Dear Diana, I am a 19-year-old student who is studying medicine. Ironically, I am a hypochondriac.
I feel like I’m always exposed to the danger of falling sick. Furthermore, my girlfriend has broken up with me. She thinks I go overboard with my fixation with health and germs and what not. I don’t know why I am behaving this way. I don’t know what to do with myself. With the amount of time I’m putting into my studies and scaring friends away, I may someday turn out to be a successful, yet a lonely doctor.
— Abruman
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Dear Abruman,
You have a phobia and considering that you are studying medicine, you should know how to overcome it. You belong to those class of people who suffer from an obsessive compulsive disorder. You may be on a washing and cleaning spree as you feel you, your clothes and home may be full of germs. But think of what the others around might think. It is obvious that your girlfriend has dumped you after realising your phobia. You need to slow down and get over your germ fixation. It’s okay to be concerned about personal hygiene and your looks but going overboard about it is scary and proves to be a source of irritation for others.u00a0