My finger presses into the moist, squishy object only long enough for my nerve receptors to send the message, "It's gross! Several factors are believed to contribute to the development of a phobia. In fact, if a persons thoughts or behaviors can be explained by OCD, its not considered a specific phobia. She received her MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University in 2011. Depending on their age, they may experience additional symptoms, such as: Sometimes a fear of germs can lead to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Your Boss Has a Crush on You Signs to Watch Out For! Learn about the symptoms, causes, and how to get help. My eyes, confused, accept the image, however out of place, and send their best guess up to my over-worked brain. Archived post. Menu This article was co-authored by Trudi Griffin, LPC, MS. Trudi Griffin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Wisconsin specializing in Addictions and Mental Health. Life lessons from a germaphobe living amongst dirty people. Someone who has germaphobia might go to extreme lengths to avoid contamination. The key difference is that people with germaphobia clean in an effort to reduce germs, while people with OCD clean (aka engage in the ritual behavior) to reduce their anxiety. Like other phobias, germaphobia often begins between childhood and young adulthood. People with high functioning OCD can have successful professional and personal lives, despite intrusive thoughts. Staring down at my bare shoulder, looking at the infected skin my sick boss touched after sneezing into her hand, I have all of these wishesand then,I remember that I chose to be a waitress, in spite of my food-focused mental maladies, and sigh. American Psychiatric Association. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. CDC guidelines recommend washing: More frequently if someone in your home is sick. But she may be hiding her rituals. "A man who sees his wife cleaning the house three or four hours a day may at first think he's got the world's greatest wife," says Guardino. As a germophobe, the fear of contracting diseases is greater than my need for sex. Here are some things you may go through when you are dating a germaphobe. It identifies and helps change self-destructive or unhealthy. Help on rooming with a germaphobe? I was gone. I step in something, sort of slipping on it, and reach down to check if it's something I've dropped. In fact, in an informal survey conducted by the Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation, OCD patients said they liked the character, who triumphs even when his condition interferes with his ability to do his work. her dorm room is spotless and incredibly organized and she has a stack of cleaning . But germ worries might be a sign of something more serious when they start to interfere with your ability to work, study, or socialize. The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment.
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