The fear of insects sometimes known as insectophobia, is the fear of insects. Fear is relatively common in many countries of the world, particularly in urban areas where contact with an insect is quite unusual due to the lack of interaction with nature.
Urban dwellers’ fears of insects often serve as fodder for sitcoms and reality shows depicting their sudden transition to rural or island life. Many people who have never been exposed to this life may struggle due to the prevalence and omnipresence of insects in inhabited areas or become overly aware of them in public spaces.
Although not technically insects, fear of spiders is the most common form of entomophobia. Other commonly feared insects are bees, ants, cockroaches, and flies such as butterflies and moths. Many people fear “bugs” in general, reacting with panic to any insects or related creatures that cross their path.
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Fear of contamination
In many cases of entomophobia, the patient is afraid of being contaminated with insects. Many insects, such as cockroaches and flies, carry disease. However, people with pollution phobias take prudent cleaning to the extreme. Also, disgust is a reaction that often causes anxiety symptoms . A variety of research conducted in the 2000s showed that we react more strongly to creatures that we find disgusting than to animals that may be more inherently dangerous. Perhaps this is an evolutionary response to our ancestors’ misunderstandings about disease prevention.
Fear of being bitten
Some people are concerned about being bitten by an insect. Specific concerns range from fear of pain to fear of illness.
There are legitimate allergic reactions , particularly to bee and fire ant stings, as well as legitimately poisonous insects, but in general, fear of common insects such as house flies, cockroaches, and the like does not justify fear of be bitten.
The fear of triggering a medical condition is never considered a phobia. However, the vast majority of insect bites or stings cause little more than an annoyance, and most fears of being bitten are out of proportion to the risks.
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Fear of infestation
Some people worry that their houses or bodies will be infested with insects. According to an article in the Cultural Entomology Digest, people with this fear often bring items they believe to be vermin to pest control officials. These specimens, gathered around the house, turn out to be bits of fluff, scabs, or dust, rather than the dreaded insects.
In the article, researcher Phillip Weinstein notes that fears of infestation may be indicative of delusional thoughts rather than a simple phobia. It is up to the treatment provider to carefully analyze the client’s thoughts and behaviors in order to accurately diagnose and treat the problem.
How to overcome the fear of insects
Fear of insects is relatively common, but it doesn’t need to take over your life. Fear responds well to a variety of short-term treatment methods. One of the most effective treatments is the MEE or mere exposure effect, where entomophobes are introduced to insects in a controlled and intentional way. With a little hard work, you can beat even the most stubborn entomophobia.
Hello, how are you? My name is Georgia Tarrant, and I am a clinical psychologist. In everyday life, professional obligations seem to predominate over our personal life. It's as if work takes up more and more of the time we'd love to devote to our love life, our family, or even a moment of leisure.