- Mysophobia
-
Mysophobia is a term used to describe a pathological fear of contamination and germs. Someone who has such a fear is referred to as a mysophobe. The term was introduced by Dr. William Alexander Hammond in 1879 when describing a case of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) exhibited in repeatedly washing one's hands. This phobia is sometimes referred to as germophobia or germaphobia, a combination of germ and phobia to mean fear of germs, as well as bacillophobia and bacteriophobia. Mysophobia has long been related to the OCD of constantly washing one's hands. However, Harry Stack Sullivan, an American psychologist and psychoanalyst, notes that while fear of dirt underlies the compulsion of a person with this kind of OCD, his or her mental state is not about germs; instead, this person feels the hands must be washed. Other names for abnormal persistent fear of dirt and filth include molysmophobia or molysomophobia, rhypophobia, and rupophobia.
Contents
How to Overcome
Though there are medically approved ways available by the use of medication and Psychiatric methods to overcome the problem. One of the psychiatric methods followed by practitioners is Anchoring.
In fiction
Many fictional characters display symptoms of mysophobia. Some examples include Ben Stiller's character Reuben Feffer in the 2004 comedy Along Came Polly. Jerry Seinfeld and David Puddy in Seinfeld (Puddy expressly claims to be a recovering germophobe), Adrian Monk in the television series Monk, Niles Crane in the television series Frasier, Emma Pillsbury in the television series Glee, Chuckie Finster from Rugrats, The Irken Invader Zim, from Invader Zim, Frances Alberta from The Penguins of Madagascar, Roy Waller in the 2003 film Matchstick Men, The Devil on Ugly Americans, Dr. Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory, Melvin Udall in As Good as It Gets, Dr. Walter Bishop in the television series Fringe and Dr. Noseworthy in the 2009 film Shorts.
See also
Anxiety disorder: Obsessive–compulsive disorder (F42, 300.3) History Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive ScaleBiology NeuroanatomyReceptorsSymptoms Obsessions (associative, diagnostic, injurious, scrupulous, pathogenic, sexual) · Compulsions (impulses, rituals, tics) · Thought suppression (avoidance) · Hoarding (animals, books, possessions)Treatment Mu opioidergicsNMDA glutamatergicsNK-1 tachykininergicsOtherBehavioralOrganizations Notable people Edna B. Foa · Stanley Rachman · Adam S. Radomsky · Jeffrey M. Schwartz · Susan Swedo · Jeff Bell · Emily ColasPopular culture LiteratureFictionalNonfictionEverything in Its Place · Just CheckingMediaRelated Obsessive–compulsive personality disorder · Obsessional jealousy · Purely Obsessional OCD · Social anxiety disorder · Tourette syndromeReferences
External links
Categories:- Ritual
- Obsessive–compulsive disorder
- Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders
- Phobias
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
