Glass doors, glasses, screens, drinking glasses, ATM machines, public countertops, tape, glue, windows, cell phone screens, mirrors, remote controls… what do these all have in common? FEAR.
One of my weirdest fears is using tape at work. How do you use it without leaving fingerprints? You can’t.
I may be the only person on Earth with this fear. I’ve researched it for years. I’ve never committed a crime—my worry isn’t about getting caught. I fear people retrieving my prints and using them for… something. With a Bachelor of Science in Pre-Law/Justice Studies (emphasis in Criminal Justice), I understand fingerprints—but that doesn’t stop my fear.
I admit I have some OCD tendencies. I’ve joked about them here on my blog. But I wasn’t always like this.
It started with trauma. After 17 years of marriage, I divorced. My ex began stalking me—breaking into my home daily, peeking through windows and doors, tampering with light bulbs, leaving knives in the kids’ rooms, hiding a baby monitor under my dresser, unlocking and sawing bolts off windows, going through our laundry, monitoring my calls, and following me everywhere.
One day I came home from lunch to find him crawling across my kitchen floor, window cut open, screen off, blinds down. Scared me to death! I called the police as he climbed out to the backyard. He begged me not to call, pleaded, stripped off surgical gloves, and hid them behind the fence post while he sat on the ground.
When the officer arrived, he cuffed him and pointed out the gloves. I had to swear never to drop the restraining order. The officer told me, “That man would eventually kill you.” Surgical gloves while breaking in? That wasn’t a prank—he planned bodily harm.
Why didn’t I connect this before? I used to love wrapping presents and working with my hands. Fingerprints never bothered me—art is full of fingerprints! But this trauma changed me.
Today, I’m declaring: this phobia is over. Now that I know the cause, I can control it. I refuse to let fear win.
Lord Jesus, give me strength to not allow fear to control me.
2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
Psalm 56:3-4 – “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?”
I, too, have a fear of fingerprints. I will only use a glass once before tossing it in the dishwasher and retrieving a fresh one for a refill. Computer monitors, tape, windows, mirrors, phones, you name it. I have lately developed several ridiculous fears, including climbing stairs. Have you found any other information on the fingerprints thing though? I've been searching without any luck.
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ReplyDeleteHi, I am so glad to find your blog because I too have this ridiculous fear. I don't know what caused it however once i became aware of it so many things from my life made sense like how I always mess my shoes up because I cant walk straight because i can't let my toes touch the ground for fear of leaving prints. I am at my wits end on what to do, I know it's quite irrational however I can't seem to stop. I have never been in trouble with the law and I remember having this since the 3rd grade. If you have any tips on how to cope with it i will be beyond grateful as it screws with my life as Im a weightress and my job is beyond hard because i need to always wear gloves and even so I can't use my fingertips. I need some help in this area so please get back to me!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have that too i can't resist leaving my finger prints then wiping them of, the tip of my fingers hurts when i leave fingerprints behind i can't even type without my finger looking wierd my friend won't even believe me she just said"your just making excuses!just STOP that"and every time she keeps making me leave finger prints ●﹏●
ReplyDeletehey, im pretty sure you’re not alone and im really sorry for what youre experiencing, i hope you’re doing great now after like 12 years of publishing this blog.
ReplyDeleteim glad that ive found your blog, i really thought that i was the only one experiencing my fear of leaving fingerprints, it just started one day and i dont know how. i dont think that ive had any trauma that causes this kind of ocd to me but yeah it happened. im still in the beginning of it, didnt reach the stage to clean every single thing i touch because im scared of what people are gonna think of me but i just try smearing my fingerprints and wiping it with my hand hoping that it works, i feel like i finally found my people here i’ve always thought that i was alone i love you all💕