Entomophobia
Encyclopedia
Entomophobia is a common fear of or aversion to insect
s and similar arthropod
s, and even other terrestrial invertebrate animals, such as worms. Commonly, this condition might be referred to as the "fear of insects or bugs". This condition causes a slight to severe emotional reaction, a form of anxiety
or a panic attack
. It is a particular case of specific phobia
s, all of which have basically the same causes (differing mostly in the source of phobia
) and similar choices of treatments.
However, people often mix up aversion and phobia. Aversion to insects is natural, it is in human instinct and has been for hundreds of thousands of years. On the other hand, phobia is not instinctive. Aversion, however, can turn into phobia, which is irrational and immense fear.
Among notable cases are apiphobia (fear of bees) and myrmecophobia
(fear of ant
s).
The symptoms associated with this phobia are similar to the symptoms manifested with many other irrational fears. An entomophobic is likely to experience enough anxiety upon viewing or otherwise coming into contact with an insect that he or she experiences a full-blown series of panic attacks. With extreme cases, the individual may lose consciousness for a short period of time. Uncontrollable weeping or a strong desire to flee from the area are also common signs that indicate an individual is suffering with this particular phobia.
Because entomophobia symptoms are similar to those related to other phobias and various health ailments, it normally takes a trained healthcare professional to arrive at a verifiable entomophobia definition. In making the evaluation, the therapist or psychologist will seek to define entomophobia by means of observation of the symptoms that are manifested and what triggers are required to produce each symptom. This makes it possible to determine if the individual is suffering from a general fear of insects and crawling creatures, or is suffering with a more specific phobia of some type.
Once a professional diagnosis is achieved, it is possible to begin an effective entomophobia treatment series that is designed to address the degree of severity exhibited by the patient. Similar to other phobias, the treatments usually make use of both ongoing therapy and counseling coupled with the use of medications to provide some degree of relief from the symptoms. Medication can help to minimize the frequency and strength of panic attacks upon seeing a bug, while therapy can often identify the underlying causes and eventually defuse their power to trigger a reaction.
Loved ones can often benefit from learning more about entomophobia and what they can do in helping a friend or relative overcome the condition. Many therapists provide some general guidelines that can be employed to help loved ones recognize the signs and symptoms associated with the phobia. The guidelines also help the friend or relative to understand what they should and should not do in the event the patient faints or goes into a particularly severe panic attack.
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s and similar arthropod
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
s, and even other terrestrial invertebrate animals, such as worms. Commonly, this condition might be referred to as the "fear of insects or bugs". This condition causes a slight to severe emotional reaction, a form of anxiety
Anxiety
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...
or a panic attack
Panic attack
Panic attacks are periods of intense fear or apprehension that are of sudden onset and of relatively brief duration. Panic attacks usually begin abruptly, reach a peak within 10 minutes, and subside over the next several hours...
. It is a particular case of specific phobia
Specific phobia
A specific phobia is a generic term for any kind of anxiety disorder that amounts to an unreasonable or irrational fear related to exposure to specific objects or situations...
s, all of which have basically the same causes (differing mostly in the source of phobia
Phobia
A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder, usually defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed, often being recognized as irrational...
) and similar choices of treatments.
However, people often mix up aversion and phobia. Aversion to insects is natural, it is in human instinct and has been for hundreds of thousands of years. On the other hand, phobia is not instinctive. Aversion, however, can turn into phobia, which is irrational and immense fear.
Among notable cases are apiphobia (fear of bees) and myrmecophobia
Myrmecophobia
Myrmecophobia is an irrational fear of ants and a kind of specific phobia. It is common for those who suffer from Myrmecophobia to also have a wider fear of insects in general, such as Entomophobia...
(fear of ant
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
s).
The symptoms associated with this phobia are similar to the symptoms manifested with many other irrational fears. An entomophobic is likely to experience enough anxiety upon viewing or otherwise coming into contact with an insect that he or she experiences a full-blown series of panic attacks. With extreme cases, the individual may lose consciousness for a short period of time. Uncontrollable weeping or a strong desire to flee from the area are also common signs that indicate an individual is suffering with this particular phobia.
Because entomophobia symptoms are similar to those related to other phobias and various health ailments, it normally takes a trained healthcare professional to arrive at a verifiable entomophobia definition. In making the evaluation, the therapist or psychologist will seek to define entomophobia by means of observation of the symptoms that are manifested and what triggers are required to produce each symptom. This makes it possible to determine if the individual is suffering from a general fear of insects and crawling creatures, or is suffering with a more specific phobia of some type.
Once a professional diagnosis is achieved, it is possible to begin an effective entomophobia treatment series that is designed to address the degree of severity exhibited by the patient. Similar to other phobias, the treatments usually make use of both ongoing therapy and counseling coupled with the use of medications to provide some degree of relief from the symptoms. Medication can help to minimize the frequency and strength of panic attacks upon seeing a bug, while therapy can often identify the underlying causes and eventually defuse their power to trigger a reaction.
Loved ones can often benefit from learning more about entomophobia and what they can do in helping a friend or relative overcome the condition. Many therapists provide some general guidelines that can be employed to help loved ones recognize the signs and symptoms associated with the phobia. The guidelines also help the friend or relative to understand what they should and should not do in the event the patient faints or goes into a particularly severe panic attack.