There’s thought to be a heartbreaking reason why the ‘world’s dirtiest man’ went over 60 years without washing himself.
Amou Haj died at the age of 94 in October 2022, however, prior to his passing he garnered quite the reputation within his local community in Iran.
He became known for his anti-washing ways, going over half a century without bathing.
In fact, The Tehran Times reported he would often eat roadkill and smoke a pipe filled with animal excrement.
Away from the lake of washing once more, Amou had quite the liking for porcupine meat while he also drank a 1.5 gallons of water a day.
It’s said that he was a heavy smoker and was pictured on several occasions puffing on at least one cigarette at a time.
The villagers in the town where Amou resided, the southern province of Fars, eventually convinced him to have a wash, but years of not having a good scrub meant his skin was filled with ‘soot and puss’.
Such wash seemed to prove fatal for the Iranian as Iran’s IRNA mews agency said he fell ill shortly after died a few months later.
Amou Haj went 60 years without a wash (YouTube/Rajasthan Vlogs)
Over the course of his life, Amou kept his hair trimmed but, as you’d probably expect, he didn’t do so using a pair of scissors. Instead, he is said to have burnt his hair off.
As to why he hadn’t properly bathed for so long, it’s believed that Amou suffered with ablutophobia.
Ablutophobia is the overwhelming fear of bathing, cleaning, or washing. It’s an anxiety disorder that falls under the category of specific phobias, according to Healthline.
Speaking about the phobia to The Blade, Dr Siva Yechoor, from The Toledo Clinic, said: “Ablutophobia is extremely rare. Right now, we see it more often in people who are older.
“They refuse to get cleaned up, but it’s more of an avoidance behavior than a phobia.”
The doctor went on to detail who he’s seen develop the condition, as he added: “What happens with them is they are usually younger people who had some sort of traumatic experience.
He was described as the ‘world’s dirtiest man’ (YouTube/Rajasthan vlogs)
“We had a man in his 20’s who had an almost death experience in a body of water, and developed this aversion and fear of even going into the shower or taking a bath.”
Genetics and brain function may also play a part in developing ablutophobia.
Symptoms include sweating, rapid heartbeat, panic attacks and difficulty breathing.
Ablutophobia seems to be treated like many other mental health conditions – through therapy. A person might be advised to try cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), as well as exposure therapy.
Betablockers or sedatives may also be prescribed to help with the symptoms of the condition.