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Obsessive-compulsive disorder and a fear of spiders are among the number of psychopathologies related to the disease-avoidance emotion of disgust, according to current research into the emotion's role in humans.

Disgust has long been a forgotten emotion when it comes to psychiatric health. Now, researchers have reported that it is important for at least three diagnosable anxiety disorders - animal phobias, some types of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and 'blood-injury-innoculation' fear.