How can I deal with someone who has germaphobia?

Answer by  JustMe111 (7)

I am dealing with a daughter who has this same issue. The two things that have helped the most are: 1) Counseling with a therapist who has experience in this field, and 2) Not catering to her fears and taking extra measures to feed into her them (such as spraying down the house with lysol, etc).

Answer by  mother (30)

The best thing you can do is be understanding of your friends condition, and help them to seek professional counseling. Phobias are very real and very scary to the affected person and they need all the kindness and understanding as they can get.

Answer by  Latin4 (11170)

She needs professional help. There is more to the problem then germs. Sometimes a trauma has happened in the persons life and they haven't dealt with it.

Answer by  Zoe (2369)

First off, be patient and compassionate. She may need some sort of therapy (possibly exposure therapy) to help overcome this fear. It is important that she be able to identify the source of this fear and talk through her feelings with someone.

Answer by  Zoe (2369)

The best way to help and support a friend with germaphobia is not to "deal" with them but to try to understand what they're going through and to support them. My friend encourages me to keep a bottle of hand sanitizer with me so that if I touch something that makes me uncomfortable, the entire day isn't derailed.

Answer by  timeismoney (994)

An intense fear of germs may not only represent a phobia but, possibly, a symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) that is accompanied by many ritualistic, repetitive behaviors and obsessive thought processes in which someone is preoccupied with germs and staying away from them. Antidepressant medications can help.

Answer by  PHOAT (645)

It's important to remember it's a legitimate mental health condition that deserves the same compassion as a physical illnesss. I'd encourage this person to be in counseling and to be assessed for medications that may help them.