Entomophobia Definition
People with entomophobia have an extreme anxiety or fear of insects.
As a result, sufferers will avoid walking or exercising outside and avoid events held outdoors.
A person with entomophobia has a fear of:
- Being stung or bitten by an insect, such as a bee, wasp, or tick.
- Finding insects, both outdoors and indoors.
- Getting diseases from insects, such as flies or mosquitoes.
- Seeing pictures of insects on TV shows, movies, books, or online.
Symptoms of Entomophobia
Symptoms of Entomophobia can range from mild to extreme.
The most common symptom is extreme anxiety when thinking about insects or seeing them.
Other emotional symptoms include:
- Overthinking how to avoid insects.
- Fear and avoidance of places where insects may be seen.
In addition, a person also experiences physical symptoms when experiencing insect phobia, such as:
- Chills.
- Dizziness and mild headache.
- Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis).
- Heart palpitations.
- Nauseous.
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea).
- Trembling or shaking.
- Stomach ache or indigestion (dyspepsia).
Causes of Entomophobia
It is not yet known for certain what causes entomophobia. However, experts suspect that the following factors play a role in the emergence of entomophobia:
- Past traumatic experiences. People who have had traumatic experiences involving insects may develop entomophobia. For example, you or someone you know may have had a severe allergic reaction to bee stings.
- Environmental irritants. Some people have itchy skin caused by pollen, mold, or household allergens. Constantly irritated skin can lead a person to blame insects.
- Family history. Your risk of entomophobia increases if you have a close relative or parent with a phobia or anxiety disorder. You may be more anxious than others if you have certain gene mutations (changes).
Additionally, seeing someone with entomophobia or hearing someone talk about their fear of insects can cause others to have the same phobia.
Risk Factors for Entomophobia
A person is more likely to develop entomophobia or a different type of specific phobic disorder if they already have:
- Another type of phobia.
- Anxiety disorders.
- Panic disorder.
- Substance use disorder.
In addition, other types of phobias that are related to entomophobia include:
- Apiphobia or melissaphobia (fear of bees).
- Arachnophobia (fear of spiders).
- Helminthophobia, scoleciphobia or vermiphobia (fear of worms).
- Katsaridaphobia (fear of cockroaches).
- Myrmecophobia (fear of ants).
- Pteronarcophobia (fear of flies).
- Spheksophobia (fear of wasps).
Diagnosis of Entomophobia
When diagnosing an anxiety disorder, a doctor may perform a physical exam, interview, and a number of laboratory tests. Mental health professionals may base the diagnosis on certain diagnostic guidelines and criteria, which are outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
The DSM-5 lists the following diagnostic criteria for specific phobias:
- A person experiences significant anxiety or fear about a particular object or situation, which almost always triggers these feelings.
- The fear or anxiety is not worth the actual risk.
- A person avoids an object or situation or endures it with intense fear or anxiety.
- The fear, anxiety, or avoidance provokes clinically significant distress or impairment in daily functioning.
- The anxiety, fear, or avoidance is persistent and may last for 6 months or more.
Entomophobia Treatment
The goal of treatment is to stop the phobia from interfering with quality of life by teaching the sufferer to manage reactions to insects.
Treatment options that can be done are:
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Exposure therapy
This type of therapy involves gradually exposing the sufferer to the source of the phobia and repeated exposure to help change the response to insects.
This is also known as systematic desensitization.
Exposure therapy usually begins with talking about the sufferer’s fear of insects.
Sufferers will be shown pictures or videos of insects, and eventually exposed to live insects in a controlled environment.
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Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on the sufferer’s thoughts and beliefs about the source of the phobia and how it influences them.
CBT is combined with exposure and other types of behavioral therapy to change the way sufferers think about triggers and how they react to them.
The goal is to develop a sense of control over thoughts and feelings so that you are no longer overwhelmed by them.
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Treatment
Psychotherapy is the most effective way to overcome the fear of insects.
Depending on symptoms, your doctor may recommend medications to help reduce anxiety and other symptoms of entomophobia.
Anxiety medications, such as benzodiazepines, a type of tranquilizer, are often prescribed to help reduce anxiety.
Tranquilizers are addictive and are only recommended for short-term use.
In addition, beta-blocker drugs are also used to block the effects of adrenaline, such as increased heart rate and blood pressure, palpitations, and tremors.
Then, antidepressant drugs also help calm anxiety and fear.
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Changes in lifestyle
Certain lifestyle and home remedies can help with the anxiety that accompanies a fear of insects.
Sufferers can do the following:
- Relaxation techniques, such as yoga, meditation, and diaphragmatic breathing.
- Practice mindfulness.
- Exercise regularly.
- Reduce your intake of caffeine and other stimulants.
- Join a support group.
Complications of Entomophobia
Severe entomophobia can have a major impact on daily life.
Sufferers may not want to go for walks outside, meet friends at the park, or take children to the playground.
Just thinking about seeing insects when leaving the house can cause tremendous anxiety.
In fact, sufferers may decide to stop leaving the house altogether. Some people with entomophobia experience panic attacks.
These attacks can cause rapid heartbeat and noncardiac chest pain or heart attack symptoms.
Uncontrolled panic attacks and constant worry can lead to panic disorder.
Prevention of Entomophobia
There is no way to prevent excessive fear of insects.
Sufferers can only fight this fear with the help of experts gradually.
