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What Is Mysophobia

Mysophobia is an extreme, irrational fear of germs, dirt, or contamination. It involves behaviors like excessive handwashing and avoiding places perceived to contain germs in order to reduce anxiety. While normal to be concerned about hygiene, mysophobia disrupts daily life. It is often linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder and may be caused by genetics, trauma, or OCD. Treatment involves cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy to help manage symptoms and reduce fears over time.

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Jessie Pasian Jr.
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283 views6 pages

What Is Mysophobia

Mysophobia is an extreme, irrational fear of germs, dirt, or contamination. It involves behaviors like excessive handwashing and avoiding places perceived to contain germs in order to reduce anxiety. While normal to be concerned about hygiene, mysophobia disrupts daily life. It is often linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder and may be caused by genetics, trauma, or OCD. Treatment involves cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy to help manage symptoms and reduce fears over time.

Uploaded by

Jessie Pasian Jr.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What Is Mysophobia?

Mysophobia is a type of phobia that centers on an extreme and irrational


fear of germs, dirt, or contamination. It is normal and prudent to be
concerned about issues such as cross-contamination of foods, exposure to
the bodily fluids of others, and maintaining good hygiene. However, if you
have mysophobia, these normal concerns become overblown and disruptive
to everyday life.

The condition is also known by other names including:

 Germophobia
 Bacillophobia
 Bacteriophobia
 Verminophobia

The phobia is often linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but


people who don't have OCD can have it as well. The phobia is believed to be
fairly common and can affect people from all walks of life.

This article discusses the symptoms, diagnosis, causes, and treatments for
mysophobia, It also covers some of the things that you can do to cope with
this type of phobia.

Symptoms
Common symptoms of mysophobia include behaviors that are used to avoid
exposure to germs or contamination. These symptoms may include:

 Avoiding places that are thought to contain a lot of germs or dirt


 Extreme fear of becoming contaminated
 Excessive hand washing
 Obsessing over cleanliness
 Overusing cleaning or sanitizing products

If you have mysophobia, you may experience certain symptoms when you
are exposed to dirt or bacteria. Such symptoms can include:

 Crying
 Heart palpitations
 Shaking
 Sweating
These symptoms may occur only when the object of your phobia is visible,
as is the case when digging in a garden, or when you believe that germ
contact may have occurred, such as when shaking hands with someone or
using a doorknob.

You may take multiple showers each day. You might carry and use hand
sanitizer frequently. You may be unwilling to use public restrooms, share
food, or take public transportation.

Recap

Mysophobia can lead to a number of behavioral and emotional symptoms


such as avoidance, anxiety, and physiological signs of fear and panic.

Diagnosis
It is important to note that mysophobia is not recognized as a distinct
condition in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-
5). Instead, it would be considered a specific phobia if the symptoms meet a
specific set of diagnostic criteria.

To be diagnosed with a specific phobia, symptoms must lead to: 1

 Avoidance or extreme distress 


 Immediate anxiety response
 Unreasonable or excessive fear

Additionally, these symptoms must affect a person's ability to function


normally in different areas of their life. The symptoms must not be caused
by another mental disorder and the symptoms need to be present for six
months or longer.

If you or a loved one are struggling with mysophobia, contact the Substance


Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National
Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment
facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.

 Learn How Specific Phobias Are Diagnosed

Complications
Because people with mysophobia fear germs carried by others, the condition
can lead people to avoid social situations. You might avoid expected
gatherings such as work parties, holiday get-togethers, and meetings. When
you do participate, you may find yourself avoiding physical contact and
sanitizing your hands more frequently.

Over time, these behaviors can lead to isolation. Your friends and relatives
might not understand, and they could perceive you as hostile or even
paranoid. You could develop social phobia, in which you begin to fear contact
with others.

 How to Overcome a Fear of Social Situations

Causes
The exact causes of mysophobia are not entirely clear, although a number of
different factors are believed to play a role. Some things that can increase
the risk of developing a phobia such as mysophobia include:

 A family history of anxiety, depression, or other phobias 2


 Experiencing a traumatic event that causes a person to become overly
focused on germs, dirt, or contamination
 Having obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Some people believe that the increased availability and use of products such
as hand sanitizer and other cleaning products may also play a role in causing
mysophobia.3

Mysophobia and OCD


Mysophobia is thought to be related to obsessive-compulsive disorder
(OCD). OCD obsessions are repeated, persistent, and unwanted urges or
images that cause distress or anxiety. These obsessions may intrude when
you're trying to think of or do other things.

Obsessions often have themes, such as:

 A fear of contamination
 A need to have things orderly and symmetrical
 Aggressive or horrific thoughts about harming yourself or others
 Unwanted thoughts, including aggression, or sexual or religious
subjects
One of the most common symptoms of mysophobia is frequent hand
washing, which is also a common symptom of OCD. However, the motivation
for handwashing is different.

Mysophobia vs. OCD

People with OCD are compelled to relieve the distress they experience as a
result of the non-completion of the act itself, while people with mysophobia
are compelled to complete the act specifically to remove germs. The
difference is subtle, and many people experience both conditions, so it is
important to see a mental health professional for an accurate diagnosis.

 The Difference Between Disorder and Normal Anxiety

Treatment
Fortunately, mysophobia can be successfully managed. It is important to
visit a mental health professional as soon as possible since the condition
tends to worsen over time. Treatments that your therapist may recommend
include medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two.

Medication
Medications are not usually prescribed on their own to address specific
phobias such as mysophobia. However, sometimes medications may be
prescribed to help manage some symptoms or to treat co-occurring mental
health conditions. Medications are most effective when they are used in
combination with psychotherapy.

Psychotherapy
Depending on your therapist’s orientation, you may be encouraged to
explore the root of the phobia, or you may simply be taught how to manage
the symptoms.

There are a number of types of therapy that can be used to help treat
phobias, but two of the most effective approaches are cognitive behavioral
therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy.

 Cognitive behavioral therapy involves identifying and changing the


negative thought patterns that contribute to the phobia.
 Exposure therapy focuses on gradually and progressively exposing
people to the source of their fear. Over time, people are able to learn
to relax and the fear response begins to lessen. 4

Online therapy may be another option you might want to consider. Online
therapy has been found to be effective in the treatment of a number of
mental health conditions. Studies also suggest that virtual reality exposure
therapy can be just as effective as real-world exposure therapy. 5

 The Best Online Therapy Programs We've tried, tested and written unbiased
reviews of the best online therapy programs including Talkspace, Betterhelp,
and Regain.

Coping
In addition to getting professional treatment, there are other self-help
strategies you can use to help find relief. Some techniques you might want
to try include:

 Deep breathing6
 Getting regular exercise
 Getting enough sleep
 Gradually exposing yourself to your fear
 Lowering caffeine intake
 Meditation
 Mindfulness practices
 Yoga

You may also find it helpful to join a phobia support group where you can
discuss resources and coping strategies with people who have had similar
experiences. Check with local resources to see if there are any groups in
your area or look online for available resources.

A Word From Verywell


Mysophobia can create significant distress and disruption in your life, but it's
important to remember that effective treatments are available. Talking to
your doctor is a good place to start, but you can also practice coping
strategies on your own that will help relieve stress and anxiety.
If you think that you may also have OCD, see your doctor or a mental health
professional for a diagnosis. Getting an accurate diagnosis and appropriate
treatment can help you find relief and improve your overall well-being.

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