High schooler was brushing hair next to me on subway-chances that I could get lice? [Archive]

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scaredpt

15-10-18, 21:49

This girl, it was so gross, was brushing her hair right next to me on the subway. I know lice is more prevalent in schoolchildren so I’m worried that she could’ve given me lice. I made sure not to touch her and stand as far as possible but what are the chances I got live from this?

Fishmanpa

15-10-18, 21:58

what are the chances I got lice from this?

The same chance as dying from a bit of moldy bread or tetanus from a staple scratch or getting HIV from talking to someone with HIV or any of the other fears you've posted about :lac:

Positive thought

MRS STRESS ED

15-10-18, 22:16

ankietyjoe

15-10-18, 22:29

Yes, it's possible.

BikerMatt

15-10-18, 22:33

Even if you do get lice which it's probably 99.99999999% you won't it's easy treated anyway.

scaredpt

15-10-18, 22:43

So is there a high chance?

MRS STRESS ED

15-10-18, 23:00

So is there a high chance?

well yes if the girl had head lice but as l said before your presuming she has and if you did by any chance what's the worse you have to treat your hair come on now its hardly life threatening you will live :D
Best wishes xx

scaredpt

15-10-18, 23:08

I was standing like a foot away though would that protect me?

lofwyr

15-10-18, 23:15

I was standing like a foot away though would that protect me?

The bigger question is why is this a concern big enough to worry you? Lice are really no big deal. There is no way it will kill you.

Of all the things in the world to even be worried about, this one is a nuisance at best. It would like worrying that your house might have ants because you saw an ant outside. An easily solved and very unlikely problem that has no bearing on any real danger.

scaredpt

16-10-18, 00:11

it's a phobia of mine! really stressful and the subway in general is stressful for me.

skymaid

16-10-18, 01:48

I got them in exactly that way so the answer is yes it is possible.

I realise phobias by definition are irrational fears but i'm unsure what is to be feared about head-lice. Without meaning to belittle you.

If you get them wash your hair with that stuff from the chemist, get a nit comb too maybe. Boom, they're gone.

They cause no symptoms because making your head itch and yeah they're gross.

Damn kids.

MyNameIsTerry

16-10-18, 01:56

The bigger question is why is this a concern big enough to worry you? Lice are really no big deal. There is no way it will kill you.

Of all the things in the world to even be worried about, this one is a nuisance at best. It would like worrying that your house might have ants because you saw an ant outside. An easily solved and very unlikely problem that has no bearing on any real danger.

Hence why anxiety disorders are irrational by their nature and outside of HA circles much (most really) of anxiety won't harm you yet it causes the same levels of severity.

But then all those lumps, bumps, bruises, etc never turned out to be cancers either so why worry about them...non HAers would see it the same way as the OP's fear is viewed i.e. it's nothing to be concerned about.

But it's important to challenge irrational thinking, as you are doing here, but it's all as equivalent to the cancer worries in anxiety circles really when viewed from the outside.

This is where the work is needed scaredpt, on why it bothers you so much and changing how you respond to your triggers. Being annoyed by someone brushing their hair onto you is quite reasonable, it's not fully hygienic after all and selfish, but it shouldn't cause you to feel like this. And as lofwyr is saying, whilst it's a possibility it's no more than catching anything else easily treatable. Acceptance is important, no matter how much you try to protect yourself from germs life is about them and living with them but happy is much better than living scared of them.