Contents:
- Medical Video: Fear of Washing or Bathing? Ablutophobia CAN be Overcome
- Ablutophobia is a phobia afraid of bathing
- What are the symptoms of ablutophobia?
- What caused it?
- Complications of ablutophobia
- How do you deal with ablutophobia?
Medical Video: Fear of Washing or Bathing? Ablutophobia CAN be Overcome
Maybe you often hear people with phobias with darkness or heights. It is only known that this happened, perhaps because of the dark and elevated conditions that could threaten their lives. But do you know that there is a phobia who will bathe and cleanse himself?
Ablutophobia is a phobia afraid of bathing
Ablutophobia is a phobia that causes a person to be afraid to bathe, wash, or clean himself. This condition can occur in children or adults and is more common in women than men.
People with phobia this knows that their fears are unreasonable, even though they are also difficult to overcome. Instead, they try very hard to avoid what scares them. Examples of avoiding water, soap, or even a bathroom.
What are the symptoms of ablutophobia?
Ablutophobia is a phobia that has symptoms similar to most other phobias and can appear when faced with water, soap, and the bathroom. Even just imagining bathing or washing your face, people with ablutophobia can experience:
- Fear and anxiety
- Panic attack
- In fact, avoid bathing or washing to avoid fear and anxiety
- Sweating
- The heart beats fast
- Breathless
- Children may not want to be away from parents, cry and even tantrum
What caused it?
Ablutophobia is a phobia whose causes cannot be understood. However, the common causes of this phobia are usually included in one of the following three categories:
- Negative experience. Never had a kind of traumatic experience involving bathing or washing.
- Genetics. You tend to have ablutophobia if one of your parents experiences it.
- Changes in brain function. Can be caused by injury, increasing age, and other things.
Complications of ablutophobia
People who avoid bathing because of ablutophobia can get problems at work or school. In fact, people with ablutophobia can become socially isolated and eventually depressed.
People with ablutophobia who are still children can also run the risk of experiencing risks bullying greater, especially when they approach their teens. In addition, there are possibilities for people with ablutophobia to try to overcome their fears by using drugs or alcohol.
How do you deal with ablutophobia?
Often, ablutophobia is not treated because people who have it believe that there is no cure. But actually there are treatments that are effective enough to overcome their fear of bathing. What are they?
The first type of treatment is psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is a treatment that uses exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In this exposure therapy, you will be faced with your own fears, namely bathing or washing. During that time you will learn to manage your feelings and anxieties repeatedly.
While cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT can be combined with exposure therapy. When you face a shower, you will learn techniques that can help change your views about bathing while reducing your anxiety and fear.
Psychotherapy is usually the most successful in treating ablutophobia. However, in some cases, your doctor may prescribe medication to help reduce your fear and anxiety.
Medicines are usually used as short-term treatment with psychotherapy. Drugs that can be used to treat ablutophobia, beta-blockers and tranquilizers.
In addition to using therapy, doctors can also recommend some lifestyle changes or home care. This treatment may include:
- Tranquility and awareness exercises like meditation
- Perform relaxation techniques, such as yoga and deep breathing
- Increase physical activity which can help reduce stress and anxiety such as exercise
