I've developed a weird phobia recently...

[Kromas Ndorai]

Lately, (about a month or so), I've started being afraid of skin. Mainly others however, I just can't have contact with anyone else's skin. Not even if they poke me on the arm- I badly start to freak out.

Any ideas of how I could sort this?

[anoni]

That is an odd phobia!

Not too much help I can personally give you, it depends on the severity of the phobia. If you find that this phobia is disrupting your day-to-day life, you may consider seeking psychiatric help as this may be due to a deeper mental problem.

[Teiko]

You you have some kind of traumatic experience? 

[Kromas Ndorai]

No, nothing. It just appeared from nowhere.

[Teiko]

So like, it freaks you out to shake someone's hand?

I guess skin is pretty weird 

I don't know... Maybe if you focus on the logical aspect of it, you can overcome the irrational subconscious fear you have. I think that if you can make yourself touch skin (granted you aren't totally losing your mind by doing so) and be somewhat okay with it, then the fear will fade over time because your brain becomes desensitized by it. (Pulled that out of my butt, but it sounds rational to me  )

I also think that if you consciously don't want to touch skin, then there's no reason you should HAVE to. Just tell people to respect your space. Nothing wrong with that.

[Kromas Ndorai]

I try not to show it, but shaking someones hand causes me to start becoming very uncomfortable around them.
It isn't a thing I intentinally try to avoid, it just happens. I'll just keep to my own space for now.

[anoni]

Have you considered wearing gloves?

[Kromas Ndorai]

I have not though of that! Thanks, I'll give it a try.

[Teiko]

Oh yeah that's a good idea. And if you do that you can just say they're for improving circulation / you get cold hands, because I used to wear gloves and I always had to explain it to people who can't mind their own business haha

[NautilusWolf]

Could it stem from a germophobia?

[Kromas Ndorai]

Thinking about it, that is the most likely cause. I hate being unsanitary, and will not go into anywhere dirty. Thanks, I never thought of that.

[NautilusWolf]

I have OCD, and I'm the same way. Do you want to clean what's dirty all the time,more just despise it?


It's likely you have a germophobia or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder like I do.

[Kromas Ndorai]

I hate anything dirty, so I always feel compelled to clean it.

[NautilusWolf]

Probably got dat OCD.

[Trixsie Vixen]

Well I know a little about phobias and their treatment and the rate at which they develop is much slower than the rate at which they can be overcome.  Doing it professionally is always the best but money/time etc.  So maybe try some things like find a photo of someone (maybe a little grubby) with exposed skin, print it out and practice touching that.


If you are in a department store with mannequins, try touching their expose "skin" and see if you have a reaction.
Find someone you trust, have them wash a part of their skin and then practice touching it.  If you find your anxiety reducing, move on to not having them wash especially beforehand.


Also, it is a very common theme among germophobes that their understanding of germs is actually really poor.  So being well informed can help.


Every step you take to make allowances gives it power. like avoiding activities, wearing gloves etc, just makes it stronger.


The truth is you cannot live in a bacteria free world, we all are crawling with it and indeed couldn't process food without it.  People who try to live germ free are really just creating a fiction to ease their anxiety response.  You can't defeat bacteria, but you can beat phobias.


You can do it dude!  Just taking a guess, if nothing specific about skin triggered this, chances are there is something else going on which is feeding anxiety nad this is just the outlet.  If you can tackle that thing head on maybe it will just go away.