Michael is extremely fearful of germs. He sleeps in a special chamber at night, wears gloves, and will only eat food that he can unwrap. His symptoms are most characteristic of ______.

Question

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Michael's fear of germs is a specific phobia, which is an excessive and irrational fear of a specific object or situation. His fear is focused on germs and he engages in specific behaviors to avoid exposure, such as sleeping in a special chamber and wearing gloves. Panic disorder involves recurrent panic attacks, generalized anxiety disorder involves excessive and uncontrollable worry about multiple areas of life, and agoraphobia involves fear and avoidance of situations where escape may be difficult or embarrassing.

Michael Is Extremely Fearful of Germs