gloves when they served.

You are not very observant then. Loads of waiters and bar staff hold the cup at the top especially if it's a hot drink. That's why I take my own cup at the moment.

Taking your own cutlery is too much. It's also concerning that running out of sanitiser would be 'a nightmare'. For your own sake you need to try to relax.

I'm also wondering what your friend's reaction was.

I would have done most of those things except sanitise during the meal - once you've sat down is enough for me, and I wouldn't have brought my own knife and fork.
I don't actually consider myself OTT, I don't get anxious about it, I don't worry about what others are doing, it makes me comfortable and I enjoy going out to eat.

Pubs and restaurants have to wipe chairs, tables and menus between each customer. You are being way OTT about this.

@Belladonna12

This is absolutely correct There's a reason everyone is coming down with colds/bugs at the moment, we have no immunity to anything.

Rubbish. Most adults have been building up their immune systems for for years. Immunity doesn't disappear because they've had a few months off being infected with anything. I don't know anyone who's had a cold bug for months including DC.

You may not agree but that's a medical opinion. From more than one source.

OP genuine question, why did you sanitise your hands when you touched your glass if you then drank from the glass?

I sanitise after touching "high-touch" surfaces - lift buttons, door handles. I sanitise before I eat and after I leave. I guess I want to feel like I can touch my face without worrying. But I know I can't control everything. So I do what I can and don't worry about the rest.

OTT.
As I understand it, the risk is greater from breathing in aerosols which another person has produced than from touching surfaces.

No, I'm not living like that.

You’ve gone a bit OTT, but that’s probably because you’ve not been out for such a long time. Once you start going out a bit more you become a bit less obsessed about things.

For parking meters, cash points (that aren’t touch screen), card chip and pin machines, and petrol self service machines I use my car key to press the buttons. Or for touch screen my index finger knuckle then use sanitiser if I have to touch a screen or button..

I also wear disposable gloves when putting petrol in, and wipe the trolley handles at the supermarket..

When I get home from where ever I’ve been, I wash my hands straight away. I then give my keys, mobile phone, and purse and bank card a quick wipe down either with an antibacterial wipe or just with some washing up liquid on some kitchen roll.

I did use to also wipe down the door handles when I got home, but I’ve stopped doing that now...

When eating out, I either use hand sanitiser or the anti bacterial wet wipes when entering, then sanitise my hands before and after I eat. I also sanitise my hands before going in and coming out of the supermarket.

I also periodically wipe my car steering wheel, radio and gear stick with an antibacterial wipe

OMG! After reading that back I sound a bit OTT too! 😂

I think you should find some help for your anxiety op

I've had friends in my house once it was allowed
Eaten out lots
Getting my nails done later
Trying to get back to normal

I only sanitised my hands when specifically told to.

You may not agree but that's a medical opinion. From more than one source.

Please link to the source demonstrating that all medics are agreed that the use of antibacterial gel for the last few months will mean that we no longer have working immune systems.

I don’t do any of this , I just live my life as normal

It's the first time you have been out in months your bound to go a bit over the top. Try going out a few more times and see if you relax a bit 😊

Okay, but what about the chair you touch, or the table? Or the menu?

I don't know about the menu, but your table and chair should be sanitised by the staff in between customers.

I think you have overlooked the greatest risk (re covid) which would have been were you within two metres of anyone else in the restaurant or in a position to be breathed over directly by your friend. If not given that you were eating with a knife and fork and not holding your glass where you put your mouth none of the sanitising was strictly necessary (other than if you were needing to touch your face for some reason). I think it would make sense to sanitise after touching parking meter, when you sat down at the table and before getting your car key out to open the car. Then I would have taken off my shoes and hand washed on entering the house and relaxed. I wouldn't have bothered changing clothes as I have read that covid does not last long on fabric.

OP genuine question, why did you sanitise your hands when you touched your glass if you then drank from the glass?

I put so much sanitiser on and rubbed it over the glass...

Have you had tenancies towards OCD/obsessiveness before this year?!

I met some friends for a meal in a place without outside seating the other day. I washed my hands in the toilet on arrival, then used gel as I had to touch the toilet door to get out. When I got to my table I touched the chair and menu and wondered if I should gel my hands again but decided to draw a line there.

I change my clothes when I get home if I've been on public transport. I was washing them straight away, but I'm not just keeping them aside to wear next time I'm out, unless they are obviously dirty.

Well done for having a meal out though op, despite feeling anxious.

@myrtilles

I think you have overlooked the greatest risk (re covid) which would have been were you within two metres of anyone else in the restaurant or in a position to be breathed over directly by your friend.

We sat at different tables but I think we were probably 2m apart.