What is Entomophobia (Fear of Insects): Causes, Symptoms & Treatments

A specific phobia and a type of anxiety disorder, entomophobia, is an extreme and persistent fear of bugs or insects. People living with such a phobia have anxiety attacks even at the thought of being near an insect. Therefore, this disrupts their daily activities even though they know insects rationally pose little or absolutely no danger.

This article details all about the fear associated with the phobia and also explains the treatment methods available.

Also known as acrophobia or insectophobia, fear of insects causes severe anxiety triggering mental and physical symptoms. Here are some of the scenarios that people with entomophobia fear:

• Individuals always have a fear of being stung or bitten by a wasp, bug, or any insect.
• People with this phobia have a fear of coming across insects, be it indoors or outdoors.
• There is a fear of getting diseases from insects, compelling one to consume medicines unnecessarily.
• Some people also fear that their homes or bodies are infested with bugs, so they always try to clean themselves.
• Often, watching movies, seeing images of insects, or reading too much about them can cause people with this phobia to prevent travelling.
• Additionally, fear of getting contaminated by insects contributes to their anxiety attacks.

Fear of insects is sometimes confused with related disorders such as melissophobia (fear of bees), vermiphobia (fear of worms), etc. However, all these phobias feature an intense fear and lead to delusional parasitosis. This means that the person believes they are seeing and feeling insects or bugs crawling or biting them or living in their bodies. The symptoms of entomophobia are listed below:

• Anxiety Attacks: Anxiety attacks is one of the primary symptoms which is common in people with phobias. There is an immediate feeling of extreme fear as a person sees an insect or visualises it. The anxiety seems to worsen if an insect approaches nearer to the person.
• Unable to Control Emotions: A person with this phobia is unable to control their fears even when they know the insect is not harmful, and the fear is irrational. This leads to panic attacks, shaking or trembling, sweating, etc.
• Trouble in Functioning Properly: Due to intense fear and stress, it becomes quite a tough challenge for patients to function correctly. As they choose to remain indoors due to their fear, they are also unable to perform their daily activities since they always fear an insect at home or in their surroundings.
• Avoids Visiting Places: These people go to extreme levels to avoid insects. This means they avoid public places such as parks, markets, shops, events, etc. As a result, they hesitate to participate in activities and keep themselves away from travelling.
• Physical Suffering: People with entomophobia undergo extreme physical suffering. This includes tightness of the chest, increased heart rate, dry mouth, elevated blood pressure, agitation, difficulty breathing, muscle pain, nausea and dizziness.
• Frequent Cleaning Behaviour: People tend to pick up other phobias and habits due to their fear of insects. Obsessive-compulsive behaviour is where the person seals doors and windows and is always on a cleaning spree. They are involved in intense cleaning, including frequently spraying bug repellent and insecticide.
• Scratching Skin: As these people are always afraid of insects, they tend to scratch and pick their skin frequently. Unfortunately, this often leads to infections and bleeding. 

All these symptoms are enough to confirm that a person is suffering from entomophobia, and one must immediately take them for medical assistance.

Generally, phobias can occur at any age, although the exact reasons for the same are still unknown. However, the common causes of entomophobia include the following:

• Genetics: As per studies, genetics play a primary role in anxiety disorders and phobias. For example, if a parent or relative has anxiety about insects, the child may also pick up this habit.
• Traumatic Experiences: Individuals who have had a traumatic experience in the past related to insects may develop this phobia. For example, they may have gone through severe allergic reactions and pain due to a bee sting, causing them to fear insects, bees, etc., whenever they see them. 
• Hearing Stories: Extreme feelings of aversion or disgust happen when someone hears stories about bugs or insects. This creates an imaginary instance in the mind where the person feels insects attacking them, and hence the hatred and fear begins.
• Superstitions and Culture: Stories about insects, bugs, bees, etc., and cultural beliefs can trigger this phobia. 
• Media Portrayal: Following a particular movie or episode showcasing insects, bugs, and related things can instigate fear in some. Watching too many scary movies and shows featuring insects and their harmful effects on humans over a prolonged time period can cause this phobia.

Apart from this, some people may have itchy skin that is caused due to different reasons. But the person may tend to blame insects due to this phobia. Additionally, seeing or hearing another person talk about their fear of insects can induce this phobia.

Several factors contribute to the fear of insects. These risks instigate fear in the minds of people, and some of them include the following:

• Someone with this fear might end up hurting oneself as they try to counter every insect that they see.
• Extreme physical suffering as mentioned above can lead to risky situations at home.
• People with this phobia have risks or chances of developing other phobias – pteronarcophobia (fear of flies), spheksophobia (fear of wasps), etc. leading to further complications.
• People also might also develop underlying mental health conditions such as panic disorder, anxiety disorder, etc.
• Individuals might develop certain allergic or skin diseases if they continue to apply lotion in the fear of getting diseases from insects and wasps.
• Consuming medicines unnecessarily to eliminate fear can lead to more harmful circumstances.

As it is nearly impossible to avoid insects, people with entomophobia never go outdoors. Unfortunately, this severely affects their mind and body, triggering the development of related fears and phobias and hampering their normal well-being.

Complications in any phobia arise when the person suffers from anxiety and fear for a prolonged period. It is then that they start hallucinating. For instance, staying indoors also seems challenging as they hallucinate on insects crawling inside their homes. 

However, extreme consequences can lead to worsening the situation. Here are some of the other complications that may occur:

• Substance Abuse: There are no exact medicines to reduce phobias, therefore, compelling a person to opt for substance abuse to get temporary relief. This happens because they are always depressed and stressed from being attacked by insects.
• Social Isolation: A child having this phobia often tends to isolate from peers and therefore perform poorly in academics. Similar cases occur with adults having this phobia, where they tend to lose relationships and perform poorly at work.
• Anxiety Disorders: Phobias also trigger anxiety disorders, such as emotional stress and a shift in mood and becoming too anxious over something. Therefore, they start losing control over themselves, which leads to anxiety disorders in life.

The guidelines for diagnosis of entomophobia is explained in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The manual details the ways this phobia is diagnosed in individuals:

• Firstly, a medical practitioner tries to learn about the signs and identify the symptoms of the phobia. Next the practitioners try to identify the severity of the phobia by interrogating the patient and their family members.
• Second, a professional attempt to identify if the phobia is persistent and has been affecting the person for more than 6 months.
• Next, they try to find out how this phobia is affecting the normal well-being of a person and hampering their mental health as well.
• After considering all these factors, the expert formulates a customised treatment plan for the patient and refers to a therapist, psychiatrist, or counsellor for further treatment, as per one’s needs.

It is crucial to consult a therapist whenever someone witnesses or undergoes the symptoms of this phobia at a mild stage. The treatment for entomophobia includes the following:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a structured treatment process that focuses on changing the negative thoughts of a person that triggers negative approaches. Therapists provide excellent strategies that help in dealing with their emotions and progress towards betterment. 
• Exposure Therapy: During this therapy, a therapist creates a safe environment allowing a person to gradually expose to insects gradually. As one confronts their fears repeatedly, one learns the process of handling their fears by developing coping strategies. 

A therapist may follow several methods of exposure therapy, which include:

• Vivo Exposure: Here, the person is directly exposed to their object of fear, insects. Doctors will ask them to hold an insect in their hand for a few seconds.
• Imaginal Exposure: In this method, doctors ask a person to imagine there are insects or bees around them. 
• Virtual Reality Exposure: In this method, doctors use Virtual Reality (VR) technology to assist one in experiencing the sounds, sights, and smells associated with insects.
• Graded Exposure: During this method, the psychologist and the patient create an exposure fear hierarchy where they rank situations, objects, and activities as per the level of fear caused. The therapist begins with mild and moderate exposures to fear before they progress to the difficult ones.
• Flooding Therapy: This is another method of treatment where doctors use the same graded exposure therapy but in a different way. Here, the therapist exposes a person to the most challenging tasks and then progresses them toward the easier ones.
• Desensitisation: Desensitisation therapy follows a treatment procedure where doctors focus on the fact that the mind is at peace. This type of behavioural therapy effectively treats the anxiety, trauma and fear a person faces because of the fear of insects.
• Medications: Entomophobia can be effectively treated through medicines. Doctors may prescribe certain sedatives, beta-blockers and anti-anxiety medications that help in lessening or reducing anxiety. However, there should be someone to monitor whether the person is consuming medicines as per the prescribed dosage.

The effect of the phobias depends upon the severity. In some instances, if parents of a child notice them to suffer from this phobia, they undergo treatment, and the phobia fades away at a younger age. 

However, sometimes, people fail to recognise that they might have a fear and grow up with it. It is then that they become victims of substance drug abuse and embrace negative aspects of life. In that case, this fear can last for years and even decades. However, with proper treatment they start to fade away gradually.

It is necessary to seek immediate medical assistance whenever someone witnesses the aforementioned symptoms in a near one. Additionally, if one notices repeated panic attacks and anxiety disorders in a person, one should immediately consult a doctor to prevent worsening of the situation. 

Besides, consulting a therapist is necessary if someone notices underlying mental disorders in a person having this phobia. 

Everything about entomophobia and the treatment procedures are discussed in this article. However, one should never forget that the best way to cope with any challenge, be it a phobia or anything, is to face it. Also, yoga, meditation, and exercise are effective ways of treatment that balance the mind, body and soul and eliminate all negative aspects of life.

Besides seeking professional treatment, you can also consider the following tips for coping with Entomophobia:

• Join support groups and share your issues with other people facing this disorder. They can give you helpful tips.
• Consider relaxation strategies like mindfulness, yoga or meditation to cope with these fears.
• Maintain a healthy routine, following a balanced diet and a sleep routine consistently. 
• Take steps to minimise bugs in your room using insecticide sprays and getting rid of any holes in the ground. This will reduce your general anxiety. 
• Conduct research and try to learn more about bug bites, stings and cleanliness. This can help you avoid anxiety.