Importance of overall cleanliness

[G-spec]

Just wanna talk about something most guys don't really pay much attention too, since we're men and always doing something that either ends in a full body sweat or dirty hands, most of the time a combination of the two.
This totally goes for females as well, but you know us guys, we get dirty like nobody's business

Start off explaining by using a perfect example, which is my situation, I was just an every day guy doing every day guy stuff....
I would get the common sicknesses we all get generally few times a year seasonally as well, flu, cold, stomach, etc.... always thought it was normal as most people go through this yearly, and nothing could be done about it, especially since I've always been a fairly cleanly person so I never thought the amount of time I spent on hygiene had anything to do with my getting sick constantly.

But I was wrong.... I have always had a mild case of OCD (obsessive compulsory disorder) not a crazy case of it but pretty intrusive, I've had a tick I've been doing with my mouth where I make clicking noises sometimes when I'm thinking and that's been with me long as I can remember, among other things as well that OCD brings a person. But in any case, about 3 years ago my OCD kicked into high gear and I started being more attentive to almost everything. I'm not gonna list all the things I started doing but it resulted in things like my place of living always being spotless and super clean, always fresh air running through the apt, surfaces disinfected weekly etc....
But the biggest difference as far as hygiene, because like I said I always had good hygienic habits, lots of showers lots of brushing teeth, etc...
but anyway, THE biggest difference within the last 3 years has been my hand washing methods. Before I would wash my hands like any normal person, after they would get dirty, whether it's from eating or from going to the bathroom. But in these last 3 years, I have been washing my hands I personally would like to say borderline obsessively, but to most people it would look to be obsessively. I keep a big jug of anti bacterial gel in my car and with me everywhere I go, I wash my hands after the smallest of uses, and not just the hands, but I typically go all the way up to the elbow. I have been known to annoy my friends I throw them off because I prefer a fist bump now over the cool slap handshake we've all been doing since elementary school, lol

The other changes in my behaviour since my OCD kicked in and I started noticing and doing more things, they have been minor compared to this one single hand washing issue. So what I'm trying to say is I have not been sick in 3 years, literally 3 fucking years I haven't had a cold, a flu, or any of the common sicknesses one usually has. The only thing that changed is I finally started having allergies for the first time in my life last spring, and they came this spring as well, I do not know if these things are related, if they are I don't see how.....

But yea I guess the title of this thread may as well have been importance of hand washing, because I don't feel like this 3 year stretch is a fluke considering it started at the same time I went a little whacko with hygiene, I really do think that borderline obsessive hand washing was not the only, but the main reason I have been healthy these past 3 years.

I wanted to hear some feedback see what your guys habits are when it comes to this, because I used to think washing my hands regularly was good enough, now I feel that it isn't. What r your guys' experiences and habits when it comes to this seemingly everyday common thing we do but not really think much about

[Okami]

I have a friend who is an obsessive hand washer. Apparently it was party due to some bad experience with something dirty on her bed. After she got rid of her bed it has gotten a little better, but she still has some left over habits.

Maybe you are scared of being sick?

As for me I am rarely sick, in an entire year I'll have maybe 1-2 running nose days that start in the evening and are gone by the next morning.

I'm probably considered borderline gross too. I work in healthcare environments (hospitals, pharmacies) and I rarely wash my hands even before eating because I forget. I eat leftovers out of the fridge without reheating..