Fear of Germs? What's the Big Deal?

Don't we all have a fear of germs? I mean...isn't it a GOOD thing to be careful to not get sick or spread disease? Should I just let my kids run around with the fingers in their nose all day?

Well...in a manner of speaking, the fear of germs is fine. It's the DEGREE of the fear that determines whether or not it's a problem or a phobia.

Washing your hands is great, and so is disinfecting so we don't spread the swine flu around the schools. But for those with a true fear of germs, called mysophobia, it doesn't just stop there. The need to cleanse becomes a compulsion, and tremendous anxiety can be provoked if the desires are suppressed.

Washing your hands before cooking dinner - great idea. Scrubbing them raw or until they crack and bleed for fear of contamination - that's a problem.

Not kissing your wife when she has a head cold - I'm with you. Standing outside a building until someone else walks in so you don't have to touch the doorknob - red flag.

So what do we do to treat the fear of germs?

Rich Presta, an expert on phobia treatment who runs the website www.FearofGerms.com, says, "The biggest misunderstanding, even by those that have mysophobia, is that the fear is of the germs themselves. In actuality, the true fear is of the individual's feelings of anxiety and fear should they suppress those urges. "

It appears as if the first three steps to take is to ask yourself:

What am I truly afraid will happen if I don't act upon my irrational impulses around cleansing or germ avoidance?

Are those consequences worth what I'm giving up to avoid them?

Based upon those answers, how will I choose to behave in the future and how can I better cope with my emotional reaction of that decision?

The fear of germs is a common phobia, but is very treatable when addressed properly and the underlying fear of anxious feelings properly dealt with.