Germaphobe is a popular term for people who are extremely concerned about cleanliness, germs, and contagious diseases.
While it is true that some people with OCD are germaphobes, not all germaphobes have OCD. So, if someone always keeps hand sanitizer on their desk and frequently disinfects their kitchen counters it does not mean that he or she has OCD; but it might. How do you know?
What separates a non-OCD germaphobe from someone with OCD is how much the concern about germs negatively affects their well-being and behavior:
- If a preoccupation with germs has a noticeable but non-disruptive impact on daily functioning it is likely not a symptom of OCD.
- If the germ obsession causes constant distressing anxiety and interferes with work, home life, and socializing, a diagnosis of OCD is possible. Meeting with a mental health professional for an assessment is recommended.
Germaphobe vs OCD Behaviors
Let’s say that an office worker named Mark:
- has thoughts about germs when someone shakes his hand; back in the office he applies a squirt of hand sanitizer and gets on with his job.
- always washes his hands before eating lunch or having a snack.
- when leaving the restroom, uses a paper towel to open the door.
- avoids close contact with a co-worker who has a cold, as much as possible.
- runs an antibacterial wipe over his desk, computer keyboard, and phone receiver every morning, then gets down to business.
- cleans his apartment for three to four hours every Saturday; this leaves him plenty of time to relax with a good book, do some video gaming, and spend time with friends.
Mark's behaviors indicate he is a germaphobe, someone quite concerned about germs, but he does not have OCD. Though he often takes steps to keep germs at bay, he does his job well, enjoys leisure activities, and has an active social life. Mark's actions keep his anxiety about germs under control and he feels good about the precautions he takes.
Now, let's say that an office worker named Mark has OCD and one of the symptoms is fear of germs:
- Mark's preoccupation with germs triggers intrusive thoughts and intense anxiety.
- he tries to relieve the anxiety by performing rituals, such as frequent hand-washing.
- after using the restroom, Mark feels compelled to wash his hands for exactly five minutes.
- Mark disinfects his desk several times each day but never feels the desk is clean—every 15 minutes spent there Mark applies hand sanitizer.
- he rarely socializes or enjoys leisure activities—his time off work is used to maintain cleaning rituals at home.
Mark's actions relieve his intense anxiety only briefly. He often feels as if he is “going crazy” since he knows the obsession and rituals are unnecessary. Yet, he cannot stop worrying, hand-washing, or cleaning. His job performance and relationships are suffering.
Photo credit: Matt (@flickr)
