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Entomophobia, the Fear of Bugs or Insects

When does anxiety about insects rise to the level of a phobia?

Cheyenne Montgomery / Getty Images

Is It an Insect Phobia, or Something Else?

Fear of contamination, fear of being bitten, fear of infestation, overcoming a fear of insects.

Entomophobia, sometimes known as insectophobia, is the fear of insects. In general, feelings of fear or disgust around insects is relatively common in the US, particularly in urban areas where coming into contact with bugs is relatively infrequent because of the lack of interaction with nature.

When we are trying our best to keep our homes and ourselves clean, insects can feel like an invading force trying to ruin our attempts at a pristine life. It may feel like a reflection on our own inability to manage our personal space. And if you find yourself in nature and aren't used to the outdoors, the prevalence of insects can truly come as a shock. All of these factors can contribute to a fear of insects.

Although they are not technically insects, the fear of spiders is one of the most prevalent forms of entomophobia. Other commonly feared bugs include bees , ants, cockroaches, flies, and butterflies and moths . Many people fear "bugs" in general, reacting in panic to any insect or related creature that crosses their path.

The DSM-5-TR lays out specific criteria for diagnosing a specific phobia . Prevalence of specific phobias in general is estimated to be around 10% of the adult population, so clinical diagnoses of something like entomophobia are quite rare.

At a Glance

With apologies to the insect-lovers out there, most of us do not like bugs. They sting, they bite, they sneak into our homes, touch our food, some of them smell, and a lot of them are objectively pretty disgusting. But that dislike only rises to the level of entomophobia when insects inspire feelings of excessive panic, disgust, and anxiety that drastically affect your daily life.

If you are diagnosed with a genuine phobia by a mental health professional, strategies like exposure therapy can help. Will it be gross? Maybe. Will it help? The research shows that it can.

Like many phobias, a fear of insects may be tied to more specific aspects of the object—bugs, in this case—that we respond to negatively. For example, a fear of doctors may actually be a fear of needles. An insect phobia can work the same way. Honing in on the specific trigger of your fear can help overcome it.

Here are some examples of insect-adjacent triggers that may be at the root of some cases of entomophobia.

In many cases, people with entomophobia are afraid of becoming contaminated by insects. Many bugs, such as cockroaches and flies, can carry disease. In addition, disgust reactions can contribute to feelings of anxiety.

A variety of research has shown that we react more strongly to creatures that we find disgusting than we do to animals that may actually be more inherently dangerous. You've probably called a bear cute or cuddly at some point in your life—but it's probably worse to have in your house than a fly, for example. That doesn't mean you'll respond any more positively to a fly, though.

Some people worry that they will be bitten by an insect. Specific worries run the gamut from the fear of pain to the fear of illness. Legitimate allergic reactions, particularly to bee stings and fire ant bites, do exist, as do legitimately venomous insects, in which case the fear is not out of proportion to the danger. But the extreme fear of being bitten by common insects such as house flies, cockroaches, and the like are not realistically warranted.

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.

Some people worry about their homes or bodies becoming infested with bugs. According to an article in the Cultural Entomology Digest , people with this fear often bring items that they believe to be bugs to pest control or medical professionals. These specimens, gathered around the house, often turn out to be bits of lint, scabs or dust, rather than the feared bugs.

Researcher Phillip Weinstein points out that infestation fears may be indicative of delusional thoughts rather than a simple phobia. It is up to a mental health professional to carefully analyze the your thoughts and behaviors in order to accurately diagnose and treat the issue.

The fear of insects is relatively common but does not need to take over your life. The fear responds well to a variety of short-term behavioral treatment methods. With a bit of hard work, you can beat even the most stubborn entomophobia.

When I was a little kid, I was scared to eat my grandma's famous linguini salad because the dressing and seasoning resulted in black specks all over the pasta. Black specks that looked to my eyes like bugs. All I could think about was little gnats crawling around inside the bowl. So I stuck to burgers and hot dogs instead (much safer). At some point, though, my grandma had me make the dish with her step-by-step and I learned the recipe backwards and forwards—zero bugs involved, naturally.

That was, essentially, a form of exposure therapy that helped me learn that the linguini salad was nothing to be scared of. In a true therapeutic setting, there are a number of different techniques to help expose you to the fear object in a safe space to help you learn strategies for facing and ultimately overcoming your fear.

If your fear of insects significantly impacts your daily life, a therapist can help put together a treatment plan that is comfortable for you. And if your phobia is connected to a different mental health condition such as anxiety or OCD, treating that condition with a mix of therapy and potentially medication can help reduce your fears.

Hoffman YSG, Pitcho-prelorentzos S, Ring L, Ben-ezra M. "Spidey Can": Preliminary Evidence Showing Arachnophobia Symptom Reduction Due to Superhero Movie Exposure. Front Psychiatry . 2019;10:354. doi:10.3389%2Ffpsyt.2019.00354

National Institute of Mental Health.  Specific phobia .

Lange I, Goossens L, Leibold N, et al.  Brain and behavior changes following exposure therapy predict outcome at 8-year follow-up .  Psychother Psychosom . 2016;85(4):238-240. doi:10.1159/000442292

Polák J, Rádlová S, Janovcová M, Flegr J, Landová E, Frynta D. Scary and nasty beasts: Self-reported fear and disgust of common phobic animals . Br J Psychol . 2019. doi:10.1111/bjop.12409

Weinstein, Phillip. "Insects in Psychiatry." Cultural Entomology Digest . Issue 2.

UQ News Online. The University of Queensland. " Researchers Unlock Snake and Spider Mystery ." March 7, 2008.

• Davey, Graham. "Why I Study...Disgust." The Psychologist . 17:6. June 2004.

By Lisa Fritscher Lisa Fritscher is a freelance writer and editor with a deep interest in phobias and other mental health topics.

Nick Ingalls, MA is the editorial director at Verywell Mind, managing new content production and editorial processes.

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They Crawl Right Into Your Head

By Katherine Bouton

• April 14, 2014

Trained as an entomologist, Jeffrey A. Lockwood discovered 12 years into his career that he was phobic about the very subject he had chosen as his life’s work.

In “The Infested Mind,” he describes the hot, dry day he descended into a gulch in the Wyoming sagebrush. He had heard there might be 40 to 50 grasshoppers per square yard, and he wanted to see for himself.

But instead of many grasshoppers behaving normally, he found “a bristling carpet of wings and legs,” which erupted into a “seething chaos.” Grasshoppers ricocheted off his face and chest, latched onto his bare arms and tangled “their spiny legs” into his hair. “For the first time in my life as an entomologist,” he writes, “I panicked.”

Not surprisingly, the experience tempered his enthusiasm for insects — though, fortunately for science, not before he had completed enough important research to gain tenure at the University of Wyoming at a youthful 33.

To help pay for the research, Dr. Lockwood worked as a consultant on insect control, developing insecticides — which partly inspired him to write a Pushcart Prize-winning essay, “Grasshopper Dreaming: Reflections on Killing and Loving,” for Orion magazine in 2001. By then, he had switched academic departments at Wyoming, moving to a joint appointment in philosophy and the M.F.A. program in creative nonfiction; still, it is hard not to think of that seething chaos of grasshoppers as seeking retribution.

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What Is Entomophobia?

The Fear of Insects

Entomophobia is an irrational and persistent fear of bugs. Those with a fear of insects may go to great lengths to avoid them, or they will experience significant distress when encountering an insect.

Learn more about the causes and treatment of entomophobia and how this condition affects those diagnosed with it.

Illustration by Theresa Chiechi for Verywell Health

An irrational fear of insects is formally known as entomophobia, although it is sometimes also called insectophobia .

An intense fear of insects may interfere with your daily life, as this condition can cause feelings of anxiety or panic when you are near an insect or think a bug may be present. This can make outdoor activities and situations very stressful.

A fear of insects is considered a specific phobia. A specific phobia is a type of mental health disorder that presents as a significant and persistent fear toward a specific object, situation, or activity.

Specific phobias are classified into five categories. These include:

• Animal types are characterized by a fear of animals or insects.
• Natural environment types are a fear of things found in nature like heights, water, or storms.
• Blood-injection-injury types are a fear of blood, having an injection, or other medical procedures.
• Situational types of fears include things like flying, enclosed spaces, or public transportation.
• Other types of specific phobias are fears of things that don't fit into the other categories, like a fear of choking or vomiting.

Entomophobia falls under the subcategory of an animal-type specific phobia.

The fear experienced with a specific phobia is considered out of proportion to any actual danger in each context.

Entomophobia can manifest in a variety of signs and symptoms and can include:

• Experiencing symptoms of anxiety, such as rapid heart beat, tightness in chest, or shortness of breath, when thinking of insects or when a bug is present
• Avoiding situations where you may encounter an insect
• Increased feelings of anxiety as an insect comes closer to you
• The inability to cope with the presence of an insect or bug, despite recognizing that the fear is irrational

In those with a severe phobia of insects, it is also possible to experience a range of psychological symptoms, including:

• Panic attacks
• Fear of dying
• Sense of dread
• Fear of not being in control
• Fear of fainting

Some people with a severe phobia may begin to experience fear of the anxiety symptoms themselves because the feelings they experience as a part of their phobia are so unpleasant.

The causes of phobias often involve several factors, including learned history, past experiences, and biological factors.

Learned History

It is believed that phobias can emerge in relation to certain learned experiences. This can take three forms:

• A direct learning experience may involve a traumatic event involving insects that led to the development of a phobia or fear of bugs.
• An observational learning experience involves learning to fear insects by seeing others fear insects. An example is a child having a parent with a phobia of insects who later develops a fear of insects as well.
• An informational learning experience involves developing a fear of insects after reading or hearing facts about insects that seem dangerous.

A learned history is not the only reason for a phobia. Many people may have direct, observational, or informational learning experiences regarding insects and do not develop a fear of bugs.

Biological Factors

It is believed that biology may play a role in the development of phobias. Some people may have a genetic susceptibility to phobias or irrational fears. It is also believed some people are born with a tendency to experience anxiety more than others.

Not everyone with a phobia receives a formal diagnosis. Many people with phobias are aware they have a fear of a specific situation or object, yet they may choose to live their life without treatment.

However, avoidance of an irrational fear can make the phobia worse. Getting a diagnosis and appropriate treatment, on the other hand, can significantly lessen the impact of a phobia on a person's life.

To reach a formal diagnosis of entomophobia, a doctor will first consider the seven diagnostic criteria outlined in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) .

Most phobias can be successfully treated and even cured.

Treating entomophobia may involve the gradual exposure to insects. This is known as desensitization. It's a type of exposure therapy that allows the person with a fear of insects to reduce their negative emotional response to insects after repeated exposure to them.

Other treatment options include psychotherapy (also called talk therapy) approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). A person with entomophobia will build a relationship with a professional therapist and then work to challenge irrational thoughts and behavior patterns regarding their phobia. The goal is to overcome their irrational fear of insects.

Medications

It is not typical to use medication in the treatment of phobias. However, doctors may sometimes prescribe medication to help with feelings of anxiety, which can include:

• Antipsychotics
• Antidepressants
• Beta-blockers

Dealing with a fear of insects can be difficult, but there are steps that can be taken to make it easier.

It may be helpful to:

• Practice deep breathing if you feel panicked.
• Look at the evidence logically to reduce your irrational fears surrounding insects.
• Visualize a scenario in which you successfully engage in a situation where insects are present.
• Practice self-care by eating healthy food, exercising, and getting enough sleep.
• Reward yourself when you face your fear successfully.

Having a specific phobia of insects, bugs, or tics may cause a person to experience significant distress in situations that involve insects, or in anticipation of being around insects. A person with entomophobia may go to great lengths to avoid bugs. Most phobias can be successfully cured with the right treatment, such as desensitization; psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy; and counseling.

A Word From Verywell

If you are experiencing a phobia of any kind, know that you are not alone and help is available. If you have an intense fear of insects that impacts your daily life and activities, consider discussing this phobia with a healthcare professional. A provider, particularly one specializing in mental health disorders, will be able to assist you in finding the best treatment options to reduce your fear of insects.

Shahriari-Namadi M, et al. Entomophobia and Arachnophobia Among School-Age Children: A Psychological Approach. Shiraz E-Medical Journal. 2018

American Psychological Association.  Specific phobia.

NHS.  Symptoms - phobias.  Updated 26 October 2018.

Perelman School of Medicine.  Specific phobias.

 NHS.  Overview - Phobias . Updated 26 October 2018.

• NHS Inform Ten ways to fight your fears . Updated April 14, 2021.

By Elizabeth Pratt Pratt is a freelance medical and mental health journalist with a master's degree in health communication.

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Entomophobia (Fear of Insects): Symptoms, Treatments, & How to Cope

Author: Tanya J. Peterson, NCC, DAIS

Benjamin Troy MD

Dr. Benjamin Troy is a child and adolescent psychiatrist with more than 10 years. Dr. Troy has significant experience in treating depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, OCD, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, and ASD.

Entomophobia is the extreme fear of bugs or insects. Knowing that most bugs don’t pose imminent danger isn’t enough to remain calm upon encountering any type of insect. People with entomophobia experience significant emotional, physical, and behavioral symptoms upon seeing, hearing about, or thinking about insects. Even if your symptoms are severe and life-limiting, formal treatment as well as self-help coping methods can bring relief.

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What Is Entomophobia?

Entomophobia, also called insectophobia or acarophobia, is a specific phobia of bugs. 1 People with entomophobia are plagued by a severe, excessive fear of insects that disrupts their life even though they may know rationally that insects pose very little to no actual danger. 2,3,4,5 Bug phobia involves being scared of bugs, and it’s more than that. Actual bugs or stories and images of them create intense anxiety, distress, and a strong urge to avoid them. 3 Entomophobia can encompass any or all types of bugs.

People are likely to be afraid of: 6,7

• Spiders ( arachnophobia )
• Bees ( melissophobia ) and other stinging insects
• Parasites like mites, ticks, and bed bugs
• Cockroaches
• Butterflies
• Daddy long legs

The phobia of insects is a very common type of specific phobia classified as an animal phobia. 2 People living with this type of phobia experience fear related to one or more living creatures including animals and any type of bug.

How Common Is the Fear of Insects?

Based on the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , specific phobias affect about 8% to 12% percent of adults and 16% of adolescents in the US. It also indicates that specific phobias are more common in both adolescent and adult females. 2 However, subtypes of specific phobias are less researched, and for this reason it’s difficult to determine with certainty how common entomophobia is. Some studies suggest, though, that fears and phobias related to animals are the most common, particularly spiders, parasites, and snakes. 8,9

Symptoms of Entomophobia

All phobias involve intense emotional, physical, and behavioral symptoms. For people experiencing entomophobia, symptoms are triggered by any type of exposure to a bug. In order to be considered a true phobia, symptoms must be present for six months or longer and happen with every exposure to bugs (as opposed to occasional or situational feelings of anxiety). 2 A severe aversion to bugs in the house but the ability to dislike but tolerate them outdoors isn’t considered to be a phobia of bugs.

Symptoms of entomophobia include: 1,2,3,10

• Strong feelings of aversion or disgust upon seeing, hearing, feeling, talking about, listening to stories about, or thinking about bugs
• Instant and strong sense of fear and anxiety associated with insects
• Excessive scratching or picking at skin, sometimes leading to skin bleeding and infections
• Frequent and intense cleaning behavior (cleaning rooms, carpets, sweeping and vacuuming, washing bedding and other clothing or objects)
• Sealing doors and windows
• Frequent spraying of insecticide and bug repellent
• Panic attacks upon coming into contact with a bug
• Inability to control the reaction despite intellectual understanding that the insects aren’t significantly harmful
• Increased heart rate
• Elevated blood pressure
• Shortness of breath or other difficulty breathing
• Tightness in the chest
• Muscle tension or pain
• Going out of your way to avoid bugs, even if doing so is highly inconvenient or disruptive to your life

Similar Mental Health Conditions

Entomophobia is sometimes confused with similar insect-related disorders. 11 With entomophobia, the above symptoms characterize an intense fear of and aversion to bugs. In an illness called delusions of parasitosis, the person believes that they see and feel bugs crawling on and/or biting them even though no actual bugs are present. With illusions of parasitosis, the sensations are real rather than delusional, but what the person feels isn’t the bugs they believe they sense but rather other stimuli (such as the brush of clothing against skin).

What Causes Fear of Bugs?

Phobias frequently develop in childhood, although it is possible to form them at any age. 2 In many cases, the exact cause of entomophobia is difficult to pinpoint; however, there are general factors that do contribute to its development. 2,10

Bad Experience With Bugs

The fear of bugs is frequently a learned response that develops after negative encounters with any type of insect—any experience that someone finds particularly repulsive, disgusting, overwhelming, or unexpected.

Hearing About Dangerous Bugs

Hearing news reports or personal stories from loved ones can also contribute to bug phobia. For instance, repeated reports of people becoming very ill with tick-borne Lyme disease can ignite a deep fear of parasitic bugs. 3 This acarophobia, a specific fear of parasitic bugs, can become generalized to all insects.

Experience With Panic Attacks

Sometimes, experiencing a sudden unexpected panic attack (like those in panic disorder ) that coincidentally occurs with insects present can create a mental association between bugs and panic. This can cause entomophobia to develop. 2

Genetic Factors & Personality

Cause and risk factors can also relate to genetics or individual personality traits. 2,10 Phobias are believed to be heritable, so if you have a first degree relative (parent, child, or sibling) with a specific phobia, your chances of developing the same phobia are greater. Also, people high in the trait of neuroticism or who are prone to experience anxiety may be at increased risk of developing at least one phobia, including entomophobia. 1

What Are the Complications of Entomophobia?

Having a level of fear toward insects is normal and a protective mechanism to keep us out of harm’s way, especially when venomous or disease-spreading insects are involved. But when the fear of insects gets out of control and is irrational, it no longer serves a purpose. At this point, entomophobia interferes with your quality of life and causes you to make choices you otherwise wouldn’t have made.

Some people stop going outside or engaging in outdoor activities like sports, gardening, barbecues, or taking their kids to the playground. Others just cringe in agony even at the thought of an insect. Eventually, this fear can take a toll on someone’s mental health, preventing them from participating in ordinary social interactions and leading them to become isolated. 12,13,14

Make Fear Less Intense & Less Frequent

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How to Cope With a Fear of Bugs

Having entomophobia can be frustrating and challenging. There is hope, though. You can actively do things to cope with the fear of bugs so your life is no longer limited by it. The following tips can help. Begin with one that feels doable to you, and gradually add more to create an effective tool box so you are no longer bugged by fear.

Here are seven tips for coping with the fear of bugs:

1. Ask for Support

Joining support groups for entomophobia can allow you to share your concerns and experiences with others who understand. When you know you won’t be dismissed or laughed at, you can share your concerns openly in a way that leads to solutions and  new skills. Additionally, identify supportive people in your daily life that can help you deal positively with your bug-related fears.

2. Use Mindfulness, Meditation, Yoga, & Relaxation Strategies

In phobias, including entomophobia, the brain’s emotional center—the amygdala—is constantly on alert and over-reactive. 2 Using approaches like mindfulness , meditation , yoga , and relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation directly impact the brain, including reducing activity in the amygdala, and they also turn down the sympathetic nervous system which is at work in the fight-flight-or-freeze reaction of entomophobia. 10,15

3. Engage in Reality Testing

This strategy is used in cognitive-behavioral therapy. Identify your thoughts and beliefs about insects, and question them honestly in order to broaden your perspective. 18 This can be useful in altering your instant fear reactions to insects.

4. Practice Consistent Self-Care

Poor health and fatigue contribute to emotional reactivity . Equipping your brain and body to function optimally can be very helpful. 16 Consistently consuming healthy foods and beverages, exercising, and getting proper sleep powers your brain and body to deal with problems like fear and can help minimize your symptoms when exposed to bugs. 10

5. Be Prepared, But Not Overprepared

Taking steps to minimize bugs in your living space can reduce anxiety and prevent you from being hypervigilant for the presence of the little critters. After you’ve cleaned and checked screens for holes, for example, trust in your actions and let them go. Busy yourself with other tasks rather than continuing to clean and inspect.

6. Celebrate Your Successes

Acknowledge your hard work and efforts to overcome your fear of insects, and do something small to celebrate any successes, no matter how small they may seem. If you are prone to experiencing intense panic when you encounter a bug in your room but then notice that one day your heart begins to pound and your anxiety rises but you don’t experience a full-blown panic attack, own that accomplishment and celebrate it by treating yourself to a fun activity or healthy treat.

The act of celebrating is powerful because it causes the brain to release dopamine, reinforcing the idea that it did something good. 17 Your brain will want more of this and will learn to associate the celebratory dopamine release with remaining calm.

7. Educate Yourself

Rather than feeling like you’re at the mercy of news reports and other people’s stories, take charge of your information and knowledge. Learn about the true risks and consequences of bug-related issues like cleanliness, bites, stings, and illnesses.

How Is Entomophobia Officially Diagnosed?

Your health practitioner or a psychological professional will conduct a thorough evaluation that generally includes a clinical interview where current symptoms, medical and mental history are examined. They’ll establish a formal diagnosis based on the information gathered during the interview and certain criteria laid out by the DSM-5-TR. 2

To be diagnosed with a specific phobia like entomophobia, the person has:

• Experienced excessive and uncontrollable fear and anxiety related to insects.
• An immediate strong reaction is triggered by thoughts, images, exposure to or even speaking about insects.
• Active avoidance of places or activities where insects might be involved like going to parks, hiking, camping etc. When avoidance is impossible, the person will endure it with much discomfort and anxiety.
• An exaggerated fear or anxiety that’s disproportionate to the actual threat posed by insects.
• Serious disruption in daily activities and social interactions.
• Suffered acute symptoms persisting for six months or more.

Treatment Options for Entomophobia

Entomophobia doesn’t always need formal treatment. Frequently, consistently using coping skills is enough to manage your fear so it doesn’t negatively impact your life. However, when entomophobia becomes life-restricting, causing severe avoidance and extremely unpleasant symptoms, professional treatment can be beneficial. Treatment options for phobias include therapy and, sometimes, medication.

Professional therapists help people examine, understand, and reduce their fears in order to prevent anxiety and panic reactions. Mental health therapy can also help people set goals, action steps, and choices to take back their lives. Finding the right therapist can help you overcome entomophobia. Search an online directory to get started today.

Specific types of therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, and general talk therapy are known to be helpful for phobias like insectophobia. 10,15

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Therapists using CBT for entomophobia teach you how to examine your negative thoughts and beliefs about insects in order to create insights into your thought and behavior patterns. They also help you learn coping skills to reduce your anxiety about bugs. Learning how to think differently about insects will allow you to change your automatic fear reaction so you can respond more calmly when exposed to insects.

Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is one of the most common and effective approaches to treating phobias like entomophobia. Gradual exposure to your fear desensitizes you and quiets your body’s automatic fear reaction. With this approach to insect phobia, you are gradually exposed to bugs.

You might begin by talking about bugs with your therapist, progress to looking at pictures of them, and systematically and slowly intensifying your degree of exposure until you encounter live bugs with your therapist and eventually on your own. Throughout the process, you and your therapist discuss your thoughts and feelings so you can form a healthier perspective and response.

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

Virtual reality exposure therapy follows the same principles as traditional exposure therapy. The technology of virtual reality exposes people to their fears in a simulated way rather than live. Instead of observing live bugs in action, you would view them virtually.

Psychotherapy

In traditional talk therapy, you engage in discussions with your therapist to discover the root of your fear and develop useful insights into it. You also focus on setting goals and learning effective coping skills. Psychotherapy is not as effective for insectophobia or other phobias as exposure therapy and CBT, but it can be helpful for people experiencing fear that is bothersome but not extremely disruptive to their lives.

Medication for anxiety is sometimes prescribed to people with entomophobia, but it isn’t considered a stand-alone treatment for this or any phobia. Instead, it is used in conjunction with therapy. Medication can help reduce symptoms of anxiety that otherwise interfere in the process of therapy. 10,15

Typical medications used in entomophobia treatment include:

• Anti-anxiety medications like benzodiazepines or other tranquilizers
• Antidepressants such as SSRIs or tricyclic antidepressants
• Beta blockers, medication for high blood pressure that block adrenaline to reduce physiological anxiety symptoms

What’s the Outlook for People With Entomophobia?

When left untreated, phobias including entomophobia can worsen, diminishing quality of life and increasing the risk for other mental health conditions. As such, the earlier a person enters treatment the better outcome. The prognosis can be favorable with a comprehensive treatment plan that includes effective evidence-based interventions, medication (when necessary), and moral support. People who are committed to this process can overcome their specific phobia and start living a fulfilling life. 19

Final Thoughts on Entomophobia

Fear of bugs can range from annoying and unpleasant to severely life-disruptive. This phobia isn’t easy to overcome, but it is possible to help your brain and body remain calm rather than panicking in the face of insects. With professional treatment and coping skills, you can live peacefully alongside bugs.

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For Further Reading

• Freedom from Fear
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• Mental Health America (MHA)

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Entomophobia (Fear of Insects) Infographics

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Olesen, J. (n.d.). Fear of bugs and insects phobia – entomophobia or acarophobia. FearOf.net. Retrieved October 2021 from https://www.fearof.net/fear-of-bugs-and-insects-phobia-entomophobia-or-acarophobia/

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Fifth ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association.

MedicineNet. (2021, June). Medical definition of entomophobia . Retrieved from https://www.medicinenet.com/entomophobia/definition.htm

MedicineNet. (2021, March). Medical definition of fear of insects. Retrieved from https://www.medicinenet.com/fear_of_insects/definition.htm

Black, R. (2019, September). Entomophobia (fear of bugs): How to overcome the fear of bugs . Psycom. Retrieved from https://www.psycom.net/entomophobia-fear-of-bugs

Polák, J., Rádlová, S., Janovcová, M., Flegr, J., Landová, E., & Frynta, D. (2019, May). Scary and nasty beasts: Self-reported fear and disgust of common phobic animals. British Journal of Psychology , 111 (2): 297-321. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12409

Arrow Exterminating Company. (2021, February). 10 common bug and insect phobias . Retrieved from https://arrowexterminating.com/blog/10-common-bug-and-insect-phobias/

Seladi-Schulman. (2021, January). Zoophobia: The fear of animals. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/phobia-of-animals

Mayo Clinic Staff. (n.d.). Specific phobias . Mayo Clinic. Retrieved October 2021 from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/specific-phobias/symptoms-causes/syc-20355156

Weinstein, P. (n.d.) Entomophobia/delusionary parasitosis/illusionary parasitosis . University of Otego. Retrieved October 2021 from https://medent.usyd.edu.au/fact/delpara.htm

Mandal, A. (2021, January). Treatment of phobias. News Medical Life Sciences. Retrieved from https://www.news-medical.net/health/Treatment-of-phobias.aspx

Live Science Staff. (2008, July). Good diet, exercise, keep brain healthy . Live Science. Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/2675-good-diet-exercise-brain-healthy.html

Kennelly, Stacey. 10 Steps to Savoring the Good Things in Life. Greater Good Magazine. Retrieved from: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/10_steps_to_savoring_the_good_things_in_life

Mccabe, R. E., & Milosevic, I. (2015). Phobias : the psychology of irrational fear. Greenwood, An Imprint Of Abc-Clio, Llc.

Live Science Staff. (2008, July). Good diet, exercise, keep brain healthy. Live Science. Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/2675-good-diet-exercise-brain-healthy.html

Peterson, T.J. (2018). The mindfulness workbook for anxiety: The 8-week solution to help you manage anxiety, worry, and stress. Emeryville, CA: Althea Press.

Samra, C. K., & Abdijadid, S. (2022, May 8). Specific Phobia. Nih.gov; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499923/#article-29262

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A Fear of Bedbugs Is One Form of Entomophobia—So Rest Assured You’re Not Alone if the Thought Keeps You Up at Night

A phobia, defined as a deep-rooted fear of something, can disrupt your everyday life and overall well-being—even more so when the thing that you're scared of is everywhere, such as insects . This is known as entomophobia, "an excessive and irrational fear or phobia of insects," says neuropsychologist Sanam Hafeez, PsyD .  "This fear can extend to various types of insects, including common ones like ants, spiders, bees, cockroaches, and flies, as well as less threatening or harmless insects."  

Furthermore, bedbugs, in particular, can be quite triggering for people with entomophobia, enough to keep them up at night. Below, Dr. Hafeez explains why that is as well as the symptoms and treatments of entomophobia. 

• Sanam Hafeez, PsyD , neuropsychologist and founder of Comprehend the Mind

Symptoms of entomophobia

So how do you know if you suffer from entomophobia vs. just not being a fan of insects? Dr. Hafeez notes that people who suffer from this type of phobia will experience an overwhelming sense of fear or panic when confronted with insects or even just the mere thought of them that is disproportionate to the actual threat posed by the insects. "This can lead to significant anxiety and distress, causing restlessness, irritability, and feeling out of control," she says. "Physical reactions such as rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, and shortness of breath are common, as are hyper-awareness and constant scanning of the environment for insects." 

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Because of this intense fear, Dr. Hafeez adds that people with this type of phobia often develop avoidance behaviors. In other words, they go out of their way to steer clear of situations or places where they may encounter insects. While in the moment, this tactic may help ease fear and anxiety, doing so repeatedly means they miss out on things and experiences. For instance, a fear of bedbugs may prevent someone from traveling, even if that is something they desire to do. 

Triggers of entomophobia

According to Dr. Hafeez, three main things can trigger symptoms of entomophobia: coming in direct contact with an insect, thinking about insects, or observing other people's fears or distress in response to insects, such as through hearing stories or watching media portrayals that depict insects in a threatening manner. 

Moreover, Dr. Hafeez explains that bedbugs can be particularly triggering for people with entomophobia because they are associated with invading personal space and feeding on human blood while you sleep. As you can imagine, this notion can make people with entomophobia feel vulnerable and deeply violated. Also, "the resilience and difficulty in eradicating bedbug infestations can amplify feelings of helplessness and anxiety, intensifying the fear response," she says. "Additionally, the physical evidence of bedbug bites, such as itching and welts, can reinforce the fear and serve as a constant reminder of their presence, heightening distress for individuals with entomophobia."

Treatment options for entomophobia

If the fear of bed bugs or other insects keeps you up at night, there are things you can do to overcome the phobia. Particularly, Dr. Hafeez points to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) , an effective therapeutic treatment for phobias such as entomophobia. "It involves identifying and challenging irrational thoughts and beliefs about insects," Dr. Hafeez explains. "Through cognitive restructuring, individuals learn to replace fearful and distorted thoughts with more rational and realistic ones." 

Exposure therapy is one form of CBT, which, as its name suggests, involves gradually exposing yourself to feared stimuli such as insects. "Through systematic and controlled exposure, individuals can confront their fears in a safe environment and learn to manage their anxiety responses," Dr. Hafeez says. "This therapy can be conducted in various ways, such as virtual reality simulations, imaginal exposure—mentally imagining encounters with insects—or in-vivo exposure, gradual, real-life exposure to insects."

All that said, overcoming entomophobia (or any other phobia, for that matter) requires patience and dedication. While you're in the thick of it all, Dr. Hafeez says leaning on mindfulness-based techniques such as meditation can also help manage the anxiety and fear that comes with entomophobia. 

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Why Do Humans Have a Fear of Insects?

By Brooke Borel

Updated on May 24, 2021 7:03 AM EDT

7 minute read

Why do so many people have a fear of insects? Is it ingrained, or a byproduct of modern culture? Jeffrey Lockwood , an insect ecologist and philosopher at the University of Wyoming, tries to answer such questions in his new book: The Infested Mind: Why Humans Fear, Loathe, and Love Insects __.

Last summer, I read the galley of The Infested Mind during research for my own forthcoming book on bed bugs. On October 7th, Lockwood and I talked about grasshopper swarms, bed bugs, and our emotional response to such creatures. Here is an excerpt of our conversation, edited for clarity and brevity.

Your book is about our complex psychological relationship with insects. What led you to write it?

I suppose what led me to it was described in the prologue of the book, which was a particularly disturbing encounter with an enormous a swarm of grasshoppers in Wyoming. I had worked with insects for years and grasshoppers for a very long period, but [in this instance] their numbers and behavior and their overwhelming capacity conspired to generate a panic attack, which was extremely disturbing for me. I’d never had such a reaction to insects, or to grasshoppers in particular, until that time.

As an academic, it was a matter of trying to figure out what the heck had happened—where that response had come from. That is what got me launched into the general direction of inquiry, and of course it led into all sorts of nooks and crannies of the human psyche before I was done.

That opening scene especially struck me. I was similarly inspired to write my bed bug book after getting the bugs three times in New York City. I’m curious why you were drawn to examining your own fear by writing a book—by diving into the very topic that had made you so uncomfortable, rather than turning away from it.

I think a big part, upon reflection, is that this response of being overwhelmed or suffocated or incomprehensibly outnumbered was actually the adult manifestation of a sensation I’d had since I was a child in a series of nightmares. It’s always been part of my personality to have this dark fascination with the sublime—this capacity to be both drawn toward and terrified by certain things in the natural world, especially with enormous numbers and scales. I remember looking through a telescope as a kid to look at the stars and into space and having that feeling well up in me. If this had been a one-off event, I think I would have been able to set it aside, but I had a sense there was something deeper in my personality and history that had been brought to the surface by this particular encounter [in Wyoming].

I initially felt more disgust towards bed bugs than fear, but in working on my book it gave way to fascination. I wouldn’t want bed bugs again, but I now have a couple of containers of dead ones—samples from an entomologist—sitting on my desk and they don’t bother me at all. Did your book cause a similar shift in your psychological response to swarms of insects?

I think it did. It took intellectually working through what had happened. Without knowing the terms or the framework of cognitive behavioral therapy, in a sense I applied that practice to myself and managed to work through my reactions. Then I took it to the acid test, which was entering a swarm of locusts in Australia and finding myself fascinated and maybe enchanted by what was going on. Maybe even disoriented. But the fear wasn’t there. The terror wasn’t there.

The insects had never bothered me one at a time or in small numbers. It was the overwhelming scale that had been so disturbing. But again, by sort of systematically processing that experience, its origins in me, and its origins in the deeper human psyche, I can find a sort of a dark fascination with the enormity of these natural phenomena.

In the book, you unpack why we both fear insects and feel disgust towards them. Why do you think these are the main emotional responses that people have to insects?

I think it is a two-fold answer. One, I think evolution has set us up over millions of years of contact with insects and small scurry things for these creatures to draw our attention. And so I think we are evolutionary primed to be keenly aware of insects in our proximity.

But then, once they have our attention, how we respond to them I think is largely a matter of cultural influence. And of course, in the modern world we have very little experience with positive encounters with insects. Culture overlays our evolutionary tendencies. You could think of our fear and disgust of insects of being as a conspiracy of evolution and culture. And that is the state of the human mind at this point in our history.

More than half of the world’s 7-billion-and-counting people now** live in cities **, and that figure is projected to grow. How has this move toward urban environments impacted our relationship with insects?

I think now that we’ve moved into urban environments where close quarters and hygiene are at a premium, we find that the vast majority of our interactions with insects are negative in that they are the things that are invading our homes and our private spaces—our kitchens and bedrooms. It’s things like bed bugs and cockroaches and houseflies. Our encounters are most often with these undesirable creatures that are feeding off of the refuse of urban life.

In more rural settings there is a greater diversity of insects, there are encounters with the more classically appealing insects—butterflies and whatnot. But as we move into urban environments I think our encounters become very truncated, in some ways matching our encounters with other animals. We encounter pigeons and rats more often than elk and moose in urban environments.

In my own research, I’ve been struck at how fearful people are of bed bugs—more so, it seems, than blood-feeding insects that spread illnesses (bed bugs are not a known disease vector). I have my own thoughts as to why this is, but I’m curious if you also found this in your interviews and, if so, why you think people especially fear the bed bug.

I think you’re exactly right. I think people’s response to bed bugs is dramatically different than to mosquitoes, even though they both draw blood. And in fact, as you point out, a mosquito is most likely to leave behind a pathogen. I think it has a lot to do with the details of the bed bug’s interaction with us, and that detail involves the fact that they live continuously in our homes. And not even our homes, but our bedrooms, and not even just our bedrooms, but our beds and our bedframes. So it’s a kind of invasion that is much stronger than our sense of an encounter with a mosquito.

The bed bug crawls into our bed at night and feeds on our blood, and then disappears. We associate the bed with intimacy and vulnerability, and this is all happening at night without our awareness. They are almost an insect version of the vampire tale, and almost evoke that sense of creepy psychosexual invasion. And I think we have a cultural response. It’s just very different than the reactions we have to mosquitoes and other blood feeding insects that don’t have these particular habits or interactions.

What’s your next project?

I tend to perhaps work in threes. I have three sets of collections of essays on the relationship between human society, human culture, and the insect world, with Infested Mind as the third. Now I’m headed off in a very different direction looking at the role of the energy industry in shaping public discourse and in censoring speech of artists, scientists, teachers and others in the western United States. Wyoming in particular is providing some case studies. I’m thinking more broadly in terms of the ways in which corporations shape public discourse and in fact censor public speech in order to advance their interests, and the danger that presents to a viable democracy.

Thanks so much for your time and good luck with the book!

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What is Entomophobia?

Last updated on 28th April 2023

In this article

An estimated 10 million people have some type of phobia in the UK, equating to a huge 15% of the population. It is not known exactly how many people have entomophobia, a fear of insects, although it is considered to be a common specific phobia.

Today, we are going to look at entomophobia in more detail, including common triggers, symptoms and treatments.

What is entomophobia?

Entomophobia is a type of specific phobia characterised by an extreme, persistent and overwhelming fear of insects. Entomophobia is a type of anxiety disorder where a person’s fear is irrational. If you have entomophobia, you may experience extreme distress when you encounter insects, or if you think about them or see a picture or video of them.

Entomophobia is different to a fear of insects. Many people are scared of insects or find them creepy or disgusting. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean you have a phobia.

To be characterised as a phobia, your fear of insects must:

• Create feelings of intense fear, panic or anxiety that are difficult to manage.
• Your fear or anxiety must be out of proportion to the potential danger.
• Your fear must last for at least six months.
• Your fear must interfere with your day-to-day life, your overall wellbeing or your sense of safety.

A person with entomophobia may be afraid of all insects or experience greater fear in relation to certain types of insects. Insects are technically classed as arthropod animals that have six legs. Insects also usually have one or two pairs of wings and a pair of antennae. However, creatures that aren’t technically considered to be insects, such as spiders, are often still included in the classification of entomophobia.

 The most commonly feared insects are:

Entomophobia is known by several other names including:

• Insectophobia.
• Acarophobia.

A person with entomophobia will likely experience significant fear or distress if they encounter an insect or may go to extreme lengths to avoid insects. Your fear of insects may interfere with your day-to-day life and your ability to function in certain situations, particularly those where insects are more likely to be present, such as when you are outdoors.

You may avoid being outdoors, particularly in places where insects are likely to be, such as the park, your garden or grassy areas. You may also avoid opening your windows and doors in your home or car and stay inside during times of the year when insects are more prevalent.

Even if you are aware that your phobia is extreme and disproportionate to the danger, you will likely still be unable to control your fear and your physiological and psychological responses.

Your entomophobia may be related to:

A fear of contamination:

This could be a fear of getting a disease from insects such as mosquitos, cockroaches and flies. Certain insects can spread diseases to humans if they bite or sting them or land on their food. This fear of contamination could be an evolutionary response to disease avoidance. Some diseases that can transmit from insects to humans include Malaria, Lyme Disease , Yellow Fever and Chikungunya (CHIKV).

Some of these diseases can have a serious negative effect on your health and can even result in death. However, this is extremely rare and seldom occurs in the UK. Although fear of contamination has an evolutionary basis, the fear is still out of proportion to the risk. If the fear of contamination overwhelms you, this is a sign you are experiencing a phobia.

A fear of being stung or bitten:

Several types of insects bite or sting humans. Stings and bites from insects such as bees, wasps and fire ants can be painful or, in the case of insects such as mosquitos, itchy and unsightly. Although insects can bite humans, entomophobia is out of proportion with the likelihood of being bitten and the risks associated with stings and bites.

A fear of infestation:

This could include the fear of your home or body becoming infested with insects. You may fear bringing new things or pets into your home or leaving your windows open in case insects enter your home and reproduce.

Entomophobia is also associated with other similar phobias, including:

• Arachnophobia: A fear of spiders.
• Apiphobia: A fear of bees.
• Myrmecophobia: A fear of ants.
• Scoleciphobia: A fear of worms.
• Spheksophobia: A fear of wasps.

Entomophobia can exist on its own, or in conjunction with one of the above phobias.

How common is entomophobia?

It is estimated that 10 million people in the UK have a phobia. Fear of insects is also relatively common, particularly in big cities where people have less interaction with nature and insects. However, determining how many of these people are experiencing a fear, and how many are experiencing a true phobia, can be difficult.

One of the main reasons why determining exactly how many people have entomophobia is difficult, is that many people with the condition don’t pursue a diagnosis. Because entomophobia is less well known than other phobias, such as claustrophobia , some people may not realise that they have a diagnosable condition and that treatments are available.

They may, instead, avoid coming into contact with insects and any situations and places where they could encounter insects.

Who is at risk of entomophobia?

Several risk factors can increase your likelihood of developing entomophobia, including:

• Having another phobia.
• Having an anxiety disorder or a panic disorder.
• Misusing substances , such as drugs or alcohol.
• Having a close family member or friend with entomophobia.
• Having a close family member or friend with another type of phobia (particularly during childhood).
• Experiencing a traumatic or scary encounter with insects.
• Being exposed to the fear of insects during childhood, for example, in a TV show or film.
• Being a naturally nervous or anxious person.
• Having little day-to-day contact with insects.
• Being younger than 20 years of age, as most phobias develop before this age.
• Being female, as women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with entomophobia compared to men.

However, anyone can develop entomophobia, even if they have none of the above risk factors. In some cases, there are no obvious risks that contribute to someone developing a phobia. On the contrary, even if you have several of the risk factors listed above, this does not necessarily mean you will develop entomophobia.

How to deal with entomophobia

You may think that the easiest way to deal with your entomophobia and manage your fear is to avoid situations or places that may trigger your symptoms. However, this may not be an effective long-term solution as it can worsen your condition and make your symptoms more severe in the future. No matter how hard you try to avoid insects, they are often unavoidable, particularly in the spring and summer.

Learning how to deal with your phobia and learning coping strategies can help you to manage your symptoms in the future.

If you feel the onset of symptoms, there are certain coping strategies you can implement to help reduce or alleviate your symptoms, including:

• Practise deep breathing techniques.
• Implement visualisation techniques to calm you down or reduce your feelings of anxiety when faced with an insect. For example, you could visualise a place or person that makes you happy or a calming image.
• Remind yourself that your fear is irrational and that you are not in any danger.
• Remind yourself that the physiological and psychological symptoms will pass.
• Focus on something external to keep you calm, such as the sound of traffic.

To help reduce the likelihood of you experiencing symptoms and to reduce the impact your entomophobia has on your life, there are some long-term strategies you could implement:

• Learn facts and information about insects and look at the evidence to help you understand the harmlessness of most insects and the low risk they pose to humans. This can help to reduce any irrational fears you have surrounding insects.
• Practise visualisation to help you think of situations where you successfully engage with insects.
• Practise self-care, including eating a healthier, more balanced diet, exercising and ensuring you get enough sleep.
• Talk about your fears with someone you trust.
• Practise yoga, meditation or mindfulness.
• Reduce stress in your everyday life.

What triggers entomophobia?

Entomophobia can have different triggers for different people, depending on the severity of your phobia and what caused the initial onset of your phobia.

Some of the most common triggers for entomophobia are:

• Seeing an insect in real life.
• Hearing a sound associated with an insect, such as a buzzing noise.
• Being in a place where insects are typically found, such as a park, wood or garden.
• Thinking about insects.
• Seeing something that looks like an insect (even if it isn’t), such as a feather blowing in the wind.
• Being outside during the spring and summer months, when insects are more commonly seen.
• Being in someone else’s home or car and having no control over whether the windows are open.
• Seeing insects in a cage or enclosure, such as in a zoo.
• Seeing a picture or video of an insect.

What are the symptoms of entomophobia?

Symptoms of entomophobia can differ from person to person. Some people may experience mild symptoms, whereas others experience severe symptoms. Some people with entomophobia also find that their symptoms vary in different situations, depending on the perceived threat, their current wellbeing and mental state and their coping strategies.

You can experience symptoms of entomophobia when exposed to insects directly or when you are thinking about insects. You may also experience symptoms if you see a picture, video clip or film that contains insects or if you are in a place or situation where insects may be present, such as a park, wood or zoo.

The symptoms of phobias, including entomophobia, are often similar to the symptoms of anxiety or a panic attack .

The symptoms can be both physiological and psychological and can include:

Physiological Symptoms:

• A rapid heart rate or heart palpitations.
• Hyperventilating, shallow or rapid breathing or difficulty breathing.
• Chest pain or tightening in the chest.
• Feeling of dizziness or light-headedness.
• Elevated blood pressure.
• Sweating, chills or hot flushes.
• A dry mouth.
• Shaking or trembling.
• Nausea, vomiting or the sudden urge to use the toilet.
• Numbness or tingling.
• Confusion or disorientation.
• A choking feeling or the feeling that something is stuck in your throat.
• A sudden headache.
• Freezing and being unable to move.
• Crying (this is especially common in children).
• An immediate and overwhelming feeling of fear or panic.
• Anxiety that overwhelms you or worsens.
• An inability to control your feelings of fear, panic or anxiety – even if you are aware they are out of proportion with the potential risk.
• Difficulty functioning in certain situations or when faced with insects.
• Doing everything possible to avoid places or situations where you could encounter insects.
• A fear of death or dying.
• Feeling trapped or unable to escape.
• The urge to run away or hide.
• A sense of impending doom.

What causes entomophobia?

There is not one sole known cause of entomophobia. There are several reasons why someone could develop a phobia and, in some cases, multiple factors contribute to the onset of the condition.

The main causes of entomophobia are:

• A traumatic event involving insects If you have had a traumatic event or a negative experience involving insects, this can become a direct learning experience that leads to a phobia of insects. A traumatic experience could include being bitten or stung, finding insects on your body or in your home and becoming ill or experiencing skin irritations because of insects.
• A learned phobia You could learn to fear insects because of an observational learning experience. If you have a close family member, such as a parent or sibling, or a close friend who has a phobia of insects, you are more likely to develop entomophobia yourself. This is particularly true if the observational learning experience happened during childhood or adolescence.
• Exposure to information that scares you This is known as an informational learning experience and can happen if you discover facts or information about insects that scare you. For example, if you hear about people dying from malaria, spread via mosquitos, this can result in you considering insects as being scary and dangerous.
• A genetic predisposition Your genes may be an important factor in the development of a phobia. If you have a genetic susceptibility to fears, phobias or anxiety, you may be more likely to develop a phobia. Scientists are currently trying to determine exactly which gene could be related to phobic disorders.
• Significant stress Significant, long-term stress can result in disproportionate fear responses or an inability to manage intense situations. This could result in you developing a phobia.

How is entomophobia diagnosed?

There are many different types of phobias and entomophobia is a type of specific phobia. A specific phobia is a lasting, overwhelming and unreasonable fear of a specific object, situation, activity or person; in this case, an overwhelming fear of insects.

A specific phobia may be more difficult to diagnose than other types of phobias, as the specific characteristics of the phobia are not listed in the diagnostic criteria. Specific phobias are also less well known, meaning people may not realise they have a phobia and may never seek a diagnosis.

You should visit your GP if your fear of insects:

• Impedes your ability to function in your everyday life.
• Has a specific negative impact on your quality of life.
• Causes you to avoid certain situations or places.
• Has a negative impact on your mental health or wellbeing.

An early diagnosis means you will have earlier access to treatment and a more thorough understanding of your condition, your triggers and your symptoms.

During your GP appointment, your doctor will look at whether you have a history of anxiety disorders, panic disorders or other relevant conditions. They will also ask about your family history and any medications or supplements you take.

To receive a diagnosis of entomophobia, your GP may refer you to a psychologist. The psychologist will give you a phobia questionnaire to confirm you are experiencing a phobia, rather than a fear. They will also conduct a psychological evaluation and an assessment of your symptoms.

The psychologist will likely request information about:

• Your triggers.
• The type of symptoms you experience.
• The frequency and severity of your symptoms.
• How much your entomophobia interferes with your everyday life.
• When your symptoms began and whether you have experienced any stressors, traumatic events or exposure to entomophobia prior to the onset of symptoms.

To achieve a formal diagnosis, your entomophobia will need to be consistent with the following diagnostic criteria:

1. The fear must be persistent, excessive and unreasonable. Fear could occur both when insects are present and when they are not present.

2. Exposure to insects leads to an immediate anxiety response in the majority of situations.

3. The fear is excessive and disproportionate to the threat, and this is recognised by the individual.

4. The individual avoids places or situations where insects may be present. If insects are present, the individual will experience extreme fear, anxiety or distress.

5. The anticipation of seeing an insect and avoidance behaviours associated with keeping away from insects can have a significant impact on the individual’s day-to-day life.

6. The fear has lasted for a minimum of six months.

7. The phobia is not associated with another disorder or mental health condition.

How is entomophobia treated?

The treatment for entomophobia depends on the type of symptoms your experience and the frequency and severity of the symptoms. Although not everyone with entomophobia wants or requires treatment, treatment is particularly recommended if your phobia impacts your daily life and your overall health and wellbeing.

There are several different types of treatment available for people with entomophobia, including:

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy focuses on the thoughts and beliefs that centre around your phobia and how these affect you. CBT can help you change the way you think and feel and change any harmful or negative thought patterns. CBT can also teach you coping strategies that you can implement if you are faced with insects in the future.

As part of your CBT sessions you will:

• Discuss your triggers and symptoms.
• Explore what caused your entomophobia.
• Explore your fears in more detail.
• Learn how to recognise your negative thoughts and change the way you are thinking.
• Learn coping strategies.
• Learn calming strategies.

Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy helps you to change your physiological and psychological response to insects. You are gradually exposed to insects in a safe and controlled environment. Also known as desensitisation therapy, gradual and repeated exposure can help you to confront your fear and cope with your triggers.

Your sessions may begin with talking about insects, before moving on to looking at pictures and videos. You may also use virtual reality to increase your exposure before being exposed to real insects in a safe, controlled environment. Exposure therapy should help you deal with the negative thoughts and feelings associated with your phobia.

Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT)

Another type of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, REBT helps you to identify irrational and negative thoughts and unhealthy attitudes, emotions and behaviours. REBT is an action-oriented approach that helps you challenge irrational beliefs and manage the thoughts, emotions and behaviours that occur when faced with insects in a more healthy way.

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, medication may also be recommended to treat the anxiety or panic attacks you experience as part of your condition. Medication may be used in conjunction with another type of treatment, such as CBT.

Some medication that is used to treat phobias include:

• Anxiety medication.
• Beta-blockers.
• Antidepressants.

Hypnotherapy

Guided relaxation techniques and focused attention can help you to identify the underlying causes of your phobia and help you change your thoughts and feelings around insects. You will be put into a relaxed, hypnotic state and then a combination of techniques will be used to re-pattern your thoughts and memories related to insects. This can help you to reduce your phobic response.

Relaxation and Visualisation

You will learn different relaxation and visualisation techniques, such as mental imagery, guided imagery, deep breathing techniques, autogenic training and progressive muscle relaxation. These techniques can help you remain calm if you encounter insects in the future.

If the symptoms you are experiencing are severe and you are concerned about your physical or mental wellbeing, you could contact NHS 111 or visit your local Accident and Emergency (A&E) department.

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Nicole Murphy

Nicole graduated with a First-Class Honours degree in Psychology in 2013. She works as a writer and editor and tries to combine all her passions - writing, education, and psychology. Outside of work, Nicole loves to travel, go to the beach, and drink a lot of coffee! She is currently training to climb Machu Picchu in Peru.

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Insect Phobia: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Options

• Updated: 12.21.2022

Insect phobia is the intense fear of bugs, flies, or insects. Even though most bugs don’t pose a direct threat, people with insect phobia have significant behavioral, emotional, and physical reactions when they hear, see, or think about insects. Although the symptoms can be horrific and life-crippling, coping strategies and formal treatment can relieve the patient.

What is Insect Phobia?

Also known as entomophobia [1*] , insect phobia is the fear of insects, and a person may experience severe anxiety when they see or think of them. A phobia of bugs is more than just the fear of flies. Stories of bugs or images of them can trigger anxiety, distress, and an extreme desire to avoid them.

Causes of Insect Phobia

Despite the probability of having phobias at any age, including the fear of bugs, people are more likely to develop them in childhood. Often, it is challenging to pinpoint the exact cause of entomophobia, but certain factors do play a role. Insect phobia is commonly a result of negative experiences with insects [2*] of an individual that finds them repulsive, overwhelming, or unexpected.

A bug phobia can also be triggered by hearing news reports or personal stories from family members. For example, repeated stories of people becoming seriously ill from tick-borne diseases can trigger intense fear of parasitic insects, which can spread to other insects.

Sometimes, sudden panic attacks can coincidentally occur with insect activity, leading to a mental association between panic and insects, which can lead to entomophobia.

Symptoms of Entomophobia

People who suffer from entomophobia experience anxiety after exposure to insects. Additionally, they might experience physical symptoms such as excessive itching or a crawling sensation in the body. Other common symptoms of fear of bugs include:

• Heart palpitations
• Lightheadedness and dizziness
• Excessive sweating
• Shortness of breath
• Shaking or trembling
• Stomach upset

Most importantly, to qualify as a phobia, a person must experience symptoms whenever they encounter an insect, have these feelings of anxiety for at least six months, and notice their fears to be out-of-proportion to the trigger. Usually, if an individual has a strong aversion to bugs in the house but tolerates them outdoors, it isn’t considered an insect phobia. In addition, the doctor will have to rule out other conditions that may cause anxiety.

How to Get Over Fear of Bugs

A formal treatment plan is not always necessary for entomophobia. Frequently and consistently using coping skills can help a person manage fear without negatively impacting their life. However, in cases of severe entomophobia, which can lead to extreme avoidance and a great deal of discomfort, it is advisable to seek professional assistance.

Entomophobia treatment may include:

Psychotherapies

Traditional talk therapy involves a person engaging in discussions with their therapist to uncover the root of their fear and gain insight into it. These therapies also focus on establishing goals and developing practical coping skills. Psychotherapy benefits people who experience mild to moderate insect phobia that does not interfere with their daily lives.

Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is one of the most effective treatments for entomophobia. During this treatment [3*] , a therapist introduces patients to images and scenarios that may trigger their symptoms and help them gradually manage their response. Most people with specific phobias see improvements in their symptoms after receiving this form of psychotherapy.

Exposure therapy involves discussing bugs with a therapist, then moving on to seeing pictures of them, and then gradually intensifying the level of the exposure until the person encounters live bugs first with their therapist and eventually on their own. During therapy, the patient discusses their thoughts and feelings with their therapist to develop a more positive attitude and response.

Cognitive-behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for entomophobia teaches patients how to assess their negative beliefs about insects to gain a deeper understanding of their behavior and thought patterns.  This therapy also helps  them to reduce their anxiety [4*] about bugs by teaching them coping skills.

People can change their automatic fear response by learning to think differently about insects, allowing them to respond calmly when exposed to them.

Medications

Suppose a person has entomophobia and wishes to manage their symptoms with medications. In that case, they can discuss with a healthcare professional the benefits, risks, and side effects of different medicines.

According to NAMI [5*] , medications to help the phobia of insects may include antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications which help to relieve anxiety symptoms emotionally and physically.

Insect phobia ranges from being annoying to severely disrupting one’s life. Though the fear of insects can be challenging to overcome, a patient can develop coping skills to stay calm instead of panicking in the face of insects. They can live in harmony without fearing bugs by getting professional treatment and learning coping skills.

• Insect Phobia. Insect phobia is an irrational fear of insects and other arthropods, including spiders. People with this phobia often experience a strong sense of fear and panic when they come into contact with an insect or arthropod, and can feel overwhelmed and upset.
• Fear Of Bugs. Fear of bugs, or entomophobia, is a common phobia that can range from mild to severe. Those with this phobia may experience feelings of overwhelming panic, anxiety, and even disgust when confronted with bugs.
• How To Get Over Fear Of Bugs. One way to get over fear of bugs is to slowly expose yourself to them. This technique is called desensitization. Start by looking at pictures of bugs, then slowly make your way to being able to touch a bug without experiencing fear. Talk to people who don’t have a fear of bugs, or find a therapist or support group who can help you work through your fear. Finally, take the time to learn about bugs and their behaviors and how harmless they are.
• Entomophobia Treatment. Entomophobia treatment typically requires a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy. The goal of CBT is to help the individual identify and challenge irrational thoughts and beliefs about insects. Exposure therapy involves gradually and safely increasing exposure to insects, beginning with imagined scenarios and eventually progressing to real-life scenarios. Cognitive restructuring and relaxation techniques can also be used to help manage fear and reduce stress when dealing with insects.
• Entomophobia and delusional parasitosis. (2008) Source link
• Entomophobia: The Case for Miss Muffet. (1988) Source link
• Affective outcomes of virtual reality exposure therapy for anxiety and specific phobias: A meta-analysis. (2008) Source link
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders: an update on the empirical evidence. (2015) Source link
• Anxiety Disorders Source link

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Entomophobia (Fear of Bugs): Guide to Conquer Your Insect Phobia

Abstract: Do you feel uncomfortable around bugs or experience extreme fear when you see one crawling on you? You might be suffering from entomophobia, the fear of bugs, which can interfere with your daily life. In this blog post, we will explore the causes and symptoms of bug phobia and provide you with effective strategies to overcome your fear. By the end of this article, you will have the tools to conquer your insect phobia and enjoy a bug-free life.

Entomophobia (Fear of Bugs)

Table of Contents

Entomophobia, also known as insect phobia, is an excessive and irrational fear of bugs and other insects. This phobia can range from a mild dislike of insects to a severe and debilitating fear that can greatly impact a person’s daily life.

Bug phobia is quite prevalent, with an estimated 6% of the population suffering from some form of insect phobia. This phobia can affect people of all ages and backgrounds, and it is not limited to any particular geographic region.

The fear of bugs can affect daily life in several ways. For example, a person with a severe insect phobia may avoid going outside or engaging in activities that involve exposure to insects. They may also experience anxiety, panic attacks, and other symptoms when faced with a bug or the prospect of encountering one. This can impact their ability to work, socialize, and enjoy life to the fullest.

Causes of Entomophobia(Fear of Bugs)

Entomophobia, or the fear of bugs, can have various causes. Some of the most common causes of this phobia are discussed below:

• Evolutionary Perspective: One possible explanation for the fear of bugs is that it is an evolutionary adaptation. Throughout human history, insects and other arthropods have posed a significant threat to human survival, as they could carry diseases, bite, or sting. Thus, it is possible that the fear of bugs developed as a protective mechanism to help humans avoid dangerous insects.
• Traumatic Experiences: Another common cause of entomophobia is a traumatic experience involving insects. For example, if a person was stung by a bee or bitten by a spider as a child, they may develop a fear of insects that persists into adulthood.
• Cultural Factors: Finally, cultural factors can also play a role in the development of insect phobia. For example, in some cultures, insects are considered dirty or dangerous, and children may be taught to fear them from a young age. Additionally, exposure to negative media portrayals of insects, such as horror movies featuring swarms of insects, can also contribute to the development of entomophobia.

Understanding the underlying causes of entomophobia can help individuals develop effective strategies for overcoming their fear of bugs. In the next section, we will explore some of the symptoms of this phobia.

Symptoms of Entomophobia(Fear of Bugs)

Sure, I’d be happy to describe in detail the physical, psychological, and behavioral symptoms of bug phobia.

 Physical Symptoms:

• Rapid heartbeat or palpitations
• Sweating or hot flashes
• Trembling or shaking
• Nausea or stomach upset
• Shortness of breath or hyperventilation
• Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
• Chest pain or tightness

These physical symptoms are the body’s natural response to perceived danger, also known as the “ fight or flight ” response.

Psychological Symptoms:

• Intense fear or anxiety
• Feelings of panic or terror
• Obsessive thoughts about bugs
• Difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly
• Feeling detached or disconnected from reality
• Feeling helpless or out of control

These psychological symptoms can be very distressing and may interfere with daily activities and relationships.

Behavioral Symptoms

• Avoiding situations where bugs may be present
• Going to great lengths to avoid bugs, such as staying inside or avoiding outdoor activities
• Constantly checking for bugs or insect infestations
• Needing reassurance from others that bugs are not present
• Seeking help from others to remove bugs from the environment

These behavioral symptoms can significantly impact a person’s quality of life and may lead to social isolation and avoidance.

It is important to note that the symptoms of bug phobia can vary in severity and frequency from person to person. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it may be helpful to seek professional help to overcome your fear of bugs and improve your overall well-being.

Different Types of Fear of Bugs(Entomophobia)

• Fear of Bugs Crawling on You: This is a very common type of bug phobia, where individuals have an intense fear of bugs crawling on their body. The mere thought of a bug crawling on their skin can trigger severe anxiety and panic. This fear can extend to any type of bug, from tiny ants to large spiders, and can be triggered even by the sight of a bug crawling on someone else.
• Extreme Fear of Bugs: Extreme fear of bugs, also known as entomophobia, is a more severe form of bug phobia. People with entomophobia may experience intense fear and anxiety at the mere thought of bugs or insects. This fear may extend to all types of bugs, even harmless ones. People with extreme fear of bugs may go to great lengths to avoid any situations where they might encounter bugs.
• Fear of Bugs and Insects: Some individuals may have a specific fear of certain types of bugs or insects, such as spiders or cockroaches. This fear may be triggered by a traumatic experience or a negative association with the bug in question. For example, a person who was bitten by a spider as a child may develop a fear of spiders that persists into adulthood.

It is important to understand that fear of bugs can manifest in different ways for different people. Understanding the specific type of fear of bugs that an individual is experiencing can be helpful in developing effective treatments and coping strategies.

Strategies to Overcome Fear of Bugs(Entomophobia)

• Education and exposure therapy: This strategy involves learning more about insects and their behavior to reduce fear and anxiety. Exposure therapy involves gradually exposing yourself to the insects you fear in a controlled environment, allowing you to become desensitized to them over time.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy: This therapy helps individuals identify and challenge negative thoughts and beliefs about insects. By changing these thoughts, individuals can reduce their fear and anxiety in the presence of insects.
• Relaxation techniques: Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, can help individuals cope with feelings of fear and anxiety.
• Mindfulness meditation: Mindfulness meditation can help individuals learn to focus their attention on the present moment, reducing the impact of intrusive thoughts and emotions related to fear of bugs.
• Virtual reality therapy: This therapy involves using virtual reality technology to simulate exposure to insects in a controlled environment. It allows individuals to face their fears in a safe and controlled setting.
• Hypnotherapy: Hypnotherapy involves using hypnosis to help individuals access their subconscious mind and change negative thought patterns related to fear of insects.
• Medication: In some cases, medication may be used to help manage the symptoms of fear of bugs. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications may be prescribed by a healthcare provider to help individuals manage their fear and anxiety.

It’s important to note that the effectiveness of these strategies may vary from person to person, and it’s recommended to seek professional help when considering any form of treatment.

Self-Help Techniques for Conquering Bug Phobia(Entomophobia)

• Practice breathing exercises: Deep breathing can help you calm down when you feel anxious or fearful. When you encounter a bug, take slow, deep breaths and focus on your breath as you inhale and exhale. This can help you feel more relaxed and in control.
• Gradual exposure to bugs: Gradual exposure to bugs can help desensitize you to your fear. Start with small steps, such as looking at pictures of bugs or watching videos of bugs, and work your way up to being in the same room as a bug. With each exposure, your fear should lessen, and you can move on to the next step.
• Challenge negative thoughts: Often, our fear of bugs is fueled by negative thoughts and beliefs about bugs. Challenge these thoughts by asking yourself questions like, “Is this thought true?” or “What evidence do I have to support this thought?” Then, replace negative thoughts with more positive, rational thoughts.
• Reward yourself for progress: Overcoming a fear of bugs takes time and effort, so be sure to reward yourself for your progress. Set small goals for yourself and when you achieve them, give yourself a reward, like treating yourself to your favorite meal or buying yourself a small gift.
• Join support groups: Joining a support group can help you connect with others who are going through the same experience as you. You can share your experiences, ask for advice, and receive encouragement and support from others who understand what you’re going through.

By using these self-help techniques, you can take control of your fear of bugs and work towards conquering your insect phobia. However, if your fear is severe or interfering with your daily life, it’s important to seek professional help from a licensed mental health professional.

When to Seek Professional Help for Entomophobia(Fear of Bugs)

• When fear of bugs interferes with daily life: If your fear of bugs is preventing you from participating in everyday activities, such as going outside or spending time with friends and family, it may be time to seek professional help. This can help you regain control over your life and overcome your fear.
• When self-help techniques are not effective: While self-help techniques can be helpful for some individuals, they may not work for everyone. If you have tried self-help techniques, such as exposure therapy or relaxation techniques, and have not seen any improvement in your fear of bugs, it may be time to seek professional help.
• When anxiety is severe: If your fear of bugs is causing severe anxiety, panic attacks, or other physical symptoms, such as nausea or sweating, it is important to seek professional help. A mental health professional can provide you with the support and resources you need to manage your symptoms and overcome your fear of bugs.

Overall, seeking professional help for entomophobia can be an important step in overcoming your fear of bugs. A mental health professional can help you develop a treatment plan that is tailored to your specific needs and goals, and provide you with the tools and support you need to regain control over your life.

In conclusion, we have discussed the fear of bugs and how it can impact a person’s life. We explored the causes of insect phobia and provided strategies for overcoming it, such as exposure therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and medication. We also highlighted the importance of seeking professional help if needed and provided resources for finding treatment.

To summarize, it’s important to recognize that fear of bugs is a common phobia and that there are effective treatments available to help individuals overcome it. With consistent effort and proper guidance, many people are able to conquer their insect phobia and live a fulfilling life free from the constraints of fear.

If you or someone you know is struggling with fear of bugs, we encourage you to seek professional help or try self-help techniques today. Don’t let your fear control your life any longer. Remember, you are not alone in this struggle, and there is hope for a bug-free future.

In closing, we wish you all the best on your journey towards overcoming your fear of bugs. Keep in mind that it may not be easy, but with persistence and a positive mindset, you can achieve your goal. Don’t give up, and always remember that you have the power to overcome your fears.

• Entomophobia: The fear of bugs
• Exposure therapy: A form of therapy that involves gradually exposing the individual to the source of their fear
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy: A form of therapy that focuses on changing negative thoughts and behaviors
• Mindfulness meditation: A form of meditation that involves being present in the moment and observing thoughts and feelings without judgment
• Virtual reality therapy: A form of therapy that uses virtual reality technology to simulate real-life situations and help individuals confront their fears
• Hypnotherapy: A form of therapy that involves inducing a state of hypnosis to access the subconscious mind and change negative beliefs and behaviors.

Last worded from Author

We hope that this guide has provided you with helpful insights and strategies to overcome your fear of bugs. Remember, you are not alone in this struggle, and there are effective treatments available to help you conquer your insect phobia. Don’t let your fear control your life any longer. Seek professional help or try self-help techniques today, and take the first step towards a bug-free life.

Yes, fear of bugs is a very common phobia. In fact, it is estimated that around 6% of the world’s population suffers from some form of insect phobia.

There are several causes of fear of bugs, including evolutionary factors, traumatic experiences, and cultural factors.

Yes, fear of bugs can be treated through a variety of methods, including exposure therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and medication.

The length of time it takes to overcome fear of bugs varies from person to person, but with proper treatment and consistent effort, many people are able to conquer their insect phobia within a few months to a year.

While there are no proven natural remedies for fear of bugs, some people find that using essential oils, such as lavender or peppermint, can help them feel more calm and relaxed in the presence of insects.

In some cases, mild fear of bugs may go away on its own over time, but severe insect phobia typically requires professional treatment to overcome.

• “Specific Phobias: Symptoms and Causes” by Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/specific-phobias/symptoms-causes/syc-20355156
• Fear of Snakes: Understanding Ophidiophobia
• A Comprehensive List of Phobias and Their Symptoms from A to Z
• Stage Fright: How to Overcome It in 10 Easy Steps

DR. ASHUTOSH TRIPATHI

Greetings, I am Dr. Ashutosh Tripathi, a psychologist with extensive expertise in criminal behavior and its impact on psychological well-being. I hold a Master of Physics (Honors), a Master of Philosophy, a Master of Psychology, and a PhD in Psychology from BHU in India.Over the past 13 years, I have been privileged to serve more than 3200 patients with unique and varied psychological needs. My clinical work is guided by a deep passion for helping individuals navigate complex psychological issues and live more fulfilling lives.As a recognized contributor to the field of psychology, my articles have been published in esteemed Indian news forums, such as The Hindu, The Times of India, and Punjab Kesari. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been honored by the Government of Israel for my contributions to the Psychological Assistance Program.I remain committed to advancing our understanding of psychology and its applications through my ongoing research, which can be found on leading online libraries such as Science Direct, Wiley, Elsevier, Orcid, Google Scholar, and loop Frontiers. I am also an active contributor to Quora, where I share my insights on various psychological issues.Overall, I see myself as a lifelong student of psychology, constantly learning and growing from my patients, colleagues, and peers. I consider it a great privilege to have the opportunity to serve others in this field and to contribute to our collective understanding of the human mind and behavior.

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Entomophobia: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments

Table of Contents

Last Updated on April 13, 2023 by Mike Robinson

Entomophobia is an anxiety disorder in which a person gets very scared when seeing an insect. Entomophobia can be more or less debilitating and humiliating for the person who has it, depending on the case. But the anxiety resulting from this change is unpleasant and bad for the person.

In this article, we’ll talk about the causes and possible treatments for entomophobia. We’ll also talk about the disorder’s characteristics and symptoms.

Phobia characteristics 

Entomophobia is a specific phobia, so it is on the spectrum of anxiety disorders. This means that this disease leads to psychopathology, which is a mental disorder. It can be hard to connect a fear or phobia of insects or other things to a mental illness because this is often seen as a sign of something else, like schizophrenia or depression. But when we talk about entomophobia, we’re not talking about a normal fear of bugs.

When a person with entomophobia sees an insect, their fear is out of proportion, irrational, and intense. It also has several harmful effects. So, the first thing we need to know about entomophobia is that it is an abnormal form of anxiety that is different from how most people react to fear and needs to be treated to be overcome.

It is an Irrational Fear.

The fear that people with entomophobia feel differs from that of most people. Fear is a typical response for humans, and it also comes from an experience that is important for the species’ survival. Fear, like other emotions, can keep a person from getting hurt. For example, if we walk down the street and see someone who wants to attack us, our body will react with fear, letting us start the processes we need to run away or fight back.

On the other hand, the fear that comes from entomophobia cannot be included in this normal or adaptive response. A person with this disorder doesn’t have normal feelings of fear; instead, they have pathological feelings of fear.

What Kind of Fear is Entomophobia?

When we talk about “adaptive fear,” we usually mean a set of feelings that are normal responses to real dangers. But when these feelings happen in situations that aren’t really dangerous, we end up with a fear that isn’t helpful. This unhelpful and non-adaptive fear response is called a “phobia.” Since phobia is a type of fear, it can be hard to distinguish between normal and phobic fears. This is one of the most apparent problems with diagnosing people. So, to correctly define entomophobia, the person who has it must feel the following kinds of fear whenever he is in contact with an insect or thinks he might be:

Disproportionate Fear

When an entomophobe sees an insect, they feel a lot of fear that is entirely out of proportion to the situation. This means that the panic caused by the insect doesn’t match up with the real threat that exists.

In fact, the most common thing that happens is that the insects make the person feel panicked and anxious, even though the animal in question is not a threat to the person.

Irrational Fear

The last point explains a lot about phobic fear but doesn’t explain why some people fear insects. To be sure that someone has this anxiety disorder, the person’s fear must also be irrational. This means that a person afraid of insects can’t explain or reason about the feelings and thoughts of fear he has when he sees an insect.

The person with entomophobia knows that their fear is too big and not helpful, but they can’t explain why insects make them feel this way right away.

Uncontrollable Fear 

The person can’t explain or understand what makes him afraid of insects and can’t control it either. In fact, many people with entomophobia try to prevent or lessen their anxiety when they see an insect but cannot do so.

One of the main goals of psychological treatment for this kind of change is to help the person take control of their fearful thoughts and feelings when they are around their phobic stimuli.

Leads to Avoidance Behavior  

The fear of insects is so intense and out of control that a person with entomophobia will try to avoid seeing insects at all costs. In other words, the entomophobic will go to great lengths to avoid being around or seeing insects. 

Most psychological trends say that a person with entomophobia can avoid their fear and anxiety by staying away from insects; at the same time, this is the main thing that keeps the disorder going. So, most psychological treatments for entomophobia involve putting the person in situations where they can’t escape insects. The goal is for the person to learn how to deal with their fear and anxiety when insects are nearby.

Persists over  time.

Entomophobia is a mental disorder, so the anxiety and worry of being around insects stay with the person over time. The fear of entomophobia will not go away without proper psychological treatment. Therefore, it is a chronic disorder that requires intervention.

Presents social challenges.

It is clear that the fear that people with entomophobia feel is not healthy. This means that the set of physical and mental responses that lead to the feeling of fear doesn’t help the person adapt to their surroundings but rather does the opposite.

It is not age specific.

Children may be more likely to feel scared during childhood or adolescence when exposed to different things, like insects. This phobia of bugs isn’t limited to a particular stage in life. Therefore, it lasts for a long time. A person with entomophobia will have problems for the rest of his life if he doesn’t get help to overcome his fear.

Symptom of Entomophobia

So far, we’ve talked about the signs of entomophobia. If you’re afraid of bugs, you can start to figure out whether you have entomophobia. But entomophobia isn’t just defined by the things that make it scary; it also has several very different symptoms. Constant fear can lead to the onset of the disease. We can tell the difference between the physiological plane, the mental plane, and the behavioral plane in the clinic of entomophobia.

Physiological Symptoms

The physiological symptoms are all of the ways that a person’s fear of insects shows up in their bodies. Before the feared stimulus, an insect appears, the body undergoes a series of physical changes. These physical responses set up a rise in activity in the central nervous system.

So, a person with entomophobia might have a faster heart rate and breathing, more sweating than usual, dilated pupils, tachycardia, tight muscles, or a dry mouth. As we can see, this list of symptoms refers to anxiety and normal fear. In this way, when a person is in real danger, their heart and breathing rates go up, and they sweat more or tighten their muscles. This prepares their body for action so they can deal with the danger in the best way possible.

So, these symptoms don’t explain the phobic part of fear because all of these symptoms happen when a person is around an insect that doesn’t pose a real threat. Plan for thinking.

Cognitive Symptoms

The cognitive affects are  made up of all the thoughts that a person with entomophobia has. These thoughts can be about what is feared (insects) and the ability to deal with them. A person with entomophobia can think of the worst possible things that could happen if he sees an insect and feel like he will die if one is near him.

Thoughts related to entomophobia are obviously not logical, so we need to do something to stop the fear.

Changes in Behavior

Lastly, we’ve already said that entomophobia leads to a set of determined actions. These actions only happen when insects are present or thought to be present, and their main goal is to avoid them. So, a person with this anxiety disorder might do several things to avoid coming into contact with an insect at all costs.

Common Causes of Entomophobia

Like the other phobias, it is generally agreed that this disease does not have a single reason and can but is the result of several different things. The leading causes of entomophobia are direct conditioning by others and genetics.

In terms of direct conditioning, having bad experiences with insects when you were young can cause you to associate them with fear. Another idea is that entomophobia is caused in part by being able to see or think about images or situations that promote a fear of insects. But this kind of link only shows up in some disease cases.

Another common reason is that the person may have genetic factors that make them more likely to have this disorder.

Treatment Options

The best thing about a fear of insects is that proper treatment can help overcome it if done correctly. But people with this problem often need more professional help. They think because insects don’t show up often, they don’t cause many daily problems. That is the wrong mindset to have when dealing with a phobia.

Psychotherapy is the best way to treat entomophobia because it can quickly get rid of the disorder. Cognitive behavioral treatment is the type of psychotherapy that is the most useful and effective for this kind of problem. In this treatment, the patient comes in close contact with different insects. The goal is for him to get used to the insects and realize that nothing bad will happen if he is near them. Then, relaxation techniques will help deal with the anxiety caused by insects. Cognitive methods can sometimes change irrational and phobic thoughts about these animals.

Also Read:  Anuptaphobia: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments

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• April 12, 2023

Entomophobia: Understanding the Fear of Insects

Insects are a vital part of our ecosystem.  For most of our customers at Rodent Solutions and people in general, seeing an insect in their home  will enact a manageable amount of alarm and reaction.  Some people are hit with intense fear and anxiety. This fear is known as entomophobia, and it affects millions of people worldwide. To understand this fear of insects, we will explore the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for entomophobia, as well as ways to cope with the fear of insects.

Causes of Entomophobia

The exact cause is unknown, but it is believed to be a combination of genetic, environmental, and cultural factors. Some people may have a genetic predisposition to anxiety disorders, including phobias, while others may develop entomophobia due to a traumatic experience with insects or other pests. Additionally, cultural attitudes towards insects can also play a role in the development of entomophobia.  The development of entomophobia can also lead to an increased fear of other pests that are not necessarily insects.  The knowledge of  rats inside a home  will cause similar symptoms in our customers.

Symptoms of Entomophobia

Symptoms can vary in severity and may include:

• Intense fear or anxiety when exposed to insects
• Panic attacks
• Avoidance of places or situations where insects may be present
• Obsessive thoughts about insects
• Physical symptoms, such as sweating, trembling, and rapid heartbeat

Diagnosing Entomophobia

A mental health professional, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, diagnoses entomophobia. The diagnosis is made based on a thorough evaluation of the individual’s symptoms, medical history, and personal experiences with insects.

Treatment Options for Entomophobia

There are several treatment options available, including:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) : This type of therapy helps individuals identify and challenge negative thoughts and beliefs about insects.
• Exposure therapy: This involves gradually exposing the individual to insects in a controlled and safe environment, with the goal of reducing their fear and anxiety over time.
• Medications: Sometimes, medication may be prescribed to help manage the symptoms.

Coping with Entomophobia

In addition to seeking professional treatment, there are several strategies that individuals with entomophobia can use to cope with their fear of insects, including:

• Educating themselves about insects: Learning about the behavior and characteristics of insects can help reduce anxiety and fear.  Understanding that pests can be controlled with  modern pest control techniques  can help the person suffering
• Using relaxation techniques: Deep breathing, meditation, and other relaxation techniques can help reduce anxiety and stress.
• Avoiding trigger situations: Avoiding places or situations where insects or pests are likely to present can help reduce anxiety. 

Entomophobia is a common phobia that can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. While the exact cause of entomophobia is unknown, several treatment options are available, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and medications. Additionally, individuals with entomophobia can use coping strategies to manage their fear of insects and improve their overall well-being.

• I s entomophobia a common phobia? Yes, it is a relatively common phobia, affecting millions worldwide.  A surprising  pest control issue  often triggers it.
• Can entomophobia be cured?   While no cure exists, it can be effectively managed with professional treatment and coping strategies.
• Can exposure therapy be dangerous for someone with entomophobia? No, exposure therapy to the  pest situation  is conducted in a controlled and safe environment with the guidance of a mental health professional
• Can medication alone treat entomophobia?  Medication is rarely the only recommended treatment. 

Bonus Content: Movies That Feature People with Entomophobic Traits

• Arachnophobia (1990): In this horror film, a man and his family move to a small town in California, only to discover that it is infested with deadly spiders. The man’s wife has Entomophobia, and her fear of spiders is central to the film’s plot.
• The Swarm (1978): This disaster film is about a swarm of killer bees that attacks a small town in Texas. One of the main characters, a woman named Anne, is a beekeeper who has Entomophobia. Her fear of bees is a major source of conflict in the film.
• The Fly (1986): In this science fiction horror film, a scientist accidentally merges his DNA with a fly’s. The result is a creature that is half-man, half-fly. The scientist’s wife, Veronica, has Entomophobia, and her  fear of flies  is a major source of conflict in the film.
• Mimic (1997): This science fiction horror film is about a race of giant insects created by scientists to control a plague of cockroaches . One of the main characters, a woman named Dr. Susan Tyler, has Entomophobia. Her fear of insects is a major source of conflict in the film.
• Bug (2006): This psychological horror film is about a man and woman trapped in a motel room with a swarm of  killer cockroaches . The woman, Agnes, has Entomophobia, and her fear of cockroaches is a major source of conflict in the film.
• Them! (1954): This science fiction horror film is about a group of  giant ants  created by nuclear radiation. The ants attack a small town in New Mexico, and the people of the town must band together to fight them off. One of the main characters, a woman named Pat Blake, has Entomophobia. Her fear of ants is a major source of conflict in the film.
• The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957): This science fiction film is about a man who shrinks ever-increasingly. The man, Scott Carey, is eventually reduced to the size of an insect, and he must fight for his survival in a world that is now much larger than him. Carey’s fear of insects is a major source of conflict in the film.
• Kingdom of the Spiders (1977): This science fiction horror film is about a group of giant spiders attacking a small Arizona town. The spiders are the result of an experiment gone wrong, and the people of the town must band together to fight them off. One of the main characters, a woman named Dr. Diane Ashley, has Entomophobia. Her fear of spiders is a major source of conflict in the film.
• Tremors (1990): This science fiction horror film is about a group of people who are terrorized by giant worms that live underground. The worms result from an experiment gone wrong, and the people must band together to fight them off. One of the main characters, a woman named Val McKee, has Entomophobia. Her fear of worms is a major source of conflict in the film.
• The Bay (2012): This science fiction horror film is about a group of people terrorized by a swarm of  mutated mosquitoes . The mosquitoes result from pollution in the Chesapeake Bay, and the people must band together to fight them off. One of the main characters, Donna Price, has Entomophobia. Her fear of mosquitoes is a major source of conflict in the film.

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Overcoming Your Fear of Bugs: Tips and Techniques

Entomophobia, the extreme fear of bugs, is one of the most common phobias. Phobias, in general, develop for several reasons and are a common psychiatric illness affecting about 10% of adults in the U.S. annually.

Very Well Mind describes the three categories of phobias. For example, social anxiety disorder is where a person fears social situations. The fear of open spaces is known as agoraphobia. Finally, the third category concerns phobias that present an unreasonable fear of a particular object or situation (flying, clowns, thunderstorms, serpents, bugs).

Factors Causing Phobias

Three factors appear to increase the likelihood of a phobia developing.

1.     Genetics

Not all people with phobias have relatives with the same condition. However, research has shown that some are observed in families, like twins presenting the same phobias even though they were raised separately.

2.     Cultural Influences

Some phobia development may occur because of cultural influences since these occur in specific groups of people. For example, taijin kyofusho is a social anxiety seen primarily in Japan. It is characterized by a fear of offending or displeasing others in social situations. Note that taijin kyofusho differs from a social anxiety disorder, where the sufferer is afraid of being personally embarrassed or shamed.

3.     Behavioral and Environmental Influences

Often phobias result from a real-life event that the sufferer may or may not remember consciously. Therefore, a fear of bees often stems from a childhood experience of being stung or a fear of dogs after experiencing an attack. Then again, social anxiety may occur in cases where a person had teenage awkwardness or experienced bullying as a child. Environmental and behavioral influences combined may often contribute to developing a phobia.

Regarding your fear of bugs, some scientists believe that humans have developed a disgust response to protect them from dangers like unsafe environments or dangerous foods. However, we know that specific bugs feast on dead animals, rotting food or feces, and some creatures can infest our homes. Therefore, our reaction is often a learned trait from our environment.

Entomophobia Symptoms

People who only have a dislike of insects cannot be compared with those who have an irrational fear of them. Healthline states , “The anxiety caused by this phobia is disabling and disrupts a person’s daily life.” The person with an actual fear of bugs will have intense mental and  often physical symptoms that may include:

• Severe anxiety or fear, even at the thought of being near an insect
• If an insect approaches them, their anxiety worsens
• They know their fears are unreasonable, but they cannot control them
• Their fear curbs their ability to function normally
• They will avoid any place or situation where they may come into contact with an insect
• On the physical side, the symptoms may include panic attacks, sweating, rapid heart rate, hyperventilation, chest tightness, shaking, dry mouth, and crying.

How to Treat Fear of Bugs

A trained healthcare professional is the only person qualified to diagnose a phobia following the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-5 diagnosis guidelines. First, the doctor reviews your symptoms, your medical and psychiatric history and does a clinical interview.

Like other phobias, psychotherapy is the best way to treat your fear of bugs to help you regain your quality of life. In addition, therapy aims to teach you how to manage your reactions.

Some of the treatment options include:

Connect one-on-one with a Psychiatrist

Exposure therapy.

Also called systematic desensitization, exposure therapy aims to gradually bring you into contact with the cause of your dread. The idea is that gradual and repeated exposure can help turn your fear of bugs around and reduce your extreme responses.

You don’t immediately start the therapy by having to face live insects. Initially, you talk with your therapist about your fear. Then you may have to see videos or pictures of the little creatures. Eventually, you come into contact with live insects in a controlled environment.

If you fear trying traditional exposure therapy, you can try virtual reality exposure therapy. The simulated exposure provided by technology allows you to try and overcome your fear virtually.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Several types of therapy can help you reduce your fear of bugs, including exposure and talk therapy . However, CBT  has proven to be an excellent way to help you to examine your thoughts and beliefs about the source of your insect phobia and how they impact you.

You will learn the right coping skills to help you ease your anxiety with bugs by learning to understand your triggers and how you react to them. As you gain more control over your thoughts, your responses to insects will become calmer.

Besides psychotherapy, the most effective way to overcome a fear of bugs, your doctor may prescribe medication to help reduce the anxiety and other physical symptoms of your entomophobia. However, if your doctor prescribes anxiety drugs like benzodiazepines, a type of sedative, these are addictive and should only be a short-term solution.

Your doctor may prescribe a beta-blocker if you have heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, or an increased heart rate when seeing an insect.  

Sometimes your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant to help calm your anxiety and fear.

However, the FDA has not approved these drugs to treat phobias. Instead, they are just used to alleviate the symptoms.

Lifestyle Treatments and Remedies

Several at-home treatments may make overcoming the anxiety caused by entomophobia easier.

These include:

• Relaxation techniques like yoga, diaphragmatic breathing, and meditation
• Mindfulness practice
• Regular exercise
• Reduce your intake of caffeine and other stimulants
• Join a support group

Tips to Manage Fear of Bugs

There are several steps you can take to help manage your fear of bugs and reduce the anxiety it causes.

·       Know your triggers and create a plan for how to confront them

·       Avoidance is not the answer; gradually expose yourself to the object or situation that triggers your fear

·       Do deep breathing exercises to calm down when you feel anxious

·       Practice relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, or diaphragmatic breathing

·       Create an “anxiety toolbox” filled with items or coping skills that make you feel calmer when faced with triggering situations

·       Talk to friends and family about your fear and enlist their support

·       Talk to a mental health professional who can help you gain control over your responses

By following these tips, you can make progress in managing the fear of bugs and reduce the anxiety it causes.

It’s not easy to overcome entomophobia without treatment. If its symptoms severely disrupt your life, the time has come to take the steps that will relieve you of the causes of your anxiety,

The longer your fear of bugs is left untreated, the greater your risk of developing another mental health condition, and your quality of life decreases. Conversely, the prognosis of overcoming your fear becomes better the sooner you start with a comprehensive treatment plan and support.

Several treatments can help you with your fear of bugs, including cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, relaxation techniques, and medication. Additionally, lifestyle changes such as regular exercise and reducing the intake of stimulants like caffeine can help manage your phobia.

The best treatment for entomophobia depends on the individual’s needs. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been proven to be an effective way to help people examine their thoughts and beliefs about bugs and learn how to better cope with their fears. Talk therapies such as exposure therapy and relaxation techniques can also help manage symptoms. Medication may be prescribed to help reduce anxiety but should always be accompanied by other types of treatment.

Yes, several lifestyle tips may help you manage your entomophobia. These include practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga, diaphragmatic breathing, and meditation; getting regular exercise; reducing the intake of caffeine and other stimulants; joining a support group; and creating an “anxiety toolbox” filled with items or coping skills that make you feel calmer when faced with triggering situations. Talking to friends and family about your fear and seeking professional help can also be beneficial.

It is possible to overcome your fear of bugs with the proper treatment and support. However, it is important to remember that overcoming a phobia may take time and requires effort. With treatment, you can progress in managing the fear of bugs and reduce the anxiety it causes. To get started, talk to a mental health professional about creating a personalized treatment plan that works best for you.

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• Entomophobia

For all those that scream, stress or feel like their heart is going to explode whenever they see any small creature with multiple legs, it is possible you have entomophobia. Entomophobia is the fear of or aversion to all types of bugs.  Most of us find this fear to be irrational. Bugs are a fraction of our size, and yet many of our physiological reactions make them appear to be a huge threat to our well-being. Why is it that so many of us are afraid of these tiny creatures?

Symptoms of Entomophobia

Phobias create an extreme amount of anxiety whenever we come in contact with whatever it is we fear. An insect phobia can create many unpleasant symptoms such as:

• Difficulty breathing
• Heart palpitations
• Feeling sick
• Chest pains
• “Jelly legs”
• Feeling faint
• Fuzzy vision or hearing

In most situations, one feels that they MUST escape the situation that they’re in. These symptoms range from mild to severe, but overall they can be manageable with time.

What Causes a Phobia of Insects?

Although there isn’t a specific “trigger” to cause a phobia, there are some ideas as to how they can start. Sometimes an ugly experience with a bug, such as being stung, can spark a phobia within someone. Memories of the pain or the oddity of the situation can keep the phobia alive. Parents also have a large impact on what their children fear. If a parent continually shows fear whenever they see a bug, the child will believe that the bug will harm them, causing anxiety.

Overcoming Your Fears

Because we have learned to fear insects, we have to unlearn the fear in order to overcome it.

• First, pinpoint why you might have this fear. Are you afraid of bites or stings? Or are you afraid of the way they look and move? Write down what it is you fear about bugs, or a particular bug.
• Educate yourself about that bug or bugs. Understanding what it is you fear will help you overcome the anxiety you feel when you see it.
• Start by drawing a picture of a bug you’re afraid of. Physically drawing out your fear will help you overcome your reactions. Progress into looking at black and white photos of your fear, and eventually colored pictures.
• When you’re ready, slowly start watching videos about bugs.
• Once you feel like you’ve got your emotions in control, check out an insect exhibit at your local zoo.

Exposing yourself to bugs in short burst over time will help you overcome your fear. Don’t force it too hard upon yourself in risk of causing too much panic. Remember that overcoming your fears will not happen overnight. Building up short exposures with bugs will in due time help you manage your phobia. In the mean time, make sure that your home and phobia is free from bugs by checking out our previous post: 3 Ways to Bug-Proof Your Home. 

By, Jessica Doucette

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Fear of Insects

Essay by Kill009   •  March 14, 2012  •  Essay  •  340 Words (2 Pages)  •  6,613 Views

Essay Preview: Fear of Insects

The one thing that I fear the most are insects, especially "insects that can fly". I don't know why I am scared of these insects. Maybe it is because of an incident that happened when i was younger. I was playing with my cousin in the playground when i accidentally knocked over a potted plant and got attacked by some bees. My mother had to bring me to the clinic because of all the stings on my hands and legs. Ever since then, whenever an insect flies towards me, I will feel very insecure. I always feel that the insect will hurt me. When an insect flies towards me, I will run far away and scream until someone catches it. To avoid these insects, I clean my room frequently and seal off my door and windows. My behavior towards these insects annoys some of my family members and friends. I wish that i can overcome my fear of flying insects so I won't trouble the people around me anymore.

NASA Earth Science Education Collaborative Member Co-Authors Award-Winning Paper in Insects

On August 13, 2024, the publishers of the journal Insects notified authors of three papers selected to receive “Insects 2022 Best Paper Award” for research and review articles published in Insects from January 1 to December 31, 2022.

One of the winning papers was co-authored by Russanne Low, PhD, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES). Low is a member of the NASA Earth Science Education Collaborative (NESEC), a NASA Science Activation project, and science lead for the Global Learning & Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Mosquito Habitat Mapper .

The paper – Integrating global citizen science platforms to enable next-generation surveillance of invasive and vector mosquitoes – was published as part of a special issue of Insects on Citizen Science Approaches to Vector Surveillance. It is in the top 5% of all research outputs scored by Altmetric, which is a high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. The scoring algorithm takes various factors into account, such as the relative reach of the different sources of attention. The paper has been cited 23 times .

Papers were selected by the journal’s Award Committee according to the following criteria:

• Scientific merit and broad impact;
• Originality of the research objectives and/or the ideas presented;
• Creativity of the study design or uniqueness of the approaches and concepts;
• Clarity of presentation;
• Citations and downloads.

Each winner of the best paper award will receive CHF 500 and a chance to publish a paper free of charge in Insects in 2024 after peer review.

The paper is a result of a collaboration by IGES with University of South Florida, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, and iNaturalist.

Following is the full citation: Ryan M. Carney, Connor Mapes, Russanne D. Low, Alex Long, Anne Bowser, David Durieux, Karlene Rivera, Berj Dekramanjian, Frederic Bartumeus, Daniel Guerrero, Carrie E. Seltzer, Farhat Azam, Sriram Chellappan, John R. B. Palmer. Role of Insects in Human Society Citizen Science Approaches to Vector Surveillance. Insects 2022, 13(8), 675; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13080675 - 27 Jul 2022

NESEC is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AE28A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn

Related Terms

• Earth Science
• Science Activation

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