Ablutophobia: The Fear of Washing and Bathing

Ablutophobia

The Fear of Washing or Bathing

Ablutophobia, defined as the fear of washing, bathing and cleaning is an intense fear that poses no or little danger. Just thinking about bathing could cause a number of symptoms such as: breathlessness, dizziness, excessive sweating, nausea, dry mouth, feeling sick, shaking, heart palpitations, inability to speak or think clearly, a fear of dying, becoming mad or losing control, a sensation of detachment from reality or even an anxiety attack. Most people who are suffering from the phobia are surprised when they find out that they aren’t alone. Ablutophobia is surprisingly common. It is caused by the mind as a protective mechanism. From some point in the past there was a traumatic event linking with washing, bathing or cleaning. It could have also been formed from a realistic scare or even from movies, TV or seeing someone else experience trauma. Some people who suffer experience it all the time and some others experience it in just direct situations.

Not only does it effect your health and quality of life but, Ablutophobia can have a severe effect on anyone that works or is in school; living with the fear can make it hard to concentrate on something and fully give your best. Ablutophobia can cause a loss of tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of your lifetime due to lost opportunities, poor performance or grades, or promotions that pass you by.

There are two different treatments for Ablutophobia; the ever popular temporarily suppress the phobia with potent, prescribed medicine, and therapy, self-help treatment.

The medicinal treatment of Ablutophobia is only a temporary treatment to cover up the fear or make the person think that they are being medicated to not be scared anymore. The therapy treatment is more common and there are a few different therapeutic treatments. One is working with a practitioner to train the unconscious mind to connect different, positive feelings with the situation that triggers the phobia. After this you can stop the root of the fear of cleaning, bathing and washing. Another way is through a one day or sometimes, but rarely, a 1-6 day treatment program. Since I could not find a case study of a patient I added a psychologist specializing in phobias discovery that