Fear Of Germs

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43

How to stop being afraid of microbes

#psychologistviktoriakaylin

Cleanliness is the key to health.

But is an overuse of cleanliness always good for you? The answer is no. Sterility is only good in the operating room.

Why is fear of dirt and germs dangerous?

Our body needs to face the real world in order to learn how to fight microbes, without which, alas, our life is impossible. Constant disinfection of premises, endless hand washing, washing once worn clothes and a panic fear of dirt are all signs of painful conditions called phobias. Misophobia (fear of dirt) and germophobia (fear of germs) are not an easy oddity, but a serious illness. People suffering from miso- and germophobia live in constant fear of being infected, and this greatly impairs not only their quality of life, but also affects those around them.

Misophobes are forced to build their behavior in such a way as to avoid unwanted contacts with carriers of "dirt" and "microbes" as much as possible. This definition includes not only people, but also most objects and premises. So such phobias inevitably lead to panic attacks, which, in turn, are accompanied by dizziness, tremors, indigestion and vomiting.

One of the companions of misophobia is OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) - obsessive thoughts and repetitive actions. “Did I wash my hands after I closed the door? Is it thorough enough? I'd better go check it out and wash it again. And so on ad infinitum.

Such patients can wash their hands before bleeding, literally ripping off the skin. They have difficulty communicating and finding work, as public transport is terrifying, not to mention offices, elevators, cafes, restaurants, cinemas and toilets. Against the background of panic attacks, insomnia and, possibly, depression begin. The persistent stress from the fear of touching often excludes any personal and even more intimate contacts, which often leads to complete self-isolation and the inability to build full-fledged social relations.

Most often, misophobes, like everyone suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorders, perfectly understand the irrationality of their fears and reactions, but they cannot do anything about it.

The causes of misophobia

The reasons may include both psychological trauma and negative experiences associated with infectious diseases. Often, children's impressionability and parental attitudes, with their eternal horror stories about microbes and immediate death, make themselves felt if you drink tap water, eat an unwashed apple or touch your face with dirty hands. Contribute to the development of phobias and the media, whipping up the atmosphere with news bulletins during a pandemic. Even advertising a toilet cleaner with adorable cartoon microbes planning to take over your bathroom can ruin the life of a suggestion-minded person.

There is also an emotional side that is characteristic of people striving for perfection and, figuratively speaking, who want to "get out of the mud." For them, a logical connection is obvious, where dirt is associated exclusively with poverty, and cleanliness is not so much a sign of health as an attribute of a successful life, prosperity and success.

How to stop being afraid of germs

Most of these phobias can be managed with cognitive behavioral therapy. There is also the Schwartz "4 steps" technique, which allows you to overcome the obsessive state in several stages:

Step 1. Change of name.

Step 2. Changing attitudes towards obsessive thoughts. Decreasing their importance.

Step 3. Refocusing.

Step 4. Revaluation.

It is very important to realize that this behavior is not caused by a real threat to life, but by a phantom fear of getting sick. Speaking out your fears, imagining the worst outcome and the worst possible scenario, you can understand what exactly is hidden behind the misophobia. Perhaps this is the existential fear of death, or perhaps the erased memories from a horror movie, glimpsed in childhood. In any case, it is advisable to find the root cause (and psychotherapy will help with this) - be it a parental attitude or a bad first experience in love.

The next step is to learn how to be distracted and change thoughts to more positive ones. For example, to convince myself that "I am washing my sink not for fear of getting sick, but because I like the shine of clean tiles." Our thoughts and our actions are interconnected. Sometimes it is enough to change your posture to a more relaxed or confident one to feel better.

And, of course, it is useful to look at yourself from the outside and ask whether it is comfortable to live in bondage to such a habit. If the answer is “no,” there are nowadays enough techniques and techniques to combat misophobia, in addition to medication. Yoga, breathing and meditation practices, proper nutrition and walking - all this will help in the struggle to return to normal life.