Ablutophobia Bathing
Introduction
Ablutophobia is a fear of bathing, washing or cleaning oneself. People with ablutophobia can suffer from anxiety and even panic attacks when they have to clean themselves or someone else. They may also develop problems such as dermatitis or other skin ailments due to an inability to bathe properly or wash their skin often enough.
What is ablutophobia?
Ablutophobia is a phobia of bathing, washing or cleaning.
It's also called bathmophobia or lavaphobia.
If you have bathmophobia, you might fear bathing or washing because it makes you anxious. You might also fear being dirty, soiled or unclean. In some cases, this phobia can cause people to avoid showering, brushing their teeth and even changing clothes.
What causes ablutophobia?
You may have a fear of bathing if you dread getting in the shower or tub, or are skeptical about taking baths. For some people, this fear can be traced back to childhood—you may have been told that bath time was punishment time.
Fear of bathing can also be caused by a traumatic event involving water and/or drowning. If you were ever caught in a rip current or had another negative experience in the ocean or at the beach, it’s possible that this could develop into full-fledged ablutophobia over time.
Finally, some people with ablutophobia also suffer from aquaphobia—the fear of water. This means there is an extra layer between them and their ability to deal with bathing: The simple act of being submerged under any amount of liquid becomes nearly impossible for them because they associate it so strongly with drowning (and dying).
What are the symptoms of ablutophobia?
You feel that you are dirty and will never be clean.
You dread the thought of being seen naked by others.
You are afraid to take a shower, bathe or even wash your hair because you feel like it will never get clean.
The fear of germs and bacteria is also a common symptom of ablutophobia because people with this phobia believe that germs can cause them to get sick.
How is ablutophobia treated?
Treatment may include:
Exposure therapy. This therapy helps you confront your fears by gradually increasing the time spent in situations that cause anxiety. With ablutophobia, your therapist might ask you to touch a soft cloth or run water over it while looking at a photo of someone washing themselves or bathing. You can also take warm baths and showers, or even go swimming to get used to your fear of water.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT helps you change the way you think about things and teaches new ways of coping with stressors in your life. With ablutophobia, CBT may focus on teaching relaxation skills and positive self-talk so that when faced with a situation involving water (such as taking a shower), instead of focusing on the fear itself, you can focus on what's going well for yourself—for example: "I'm breathing deeply" or "I'm relaxing now."
Treatment usually involves exposure therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and medication.
There are a number of treatment options available for ablutophobia. These include:
Exposure therapy, which involves gradually exposing yourself to situations that cause you anxiety and then learning how to cope with them. For example, if your fear is taking showers, you might start by simply standing under the water without shampoo or soap. Then move on to washing your body with warm water only, followed by cold water only and finally both hot and cold at the same time.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps you change how you think about events or situations that make you fearful so they become less frightening—for example, realizing that germs spread much more easily when someone is not clean than when they are clean helps reduce fears about being contaminated from contaminated surfaces.
Medication can also be prescribed in some cases; however because this therapy can have side effects such as nervousness or sleepiness it should only be used under medical supervision
Conclusion
Ablutophobia is a common phobia that many people have. It can cause great distress if you have it, but treatment is available and effective. If you think you may have ablutophobia, see your doctor as soon as possible for an assessment and treatment plan.