Fear of Contracting Poliomyelitis
Want to learn more about Fear of Contracting Poliomyelitis? Discuss and find out how to overcome your the phobia through different treatment options and examples.
One look at limbs shriveled and twisted by Poliomyelitis (Polio) can cause an apprehension especially when you consider that this viral disease is spread from one individual to another. Apprehension is one thing - full blown fear is known as Poliosophobia.
According to the National Institute of Health, “Poliomyelitis is a disease caused by infection with the poliovirus. The virus spreads by direct person-to-person contact, by contact with infected mucus or phlegm from the nose or mouth, or by contact with infected feces.
“The virus enters through the mouth and nose, multiplies in the throat and intestinal tract, and then is absorbed and spread through the blood and lymph system. The time from being infected with the virus to developing symptoms of disease (incubation) ranges from 5 – 35 days (average 7 – 14 days).”
What Causes Poliosophobia?
There was a time in our world’s history when polio was considered a global epidemic. Vaccines effectively eradicated the disease although there are instances in which the disease is still problematic in some countries.
The fear of catching the disease caused many parents and grandparents to be extra diligent in safeguarding their children. In the process of due diligence they also may have unwittingly transferred their apprehension to their children who believed the caution was essential to avoid this disease. That fear has carried on even though vaccines have been used effectively in virtually eliminating any risk among those immunized against polio.
This fear can also be an extension to the fear of germs or bacteria. With the advent of hand sanitizer it has become even more common for individuals with a bent toward the fear of germs to consider an obsession with keeping their hands free of bacteria.
Symptoms of Poliosophobia
The symptoms for this fear are not remarkably different from the fear of germs. In fact you might not be able to tell if a person has this specific fear because they simply seem to have an aversion to touching things. 
Other symptoms include…
- Holding a hand or arm over the face in an effort to ward off germs
- A refusal to share personal items or use similar items previously used by someone else
- Avoids public places for fear of a large collection of germs
- A strong desire to flee
- Nausea
- Panic attack
- Elevated heart rates
This fear comprises a small portion of the fear of disease, yet it is one that comes up because many families were touched by the wasting of polio. Many families have stories they share about the disease – even if those stories are more than a half century old.
How to Overcome Poliosophobia
The National Institute on Health indicates that 90% of all current polio cases do not involve the spinal cord or brain. In all such cases the patient can expect full recovery if treatment takes place.
Education remains a primary component to challenging virtually all phobias. Knowing more about what you fear brings about understanding and understanding eliminates the mystery – and the mystery is often the source of the fear.
If needed a therapist can help guide you through the reasons for your fear and help you come to terms with how dangerous or problematic this fear source may actually be.
The fear of contracting poliomyelitis is also referred to as:
- Fear of polio
- Polio fear
- Poliosophobia
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