All the phobias share essential features and Automysophobia is no difference. The patient affected with the disease has unnatural and exaggerated fear of being “dirty”. Automysophobia is classified under the broad category of Social Phobias. “Other People” acquire some special rather morbid place in the patho-psychology of the neurotics. As an automysophobic senses that he is being perceived dirty or as having body odor he starts exhibiting full spectrum of symptoms related to anxiety. As norepinephrine is released into the blood a fight or flight situation is created. Heart beat increases, palms sweat, throat becomes dry and patient starts shaking. If the attack is not stopped in its wake, it transforms into full fledge panic attack.

In spite of just filling the article with non-sense I would like to help the persons with the disorder. First of all it is very helpful to understand that the fear is “IRRATIONAL” and its only a play of your nerves. As a competent psychologist belonging to Freudian school of thought or Jungian or any other, untangles the knots in the psyche, that the patient has long forgotten but they are very much there, a sense of relief is felt by the phobic patient. (A few personal hints, I have yet to see a young person skilled in the field, do your homework before choosing one)

On the anatomical side hippocampus is regarded as the seat of consciousness and regulates complex human behaviors. An increased activity in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex is blamed for the condition.

Regarding medicine, Benzodiazepines are first line of treatment. In an experiment with macaques, the animal who could not maintain an eye contact and showed anxiety on making an eye contact became more relaxed as benzodiazepines were administered.

SSRIs have revolutionized the field of psychiatry and the common practice now is that an SSRI like

Zoloft ™ or Paxil ™ is also prescribed with benzodiazepines like Klonopin™ or Xanax™.

(The article is for informational purposes. Your doctor knows best about your condition. We do not recommend using or not using any medicine)

Automysophobia