Do you or someone you know have germaphobia, which is the fear of germs? Are you unsure how you can help yourself or someone you know that has germaphobia? To help understand where germaphobia stems from and for tips on how to overcome germaphobia, I have interviewed therapist John Silvestre MS, LCSW.
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
“I have private practice in Manhattan and Westchester. I specialized in Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders . He earned a Licenciateship in Clinical Psychology from Lisbon University and a Masters in Science in Clinical Social Work from Columbia University . I have coauthored articles on the treatment of Anxiety Disorders in professional journals as well as a book chapter entitled: “Behavioral Treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorders .
Where does germaphobia stem from?
“Germaphobia is an exaggerated fear of contamination by germs, usually it is associated with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder . As such, fear of contamination is characterized by intrusive thoughts of contamination and catastrophic consequences such as illness or death. These anxiety provoking thoughts about germ contamination lead to excessive measures to get rid of this anxiety by compulsive washing, disinfecting or avoidance. Some germaphobia examples are entering medical offices or coming in contact, even if remote, with bodily secretions such as saliva, sweat, feces, sperm or urine. Someone that has germaphobia may avoid social situations such as use of public bathrooms, medical procedures, being intimate with a spouse, eating in restaurants, staying in hotels and traveling by airplanes. Germaphobia tends to be a subtype of OCD and like other OCD subtypes (checkers, repeaters, pure obsessionals, etc) it is thought to be a neurobehavioral disorder caused by multiple factors. One cause appears to be neurochemical. The imbalance in the brain of neurochemical substances such as serotonin might be involved; another cause might be a communication problem between different brain areas (eg frontal cortex and deeper structures of the brain and the amigdala). Finally another important cause is a behavioral and learning component, lying most importantly in the relationship between the distress caused by thoughts of danger relating to germs and the decrease of anxiety by excessive washing or use of disinfectants such as alcohol and soaps. The repetitive habit of getting rid of the anxiety by avoidance or washing becomes inherently associated with relief and never allows the person to realize that life would go on without the ritual of avoidance or washing.
What are some tips for overcoming germaphobia? Also what type of professional help is available for someone that is having a difficult time overcoming germaphobia?
In order to overcome the excessive fear of germs the person needs to understand that germaphobia is a type of OCD that interferes with the ability to live life fully. Germs exist everywhere and for the most part they even help our immune system. Germ phobia, in part stems from the excessive need to be 100% certain about our safety. However, the person needs to accept that uncertainty is part of life. A person needs to review how this fear of germs interferes with the things that the individual wants to accomplish in life, relationships, and arrive to a reasonable deal.
It is also helpful to identify the excessiveness of your thoughts and label them as hiccups of the brain rather than real concerns ; to test the reality of your fears is also important by observing how others act in the same situations your afraid and to ask yourself what happens to them. Assess the probabilities of getting ill by touching certain surfaces and finally reduce your need for reassurance from others.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the therapy of choice for the treatment of OCD. It includes education about OCD and a technique called Exposure and Response Prevention. This type of therapy focuses on gradually helping the sufferer tolerate coming into contact with objects and surfaces that are thought to have germs (In Vivo exposure) and then gradually the person is taught to tolerate not washing hands (Response Prevention). The way this works is through the neurophysiological mechanism of habituation, meaning that as the person is asked to gradually stay in contact with objects that feel germy for a prolonged period, eventually the distress comes down and the germy stimuli decreases the anxiety property.
The families of germaphobics are generally worn out and need help also how to best deal with the sufferer. This includes gradually stopping the involvement in the compulsions while being supportive.
Finally another important component of the treatment of OCD are medications (eg, Prozac, Zoloft, Luvox, Effexor) of the class of anti-depressives SSRI. They work by decreasing abnormally high metabolic rates in certain part of the brain believed to cause OCD. There is some evidence that indicates that both Cognitive behavioral therapy and medications have this same effect in the brain.”
Thank you John for doing the interview on how to overcome geraphobia. For more information about John Silvestre or his work you can check out his website on www.johnsilvestre.com .
Recommended Readings:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5452926/obsessive_compulsive_disorder_an_interview.html?cat=70″>Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: An Interview with Dr. Criswell
