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sodaholic2009

- 3 years ago

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Are we turning into a sicker and more germaphobic society?

As we advance in our society, we fear becoming ill more and more. People are so into protecting themselves and their loved ones against illness that they are really making themselves more susceptible? All of these antibacterials meant to kill germs really don't work, they make the survivors stronger. It really defeats the purpose of real soap, which just separates germs and dirt from your skin. People are getting sicker now than they did many years ago, (According to my older relatives) so what do you all think? Best answer gets a cookie!! :)

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I never used to be a germaphobe, but ever since i had a baby, that's all changed. My hands FEEL dirty even if they are not. I was on the subway and mid ride felt that i had to sanitize my hands. I fear letting my son touch other children's toys thinking he'll get sick. One thing I noticed though, is that i didn't get sick at all this winter.

i want a cookie but i don't think i'll have the best asnwer. i think we become more germaphobic the older we get. we need to remember our youth: being on a play yard, playing in the dirt, swapping spit then eating our own buggers. I don't recall an epidemic being alerted to the masses. i'm sure kids all around the world have eaten a bugger or two, without washing their hands first.

It certainly seems so. I'm not sure if we're sicker, but we are more germaphobic.

Incidences of infections by antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria are on the rise, in part because of over prescribing of broad spectrum antibiotics for viral infections (ear infections, common cold), or patients not completing the full prescribed dosage as scheduled. Good handwashing practices (soap and water work very well), covering one's mouth with a tissue or crook of the elbow when coughing or sneezing, and avoiding touching membranes of the face after touching things used by the general public are the first line of defense in combating colds and flu. The increase of MRSA should be of concern as it is showing up in hospitals, schools and public gyms; these places should be cleaned daily with antibacterials, however, using these at home are not really necessary. As for people getting sicker now than they did years ago, we must take into consideration enlarging populations, an increase in travel, businesses, daycares, schools and other public venues; but given that, we also have better access to health care, recorded statistics, diagnostics and technology which may make it seem so. Continue to wash your hands with soap and water and carry a little bottle of hand sanitizer for times when soap and water are not available. At home, wipe down the counters and sinks with vinegar and hot water.

I think that your relatives are getting older and this is why they are getting sicker. After 35- it seems that a lot of illnesses start, the body gets worn down more and more, etc. When I was 20- I never thought of death. When I turned 45, a lot of people had already died! You just think about illness ( and the fear of it) more when you get older. But actually the human race as a whole is not getting sicker - but living longer. And those people who fear becoming ill are probably expressing some sort of deeper, hidden fears.

I think throughout the ages people have had an obsession with the body, especially when a body becomes ill. If you look back on medical history, the world has always had it's fads for curing what ails you. Some examples of these are the usage of tonics, trepanning, attaching leeches to the skin. Some treatments have even led to death, or in the case of trepanning, a state worse than death. I think that part of the reason everyone gets sick all the time isn't due to an overuse of antibacterial creams, but because of the overly large amounts of stress placed on people in society. We are technologically advanced and stressed because we expect ourselves to be able to adapt to an environment that demands multitasking and quick hands. When we get stressed it lowers our immune systems leading to illness. Not to mention that we all live much closer together than people did in the past, and people are constantly moving and traveling from place to place. This allows for the spread of pathogens much more easily--and in these situations antibacterials probably actually help more than hinder. But, of course, overusing is a bad idea and leads to more adaptive bugs. So I think we all need to find our happy place and leave the antibacterials at home sometimes.

@sodaholic2009 Nashville, Tennessee

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Are we turning into a sicker and more germaphobic society?

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Are we turning into a sicker and more germaphobic society?

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