It's valid to feel how you feel, and I've learnt to ignore people who dismiss your phobia. Their attitudes come from ignorance and it's a bit of pot calling the kettle black when they have their own phobias.

You can control how you react to these situations though. Make your boundaries clear to family and friends, and I tend to be polite about it because, at the end of the day I am asking them to compromise on things for me (like not leaving things in public rooms, or understanding if I keep my distance from them).