Automysophobia: The Extreme Fear of Getting Dirty
Nov 3, 2009
Automysophobia is the fear of getting dirty. Most people could probably tolerate an amount of dirt in their body, thinking that they can wash that away later. However, automysophobic people don’t feel that way: they get sick, dizzy, nauseated, breathless and even feel get that feeling that they’d rather die than get dirt in their bodies.
People suffering this extreme fear definitely seek psychological help. It surely gets in the way of living a normal healthy life.
Posted by Gem |
Categories: Science and Technology | Tagged: automysophobia, cymru, ekistics, ethology, fear of being alone, study of human settlements |
Holly Jahangiri
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:34 pm #
It would probably upset them to know that most of the doctors I’ve talked to agree with my mom’s nonchalant, “Gotta eat your pound of dirt to develop a healthy immune system.” (No, before you ask, she didn’t mean in one sitting.) See http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27brod.html?em (Are scientists REALLY just now figuring out what my mom was teasing ME about in the 1960s?)
Seriously, too much cleanliness can also lead to stronger bacteria and viruses. See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-475953/Anti-bacterial-soaps-help-superbugs.html
Overwashing of hands can lead to cracked, dry skin and invite staph or strep infections – with MRSA and “flesh eating bacteria” out there, I’d skip the second scrubbing and use a really good moisturizer, instead.
Ordinary cleanliness is just FINE in my book!
.-= Holly Jahangiri´s last blog ..NaNo Nine: How to Gear Up for NaNoWriMo =-.
reyjr
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:30 pm #
I think I develop this every time I need to clean my room. LoL!
.-= reyjr´s last blog ..How JaypeeOnline celebrates Thanksgiving =-.
Heather Kephart
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:34 pm #
Oh, how awful that would be! Can you imagine being denied outdoor pleasures in such a terrible manner? I recently read that dirt on the skin makes us happy & increases seratonin. I wonder if that has anything to do with the reaction. Most likely not. Fear of germs or getting in trouble by Mom or something like that.
.-= Heather Kephart´s last blog ..Post-Halloween NaNoWriMo Crankfest =-.
DiTesco
November 5th, 2009 at 4:52 am #
And I thought that I had a pretty good understanding of all this “phobias”.. I agree with Heather, it must be hard to be denied (in this case almost self inflicted) outdoor pleasures. At the same time I really feel sad that there are people who suffer from this. Wonder how this starts?
.-= DiTesco´s last blog ..DiTesco’s Weekly Echo #8 =-.