Germophobia Therapy: Reality Check Edition

Steve Templeton, PhD.

Oct 18, 2023

Microbes are everywhere, and that's a good thing.

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11 Comments

Paul Kearslake

Oct 18, 2023Liked by Steve Templeton, PhD.

I worked as a Staff Nurse in A&E for nearly twenty years - now retired.

In that time despite reasonable precautions I was splattered regularly with vomit, urine, faeces, blood, snot and spit and was violently coughed on by people carrying all sorts of diseases - viral, bacterial and fungal !

I now seem to have an excellent immune system that keeps me standing whilst others much younger than me are falling all around.

I wouldn't recommend working twenty years in A&E as a nationwide health promotion technique but it certainly helped me. :-)

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Rick (from Texas)

What Could Go Wrong?

Oct 18, 2023Liked by Steve Templeton, PhD.

We ditched the five second rule long ago. Our house rule is, “if you beat the dog to it, eat it”.

We also make our own kimchi, kraut and kombucha...practicing self-microbing. 😂

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George Bredestege

Grumpy Geo’s Smoke Screen

Oct 18, 2023Liked by Steve Templeton, PhD.

I loved this. My wife puts food out to thaw and then will ask me if I think the fish (or whatever meat) is still ok to eat. I always say, ”it wasn’t refrigerated the whole time the fish/cow/chicken was wearing it.”

In my twenty seven years living one out of three days in firehouses, I’ve enjoyed shocking other firefighters by eating food that has hit the floor. I truly believe that what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.

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Mindy F.

Oct 18, 2023Liked by Steve Templeton, PhD.

So good Steve, thanks for sharing! I was having a particularly bad day at work a few weeks ago and dropped my PB&J sandwich on the breakroom floor at work. Five (but more like 10 or 20) second rule came in handy. I think I even got some dirt in there too. A few extra germs for my immune system. I'm relatively healthy though, aside from seasonal and a few food allergies/ intolerances, so I'm able to do that. As a result, I rarely get sick. The immune system (which I call my immun-e-men, little germ fighters) is completely fascinating to me!

One of my annoyances is when I see women grab a paper towel to open the door to exit the restroom. Because, like you said, germs are everywhere. There's no escape. But, what can you do. I try to let them be and move on.

Side note: can't wait to get your book and read the whole thing. Your excerpts have been fantastic. Once the budget allows I'll be sure to get it :)

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