Am I being paranoid?

Today I went into the kitchen when my mum was cooking some chicken and I used the tap while I was in there, and when I went back upstairs I went to take some medication but I forgot to wash my hands before like I usually do and then I realised that I had touched the tap that my mum might have touched to wash her hands after handling the raw chicken!!

Now I'm absolutely terrified I'm going to get sick, I have a vomiting phobia and now I won't be able to sleep for days, how easy is it to get food poisoning from surfaces? Is it mainly from eating contaminated food? Is there anything I can do to stop myself from getting sick?

Please help :frown:

Reply 1

Anonymous #1

Please someone help I'm really scared :'(

Reply 2

PossiblyNotGod

You would only get lightly sick if at all given you didn't directly eat raw meat assuming you don't already have an illness making your immune system weaker.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 3

Anno007

It's a good thing you came to the studentroom to ask. We are all experts on this very matter.

You'll find out in the morning, or at most in the next day or two.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 4

Anonymous #1

I read that symptoms can appear after as long as 5 days in the case of campylobacter...

Reply 5

Anonymous #1

Even if I picked up my pill with my (maybe contaminated) fingers and put it in my mouth? I'm fairly sure you can get it that way.

Reply 6

the bear

you would need to insert your hand in the chicken for several minutes to get enough germs... you should be fine.

Reply 7

Jenx301

I think that you should maybe look for support with your anxiety perhaps

Reply 8

Bananapeeler

Nope, you're totally fine. Theres an incredibly low possibility that your mom touched the tap, you touched the same part of the tap, and the few bacteria being transferred to your mouth and into your digestive system. In this (rare) case, you'd still have no problems given the fact that a high concentration of bacteria is needed to cause poisoning, since most are killed by the acidity in your stomach and small intestine.

Also that's a pretty irrational and extreme phobia - i agree with Jen, treat your anxiety, not the non existent salmonella poisoning

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 9

Anonymous #1

Original post by Jenx301

I think that you should maybe look for support with your anxiety perhaps

Luckily I'll be starting therapy very soon :smile:

Reply 10

grxce_

You'll be fine. If getting sick was that easy then I'd probably be sick everyday xD.

Reply 11

Jenx301

Original post by Anonymous

Luckily I'll be starting therapy very soon :smile:

That's good - hope you start feeling better soon.

Reply 12

cookie123456789

You will be fine. Your just overreacting.

Reply 13

Anonymous #1

Thanks for the replies, it's just so hard to stop thinking like this when it's so normal to me now :/ not sure if I'll sleep tonight but I'll try.

Reply 14

Kindred

Original post by Anonymous

Thanks for the replies, it's just so hard to stop thinking like this when it's so normal to me now :/ not sure if I'll sleep tonight but I'll try.

Hi there. I know your thread wasn't about this but I just wanted to say that you're taking a big step getting therapy for your issues and you should be proud of yourself.
Try to remember that it is just the anxiety making you think this and although there is always a chance you will get ill you don't need to worry about it all the time. Instead of trying to logic yourself out of it try just accepting that there is a possibility but it is unlikely. Tell yourself that worrying about it will not stop it or make it any better so it's best just to sit back and continue as normal unless something happens.
If you're anything like me when I had OCD trying to apply logic just won't work. Anytime you find evidence that you will be okay you'll just end up thinking up more for why you won't or latching onto some crazy theory instead of the obvious stuff.
When you worry like this try to just tell yourself it's your anxiety and then do someting else. Maybe breathing exercises, maybe listen to music or watch tv, maybe go for a jog. See if you can find a way to get it off your mind for a bit. It won't work all the time but hopefully it can give you some peace.

I hope therapy is helpful for you and goo luck with everything. Therapy did help me a lot :smile:

Reply 15

Anonymous #1

Original post by Kindred

Thank you for this :smile:

I think it's been a problem on a low level for some time but it hasn't really affected my life too much up until last year when I started getting panic attacks, now I feel anxious a lot of the time especially if I'm out in public. I'm still thinking about what happened yesterday and I'm freaking out more now since I found out I have to go out at the weekend and all I can think of is WHAT IF I'M SICK WHEN I'M OUT, applying logic doesn't work in my case either!