Am I being irrational? Hairdressers water bottle germs

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Sorry, this is going to sound really weird. But I'm due to get my hair dry cut today and I've just started worrying about the water in the bottle they will spray my hair with. Hairdressers have been closed for months and have only recently reopened, so I'm worried that they may not have thought to empty the water in the bottle. Stagnant water is a breeding ground for germs, so I'm stressing about about inhaling it/ it causing a skin infection (I already have broken skin on my ear). Also, I think they do most cuts wet, so they probably haven't used the spray much since reopening (I can't have my hair washed there due to a bad neck).

Am I being completely irrational or does this make sense? Hard to tell sometimes 😂 Thanks!

[hlvd]

You're being irrational, the hairdressers will be just as fearful in catching Covid from yourself and will have done everything to minimise risk.

[Lencoboy]

Surely they must have changed the water in their bottles by now, as it's been a fortnight and 2 days since all hairdressers reopened, along with many other non-essential places.

[BlueIris]

All hairdressers are trained in basic salon hygiene, it's one of the first things they learn.

[Lucinda07]

Hairdressers are taking even more care since reopening. Hygiene & keeping themselves & customers safe is a priority.

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Thanks everyone 😊 You are, of course, right. I try to tell myself all of these points, but the internal conversation goes a little something like this:

"What if the salon isn't clean after all this time?"
"Of course it's clean - salons know how to keep things hygienic"
"True... But what if they haven't thought about the water bottles?"
"Of course they have, don't be silly."
"OK. But..."

And so it continues 😂

[Carys]

Can I be honest ? It was only a short while ago that you found out that you don't have breast cancer (I just posted on that thread a short while ago), that you thought you had, and already you are posting with fear about tap water that might have been sitting in a spray bottle. Can you see how unhealthy this is ? You should cut it off in the bud before it even gets that far that you are asking for reassurance - tell yourself you are being quite 'silly'. Nothing dangerous is going to grow in a bottle of tap water thats been sat around for weeks anyway, someone will probably come and tell me otherwise - I know its not sterile to start with but its in a closed bottle and treated water.

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Hi Carys. Thanks for your honesty. I actually thought it was obvious that I was aware that this isn't a "healthy" way to think. Generalised/ health anxiety is a disorder, so, no, I'm not exactly healthy in that respect. Believe me, I would love to "cut it off in the bud" before it begins, but that's the nature of anxiety - it's not always rational. However, sometimes anxiety is rational, which is why it exists and why we experience it at all. The trouble I often have is knowing whether or not a fear I am fixated on is indeed a real threat, or if, due to an anxiety disorder, I am merely perceiving something harmless as a threat. In this instance, I was aware that my fear may not be rational, yet I was struggling to believe myself. So, instead of allowing those thoughts to take over, I came here to ask for the opinion of others.

In terms of the breast cancer fear I had recently, that wasn't simply due to, say, an article I had read and therefore decided I must have that illness (which is something I have done with other illness is the past, e.g. simple solitary headache = brain tumour). I had real, palpable, symptoms which, according to doctors, required investigation. It was scary and I think that fear was rational. However, the level of fear I experienced, to the point where it became obsessive, was not rational. Living with a mental health disorder is tough and sometime a little support from others can really help when we're our least "healthy"

[Fishmanpa]

Believe me, I would love to "cut it off in the bud" before it begins, but that's the nature of anxiety - it's not always rational.

With all due respect, that's just an excuse. You KNOW it's irrational and the proof is in the first line of your post... "Sorry, this is going to sound really weird."

I get that it can get out of hand as it was when you were awaiting test results. Heck, even for a person that doesn't have anxiety, that's stressful, but this? Again, with respect, this is just pure and simple reassurance seeking and you could have slapped the dragon upside the head on your own with this one

Positive thoughts

[Carys]

Living with a mental health disorder is tough and sometime a little support from others can really help when we're our least "healthy"

Indeed, and you had an awful lot of support on that last thread which only ended this morning. Sometimes telling people that they are in a repetitive state, and reminding them is the most helpful. Do remember that you attended 2 appointments for your breast issue, that both told you the same thing - so I would personally say that you did continue to seek reassurance then beyond what was truthfully needed.

'Sorry this is going to sound really weird' does mean you are aware that it isn't a normal thing to ask, or worry about, which would indicate to me that you have awareness and could have battled the thought and eventually won over it without asking people. I know the nature of anxiety in all its tricks and forms incredibly well, I know how it works, but after years struggling (and being hospitalised a few times) with HA and GA, I've now had decades free of it. It can be done.

I hear what you are saying about not knowing what is a threat and what isn't, but the clue is in the fact that you used the words above 'sound really weird' and 'am I being irrational'. I think those show that you did, in your heart know it was irrational. The key is when your brain fights back with the negative, you keep plugging away at it, over and over, don't give up and fully commit to the fact that your reassurance is correct. Keep adding in more and more reasons why there is no reason to be concerned - e.g. have you heard of anybody being ill after being sprayed with water from the hairdresser ? No Would anybody else be worrying about this, would it even occur to them ? No Are hairdressers likely to not consider the health and safety of their customers ? No It could be a massive list. You could have actually then exposed yourself to the water on your visit ,after reasurring yourself - sometimes its uncomfortable, yes, and very hard, but you would now be feeling fine after the appointment and have fought through it.