✨It's common for people to instinctively back away from someone who's coughing or sneezing. Being concerned about catching an illness is perfectly normal, as long as those worries are proportionate, and don’t feel out of control.
✨But, excessive or disproportionate avoidance of people or places can be a sign of an underlying anxiety problem related to a fear of illness. This might include behaviours like extreme avoidance that gets in the way of daily life, like avoiding most contact with others, excessive handwashing, cleaning rituals, and constant thoughts about the possibility of illness and how to prevent it.
✨Recognising when a fear like this becomes disproportionate is the first step to seeking support for your mental health and learning better ways to manage your anxiety. See my book 📚 Ten Times Calmer for tons of practical advice to help you deal with anxiety problems.