# Is touching co-workers OK? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 3, 2019, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-touching-co-workers-ok/833424 "2019-05-03T15:42:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 198
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2019, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-touching-co-workers-ok/833424/198 "2019-05-05T05:31:00Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Ruken did. Twice. > > There are a whole lot of people who don’t want to have other people put their hands on them in board meetings, or poke them to get their attention in movie theaters. This has not been common behavior in any professional setting I’ve ever been in, or for that matter in any movie theater I’ve ever been in. The fact that you are comfortable with it does not mean that you get to impose that on everybody else. > > And I will ask you also to not try diagnosing me. But I think it’s possible I know what the problem might be here. I think this whole thing was probably set off by my post quoted below:… > So if what you are thinking is that I sit in meetings afraid all the time that somebody’s going to touch me, or even that I’m afraid if somebody pokes me – no, despite your and Ruken’s attempts at longdistance diagnosis, I’m not worrying about it all the time. (As I said, in my experience this is quite rare behavior.) And if it does happen it doesn’t make me afraid. It makes me annoyed. And the unwanted touch is far more disruptive to my concentration – during the time when it’s actually happening – than speaking to me. > > But if what you are saying is that everyone who objects to others’ claiming the right to touch them at any moment for any reason is so abnormal as a human being that it’s right and proper for others to assume that they can touch anybody at any moment except for a few weird people who are just being unreasonable – no. You are just plain wrong about that… Mild phobias are nothing to seek medical care over. Yes, indeed if you symptoms arose to those kinds of things you mentioned, then maybe some counseling. But as you said they dont. But it’s still a mild form of haphephobia. Just like I have a mild form of Acrophobia in that i dont feel comfortable in high places without a window or guardrail or something. A mild phobia is a feeling of “I’d rather not”, not the extreme “run screaming home assume the fetal position and turn the electric blanket up to 11” (actually, a panic attack, which is scary in of itself). _But if what you are saying is that everyone who objects to others’ claiming the right to touch them at any moment for any reason is so abnormal as a human being that it’s right and proper for others to assume that they can touch anybody at any moment except for a few weird people who are just being unreasonable – no._ Not at all. It’s a very mild phobia, and anyone you explain it to should be understanding, considerate and accommodating. _You have every right to object_- and I have said this over and over and over here.They should never do it again, on purpose. All I am asking is that if someone does innocently and normally touch you- that you explain it to them, not run off to HR first- where they will (sadly) think you are a deranged idiot that has to be gotten rid of asap. They will get rid of you to protect their asses and the company. They might also get rid of the guy who innocently touched you, as too many HR dept consider employees (except themself) to be as disposable as used Kleenex. And that’s what you are going up against. Not a dept full of people who sincerely want to help you. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-touching-co-workers-ok/833424)._