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A nation of hand-washers
Germs fascinate us Marie Baldwin has never seen one, but she knows millions of them are
out there.
Germs. Microbes. Bacteria.
To protect herself from the invisible invaders, Baldwin carries a
bottle of antibacterial hand soap wherever she goes. If she has to make a
call on a public telephone, she grasps the receiver with a paper napkin.
She wads a second napkin and uses that to dial.
"People who are waiting to use the phone look at me strangely,''
Baldwin said. "But there are a lot of people out there with colds – and
you never know what they've been touching.''
Reports of flesh-eating bacteria and germs that are resistant to
disinfectants are making hand-washing a national preoccupation.
"Every time I hear about something else, it makes me more determined to
be as hygienic as possible,'' Baldwin said. "I don't want to get sick.''
Baldwin, of Browns Mills, N.J., is a survey taker in a busy shopping
mall. She shakes hands with as many as 40 people each day – a frightening
prospect during flu season.
"As soon as I'm done talking to someone, I put on the antibacterial soap,'' she said. "Then I put on the antibacterial lotion.'' Although they don't keep statistics on sales, representatives from
the Soap and Detergent Association said the public's growing obsession
The SDA's National Cleaning Survey 2000 reports that 50 percent of the 1,003 adults questioned said they devote more effort to protecting themselves from germs than their parents did. "People who use antibacterial washes say they feel as if they have more control over their lives,'' said Janet Donahue, a spokeswoman for the trade group in New York City. "Consumers are a lot more aware that they can pick up germs from surfaces, not just other people.'' When it becomes a phobia When cleanliness becomes a compulsion it can wash away the ability to enjoy work, play and the company of other people. Ritualistic hand-washing is the most common manifestation of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), said Laura Young, vice president of the National Mental Health Association and a practicing therapist in Arlington, Va. "A phobia of germs isn't necessarily rooted in reality,'' she said. "But it can control people's ability to hold down a job, to have relationships with other people, or to conduct any kind of social life.'' Reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes spent years in solitude when his fear of germs grew so strong he would touch other objects only with tissues. In the film "As Good as It Gets," the writer played by Jack Nicholson is compelled by an OCD so powerful he washes his hands over and over – each time using a fresh bar of soap. Some people who suffer from germ phobia wash their hands so often and with such vigor their skin becomes red, cracked and bleeding. The most severely afflicted are unable to work if their jobs place them in contact with other people. "This is not a joyful process for the person who is going through it,'' Young said. Unlike many behavioral disorders, germ phobia is not linked to age, gender, genetics or traumatic experiences, she said. Although the triggers are unclear, there are effective treatments. The most common are anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants, frequently used in conjunction with cognitive therapy. The majority of people who are chronic hand-washers don't require intervention, Young noted. Many are like Baldwin, who pays close attention to news reports about unusual diseases. Critics say simple soap and water effectively kills most germs on skin – and that a healthy human body is actually teeming with bacteria. The Food and Drug Administration, which approves antibacterial washes, notes they don't kill more germs than soap, but they do keep germs from reappearing on the skin longer. The FDA also says there is no proven validity to the theory that prolonged use of antibacterial agents helps to produce super-resistant strains of bacteria. Although an intact skin remains the best defense against germs, Donahue noted there are numerous occasions throughout the day when hand-washing is a healthy idea – after using the bathroom, throughout the preparation of meals and after playing with pets. We also can expect the battle against bacteria to generate even more hygiene products in the future. Donahue said the most successful new offerings come in portable, pocket-sized packages so people can carry them anywhere – as does tycoon Donald Trump, who reportedly cleans his hands after each round of hand-shaking. Donahue suspects Trump is only one high-profile face in a very large crowd. |
