What is the fear of saliva?

The fear of saliva is an obsession with contamination experienced by people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a disorder in which people are plagued by incessant, dominant thoughts about diverse and often benign targets of their hyperfocus. Those people may fear not only their own saliva but also the saliva of other people and pets. In general, people obsessed with pollution, rather than just an isolated fear of saliva, often have phobias of all bodily fluids and waste products, such as feces, blood, urine, and other excretions. Saliva phobia includes the fear of substances that have saliva residue, such as discarded gum or chewed pencils.

A person with OCD may spend an overwhelming amount of time pondering saliva, analyzing how it looks and feels, as well as checking for excess saliva in the mouth and on objects. People with a fear of saliva may also devote excessive attention to planning rituals and strategies to control and remove saliva from the mouth and the environment. Such routines may include scheduled spitting or elaborate mouthwashes, as well as perpetual cleaning or disposal of items that have touched saliva, including eating utensils. Those who suffer from fear of saliva often avoid licking stamps and handling things that have been inside the mouths of others, including pencils or thermometers; They also avoid being near others' utensils, mouthpieces, or pillowcases. For many people with saliva phobia, this obsessive behavior is uncontrollable without mediation and psychological counseling.

Psychological studies suggest that people with OCD may develop a fear of saliva due to concerns about bacteria in the milky substance secreted by the salivary glands. Pollution obsessions often stem from an increased desire to avoid germs and disease. Many people who suffer from this fear often believe that they can become seriously ill from saliva, while others do not speculate about the consequences of being exposed to saliva, but simply about the presence and physical qualities of saliva. Beyond just an annoyance, the fear of saliva for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder can lead to panic attacks, emotional trauma, a reduced ability to interact with others, and a complete disruption of daily life.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most common treatment for fear of saliva. It includes reducing the frequency of rituals and learning ways to manage the stress related to avoiding those rituals. During treatment, CBT therapists often have patients confront their fear of saliva by recording audio or written notes of their persistent contemplations about saliva. Prescription medications can also be used to relieve anxiety.

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