Fear of Dust

We are inundated with products that remove and protect against dust -  Hepa filters that remove more than 99% of all airborne particulates, vacuum cleaners, dust removing polish, sprays and wipes – the list goes on. Most consider dust a nuisance, but there are some that can’t help but view the dust as a potential robber of health and well-being. The fear of dust is known as Amathophobia.

People will often use their finger to write a message in the dust such as “Wash me”.  While many see the humor in this, for a person who fears dust it can be an urgent plea.

What Causes Amathophobia?

This fear can stem from a strong obsessive/compulsive personality that thrives on being clean. This tendency can present the sufferer with profound discomfort in the presence of accumulated and visible dust. This individual may be prone to inspections and constant observation of environmental conditions.

This fear can also stem from a sense of understanding of what dust is made of. In most cases dust is made up of small creatures called dust mites. This combined with dead skin and other bits of organic matter are the primary components of dust.

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Many assume dust is simply dirt that makes its way indoors, but whether it’s dust or dirt it is comprised of organic matter. For the Amathophobe there is little comfort in allowing the outdoor world indoors.

Those with this fear may concentrate on the soiling of their personal space or they may focus on that which they can’t visibly see. Either way the fear is debilitating and frustrating for both the phobic personality as well as those who care for them.

Symptoms of Amathophobia

An individual with a fear of dust will be distracted if they enter a home that shows visible dust. They will react strongly to outdoor condition where dust is blowing in the wind. The key symptom with this fear is avoidance. For some that means rarely leaving their own home because they fear a potential encounter with dust outside their own walls. In other words they feel relatively assured they can control dust in their own home, but are never sure others are as vigilant.

Other symptoms may also include…

• Air hunger
• Trembling
• The feeling that nowhere is safe
• The urge to flee
• Panic attacks
• Nausea
• Weeping
• Screaming
• Dizziness

You can expect an individual with this fear to invest in air cleaning devices for their home if they have the financial ability to do so. They may resist social settings simply because of the potential for an encounter with dust.

How to Overcome Amathophobia

The starting point is to realize this world has always existed with dust. There has always been a cycle of decaying matter being used to create conditions for new growth. It is a cycle that is necessary. If there are cases of death by dust they don’t get a lot of press.

A therapist can lead the charge in helping to identify the fear causes and then how to ultimately deal with your response to the fear of dust.

The fear of dust is also referred to as:

• Dust fear
• Amathophobia