OCD: 'I spent 20 years preparing for the coronavirus pandemic'
Coping with a life-long phobia of germs meant Peter Goffin was ready for the coronavirus pandemic. He knew how to observe hygiene rules, and he had the skills needed to prevent his anxieties growing out of control.
Avoiding physical contact with people outside my household, washing my hands after touching anything that anyone else has touched, disinfecting groceries when I bring them back from the supermarket - I've done them all, at various points in my life. And I've perfected my technique. Eventually my family noticed I was trying to avoid touching things like door knobs and light switches, and scrubbing my hands red-raw.
Anecdotally, many people with pre-existing anxiety or germ issues have said they are experiencing less worry during the pandemic. Maybe because other people have adopted their worldview, are taking the same precautions, and are also now learning to manage high stress on a regular basis. Now, when I bring my groceries home from the shop, I set them all down in a little-used corner of my flat, the same way I might carefully set aside a pair of shoes after stepping on a discarded plaster or a wad of chewing gum. I wash my hands. Anything that can be shaken free from its protective packaging, I set aside - confident it's clean enough already.
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