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Animal Phobias

Germaphobia – Fear of Germs

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This Post May Kill up to 99 Percent of Germ Fears

While we all have fears, phobias tend to be more excessive or unreasonable than standard fears. In the case of germaphobia, the anxiety and distress caused by the fear of germs are disproportionate to the damage germs are likely to produce. Still, an individual who exhibits the fear of germs will probably go to extreme lengths to prevent contamination.

Do you find that the anxiety and stress related to your fear of germs and getting sick are controlling your life? Do you fret about touching surfaces used by the general public? Does your fear extend to the fear of touching others or panicking when someone gets too close?

Germaphobia is a highly disabling fear which can make it almost impossible to live an ordinary life. If you’re experiencing germaohobia symptoms such as severe fear of contamination and fixation with cleanliness, daily living can be difficult. That’s not to say there isn’t hope.

Thankfully, numerous effective forms of germaphobia treatment exist, some of which are grounded in therapy. The objective of treating germaphobia is to help sufferers become more comfortable with germs, thus enhancing their quality of life. Treatment approaches for this phobia involve a combination of medication, therapy, and self-help measures. Nevertheless, the initial step towards handling the phobia is to identify why you have it.

Psychologists use the term germaphobia to explain a pathological fear of bacteria, germs, contamination, microbes, and infection. A range of other terms such as bacillophobia, mysophobia, and verminophobia give germaphobia meaning. The problems related to this phobia have a close relationship to OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Persons with OCD often have contamination fears and related decontamination rituals, such as compulsive handwashing, cleaning and washing compulsions, and avoidance of possible contaminants.

Germaphobes also typically have cleaning and washing compulsions and avoid possible contaminants. Decontamination compulsions tend to consume their lives. Time-consuming and excessive cleaning, ritualized bathing and showering to eliminate perceived germs and dirt, extreme grooming, toothbrushing, and continuously focusing on evaluating infection threat take their toll.

Persistent washing could lead to red, cracked, dry, or irritated skin as well as discomfort and skin lesions, which are susceptible to infection and bleeding. Avoidance practice may involve the excessive use of antibacterial creams, hand sanitizers, or avoidance of handshakes. The individual may also steer clear of certain supermarket aisles, hospitals, or doctors’ offices. The combination could have a detrimental impact on one’s health, work, and social life.

Symptoms of Germaphobia

Psychological

  • Intense fear or terror of germs
  • Worries, anxiety, and nervousness associated with germ exposure
  • Thoughts of exposure leading to an illness
  • The feeling of powerlessness to control a phobia that you recognize as extreme or unreasonable
  • Attempting to distract yourself from thoughts regarding germs or circumstances that entail germs
  • Leaving or avoiding circumstances perceived to lead to germ exposure
  • Trouble functioning at work, home, or school due to fear of germs OCD.
  • Spending a considerable amount of time preparing for, thinking about, or postponing situations that might entail germs

Physical

  • Chills or sweating
  • Light-headedness
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Tingling
  • Chest pain or tightness
  • Headache
  • Restlessness

Gradually, sufferers might impose numerous limitations upon themselves, for instance, declining to touch doorknobs or shake hands.

 

Self-Help

Some home remedies and lifestyle changes might help alleviate your fear of germs. They include:

Educate Yourself

One challenge of overcoming this phobia is learning to change the irrational thoughts you have regarding contamination and germs. Watching videos or reading about how bacteria forms a natural part of your environment and body can help you manage worry and fear. Moreover, education can give you a feeling of general hygiene prerequisites so that you can assess your behaviors with what a doctor might recommend.

Find Support

Millions suffer from a particular phobia, so take some time to establish the support that’s available in your community. Online and in-person support groups can be encouraging in the lives of those who desire to manage their anxiety concerning germs. Also, don’t feel embarrassed to inform family and friends regarding your phobia and how they can offer support during treatment.

Recruit an Expert

It’s hard to conquer a phobia without professional help. Talk to a mental health expert or your physician about the medications or therapy approaches that could help you with anxiety management and decrease obsessive behaviors that hinder your life.

It might be necessary to undergo further assessment to establish whether you have OCD or a different anxiety disorder. Don’t hesitate to seek a referral to someone with expertise. Other self-help measures include:

  • Apply relaxation techniques, for instance, yoga or deep breathing
  • Obtain sufficient sleep
  • Healthy eating
  • Practice meditation or mindfulness to target anxiety
  • Confront feared circumstances when possible

 

Professional Help

The treatment for this phobia frequently entails a combination of medications and therapy. However, therapy is typically the initial action course. Professional strategies include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

This form of therapy uses three major treatments: cognitive restructuring, exposure therapy, and relaxation training, at times in combination and at times individually based on the desires and needs of the client. Each treatment will occur under the supervision and assistance of a therapist.

Exposure Therapy

This form of treatment involves exposing oneself to germs. In this case, germ exposure might be in the form of touching dirt or you might begin with something less challenging such as touching plants planted by someone wearing gloves that touched dirt. With frequent and gradually more intense exposures, you concentrate on calming techniques and are discouraged from washing your hands. In so doing, you form the capacity to be around germs without feeling compelled to disinfect yourself.

Relaxation Training

This technique develops tools for calming the body and mind when confronted with germs. The tools might comprise controlled breathing methods, calming visualization exercises, or mental and physical cues that could trigger a more tranquil mental state. Watching videos or joining a meditation group on how to meditate could help you practice using the tools daily.

Cognitive Restructuring

This treatment seeks to disclose and alter negative convictions and thought patterns which emerge when it comes to the phobia. An instance of this might be the belief that your responses are beyond your control, or that you’re constantly at risk of death because of surrounding germs. To achieve this from the comfort of your home, you might want to question yourself or write about your fears to determine the beliefs you have and then settle on useful or healthy views.

 

How to Avoid Germaphobia

Engage in Activities that Alleviate Anxiety

Journaling, meditating, and exercising are good techniques for anxiety management. Although you might not engage in your favorite league game or go to a yoga studio or gym, various ways exist when it comes to exercising. You could go for a brisk walk or run while sustaining physical distance.

Find a Distraction

Consider building a puzzle, reading a book, or watching a movie. These will help take your mind off the anxiety.

Consider Expert Counseling

Psychotherapy can be extremely helpful throughout periods of extraordinary stress. A qualified third party can help you create goals and offer support as you discover how to handle your struggle.

 

Conclusion

Although germaphobia is a difficult condition to live with, it’s not impossible to find ways of coping with it. With this guide, you can still enjoy life despite the condition.

Stories Submitted by Our Readers

Fear of germs

I’m finally out of school and have 2 roommates. My problem is that when I was a kid I was kind of OCD. I wanted my room spotless and that has followed me into adulthood. It’s not that I’m OCD, I just can’t stand dirty dusty things at all. Seeing or smelling anything that appears dirty freaks me out.
Let me try to explain. If I see something dirty, I can’t use it any more. If my roommates which are dirty to my standards, use the stove and leave things spilled on it, I don’t want to use it. The same goes for everything …dirty dishes, refrigerator, bathroom, etc… Even if I clean it, the way it looked dirty keeps coming to my mind. One roommate was sick and threw up in the bathroom sink, well I have never used that sink again.
Please help me figure out what is wrong with me and where I can get help.
David M. Lowe

I was in middle school and during science class I learned about bacteria. Our teacher explained that everything could have germs and bacteria just lying there for a person to touch and become ill. We learned how bacteria caused all kinds of terrible diseases such as leprosy or Covid. During lunch, one of the boys was picking on us and told us if we got leprosy our noses would just fall off. That scared more than one of us, but I think that was the beginning of my fear.
If I need to use the restroom, I wash my hands very thoroughly, but I’m then afraid to touch the door to leave. I often use my elbow when I can or grab a paper towel to turn the water on and off and grab the handle of the door.
Even in a restaurant, I stay as far away from the table as possible and wipe my silverware with a napkin. But then I worry about the napkin and if the person that placed the napkin on the table might have left bacteria behind. I begin to worry that all the food in front of me could be contaminated with bacteria.
I told my dad about my fear of bacteria and that I worry I might catch leprosy. He just laughs and more or less acts like it’s a joke.
Well, now I’m a grown adult with children of my own. I am not as afraid of germs as I once was, however, the scrubbing of my hands until they are red in some cases, has never stopped.
Lizzy

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Your Fear Goes Up and Down

Are you someone who would rather climb the stairs than take the elevator? You call it squeezing in a workout after being sedentary the whole morning. Or perhaps you claim it's a faster route. These are both typical, normal, and acceptable reasons. But what if you need to be in the conference room on the eleventh floor in five minutes, and you're wearing your business suit and wingtips? Would you still prefer to take the stairs? If your answer is yes, then maybe it's time to take a closer look at your reasons for avoiding elevators. Elevators stir all sorts of emotions in passengers. From the discomfort of closeness to strangers to the sensations in our gut, elevators can be a source of the heebie-jeebies for many, but for some, they can also be a source of terror. Let's dig a little deeper into the latter, and see what this terror is all about and what can be done to manage it. To begin with, does being inside an elevator give you chills or the sweats? Or does it trigger an unpleasant memory? Perhaps you remember movies you've watched where something terrible happens inside an elevator. From Silence of the Lambs, The Shining, Final Destination 2, or the king of all elevator horror films, 2010’s Devil, the elevator becomes witness to something sinister and horrible. And you want nothing to do with any of it. You know that you're not claustrophobic. You can deal with heights just fine, too. And you know that you're not going to be trapped inside. All of these contribute to a fear of elevators—but they don't apply to you. Yet being inside one does something to you. It's hard to explain.

What is the Fear of Elevators Called?

What you have is a fear of elevators, which is called elevatophobia. It is most commonly triggered by an experience of getting stuck inside either due to a power outage or technical maintenance. Hearing about other people's experiences or watching a movie about similar circumstances can prompt a fear of elevators getting stuck with you inside. Usually, claustrophobics and agoraphobics may also develop elevatophobia because the triggers and objects of these fears are related. Claustrophobia is the fear of closed and cramped spaces, while agoraphobia is the fear of being trapped without any means of escape. Put the two together, and the elevator becomes the perfect combination of both phobias. The space is limited and closed, with only one means of entry and exit. You can add another point of access if you consider climbing the cables like they do in the movies, but that certainly isn't ideal.

Symptoms of Elevatophobia

If for some reason an elevator stops due to an outage or some technical difficulty, passengers with elevatophobia may go into full panic mode. Even if the maintenance team advises that it will just be a matter of minutes, by then, the person's mind has become irrational with the fear of the elevator falling, being stuck for hours, or other unpleasant thoughts. You would expect a person to exhibit the following physical symptoms: Additionally, you would be filled with that overwhelming anxiety where you feel that you have zero control over the situation. You start fearing the unknown and are filled with negative thoughts about death and imminent doom. You become irrational and unresponsive.

Possible Complications of Elevatophobia

When the panic sets in, the possibility of emergencies related to pre-existing conditions may make themselves known. This might include serious health crises like heart attacks or asthma attacks. When this happens, fear becomes a medical emergency. Elevator rides do not last long; it's just a matter of minutes or even less. But the fact that a person can escalate from panic to a near fatal medical situation classifies the fear of elevators as a 'hard phobia.'

Trying Some Self-Help Methods

Your fear of elevators can likely interfere with your social and work life and relationships. Not everyone understands that elevatophobia, like most phobias, can be crippling. But don't be disheartened. Depending on the level of your fear and level of control, you can gradually face and manage your phobia. Here are some recommendations you can try:
  1. Make a List of Everything that Entails Riding in an Elevator This is a systematic approach to getting over your anxiety. By following a step-by-step process, you can identify where the fear kicks in at its strongest. You can write a list of steps like pressing the topmost button and waiting to arrive on that floor, watching as the door closes and opens, being alone inside the elevator, or having delays with the doors opening. Now try doing the opposite. For example, face away from the door or occupy yourself with your phone so that you are distracted.
  2. Create Your Fear Ladder Although the name says fear of elevators, it is not the whole process that scares you. There are just phases and parts of the elevator riding experience that cause you to panic. So go back to the list you initially created and label the fear level you feel. You can do it numerically, too, like ten being 'really scary,' six, 'manageable scary,' and one, 'not scary at all.' You can put the corresponding fear levels so you can focus more time and effort into activities that are more scary to you.
  3. Face Your Fear By now, you have identified what scares you the most. You can try repetitive action to minimize your fear and increase your sense of ‘normalcy’. Remember that the longer you expose yourself to your fear, the better you get at handling your emotions. If you are feeling overwhelmed, stop. Pushing yourself too fast and too soon can backfire. Modify your pace and go slower instead.
  4. Talk About Your Fear People by nature, unfortunately, are not quick to offer understanding and support. You need to tell them what's wrong before they can empathize. Talk to someone who you trust and ask for their support, especially in the initial phase of overcoming your fear. If you are too afraid to ride the elevator alone, you can ask them to go with you, and before you realize it, you are on your floor, and there was no indication of panic.
  5. Learn To Be Patient Be patient with yourself and your predicament. This is, after all, your fight against fear. It might take hundreds of elevator ride practices before the fear gets under control. Even then, there might be some hesitations and episodes of nervousness. These are acceptable and expected, so cut yourself some slack and congratulate yourself for every progress.

Seeking Professional Help

Along with self-help, you can always enlist a medical professional's aid to support you with your elevatophobia. Talking to someone who has experience with similar cases can be comforting, because you know that you are not alone, and this situation can get better. Talk to your doctor about the severity of your fears and the symptoms that you experience. Explain how you deal with it in an attempt to control it. An exam and a health history are made to ensure that there are no unrelated or underlying problems that your symptoms might mask. Usually, phobias like this are approached with a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Your doctor will talk about these options with you, and it's entirely up to you, with your doctor's recommendation, what you want to pursue. For psychotherapy, the most common type is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which aims to help you find different ways of behaving, thinking, and reacting when about to step inside an elevator or when already inside it. With medications, there are beta blockers and benzodiazepines, but note that these can have side effects. Whatever these side effects are, you should promptly share it with your doctor.

Simple Tips to Overcome Elevatophobia

Elevators are not perfect, but their likelihood to malfunction, fall, or get stuck is very low. If you are not fully confident with this information, you can help overcome your elevatophobia by learning common elevator safety tips and basic elevator operations. These should help curb your mild fear until you become more self-assured. In addition to that, here are some of the things that you can do to gradually overcome your fear of elevators—both in getting on and riding one.

Conclusion

Yes, elevatophobia can be a challenge in today's world, but don't allow the elevator to win. Don't let it stop you from taking a job on the top floor or attending a social gathering on the rooftop. Sure, you can take the stairs if you insist and arrive winded and sweaty, with the party about to wrap up. But is this the quality of life you seek? Elevators are designed to make life easier. There are guaranteed ways to help you overcome elevatophobia. Take the first step and seek help. Soon, you’ll see yourself breezing through the floors with those arduous stair climbs little more than a memory.
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