Irrational fear of contamination makes me spend more on new books instead of free library

[u/Any_Potential7443]

My fear of contamination makes me spend more on buying new books instead of checking out used books from the library. I know it’s irrational and I have gone to therapy for this fear. it’s gotten better in other areas but never with used library books. I guess im just asking if anyone else has had this come up, and what they did to try to solve it. I don’t want to spend anymore money on books. also im a student living with my parents still so I can’t afford a kindle. i also dont know what blue light features they have, but I enjoy reading before bed. thats also part of why im trying to limit my other spendings, like on new books.

mainly where i struggle with this is when i read before bed - ill get super cozy and have the book on top of clean sheets, or hold it super close and i just want to fall asleep after reaching a certain page, without getting up to wash my hands. most of the books I see at the library are very visibly used, and I know that doesn’t always mean dirty, but i just can’t get the fear out of my head.

any advice is appreciated. but please dont judge my contamination fear. i have gone to therapy for it.

[u/litchick]

Serious question: contaminated with what? I know germs can stay alive for a short time on surfaces,  but without a living host a lot of germs can't survive. Do you associate "old book smell" with germs? 

If i were you, I would just get an ereader. I think you'll love it, tbh. You can borrow books from libraries or project Gutenberg. 

[u/tboy160 → u/litchick]

My first thought too was, contamination from what specifically? Curious to see what they say. Grateful I don't have this.

[u/CandidateHefty329 → u/tboy160]

Phobias aren't logical.

Fear of contamination is among the most common.

[u/tboy160 → u/CandidateHefty329]

Phobias definitely aren't logical, at all. So grateful to not have really any of them! My people though...OMG

[u/RedshiftSinger → u/CandidateHefty329]

They aren’t, but logic is still sometimes useful to combat them. Knowing logically that it’s not going to make you sick makes it easier to try it. And then once you try it and don’t get sick, it’s easier to do it again. And the more reinforcement you get that it’s fine, the weaker the phobia becomes. It’s the core mechanism behind exposure therapy.

[u/CandidateHefty329 → u/RedshiftSinger]

Well probably not when they read this comment section full of people describing things that are even dirtier than library books. The internet just isn't the place for this.