[mycatsniffy]

I have a great fear of bugs. mostly spiders and beetles. a beetle came into my room one day. it was one of those stink bugs, its brown, and big, and completely nasty looking. I can't even be in the same room until someone gets rid of it and checks every inch of my room to make sure nothings there. I went up there a few hours later, I wanted to find it and have someone get rid of it. I was very anxious, looking around, I didn't see anything. then the smell hit me. it gives off this unpleasant scent. and the moment I smelled it, I was screaming get me out of here, I ran down into the living room, sobbing, I could barely breathe.. it was terrifying for me but I couldnt get over the fact that it was just a bug. I always freak out when I get within a few feet of a bug. what is that all about??

[BatsAndButterflies]

It sounds like you have a specific phobia to bugs. Have you talked to a professional about this at all? A lot of times if you have a phobia like this, a therapist would try exposure therapy.

Did you have any bad experiences with bugs? From the sound of it... you could have had a bad or experience with a specific creepy crawly once upon a time and because of generalization, you associate fear with ALL creepy crawlies.

[sundog]

Hi mycatsniffy. Welcome! I totally agree with everything BatsandButterflies says here. Phobias are often "irrational". But even when we recognize that, the phobias can still have a very powerful hold over us. I think it would be a really good idea to work with a therapist on this. Wishing you all the very best

[introvertguy]

I was stung by a bee only once in my life. I was on the school playground at recess, 1st grade. Something tickled my right ear then I heard the loud buzzing. I raised my hand to my ear and then a sharp pain struck me. I got stung right on the hard cartilage, a place that doesn't do swelling well, not enough soft tissue to expand. I cried all the way to the nurses office. Stung only once, but to this day bees quicken my heart rate. Once I woke up in a cold sweat, my heart pounding out of my chest. I had a nightmare in which a bee chased me through the yard and all the doors were locked on the house. I woke up right as I was trying to pry the slider open and the bee was coming at my head.

Look, for one reason or another you have this phobia. Maybe you had a bad childhood experience with insects? My point is now that I know why bees cause me anxiety it's dissipated over the years. I get a bee stuck in the car while I'm driving and I am calm and roll down a window. I might not freak out anymore but I keep an eye on bees until they get away from the area. You can learn to get past this. Probably with help, or maybe with time like I did.

[jofomodosho]

I am sorry to hear of your phobia mycatsniffy.

You have three different names you can choose from that fall under "a fear of insects": Acarophobia, Entomophobia, or Insectophobia.

If there's a specific insect you fear, then you can add a few more phobias:

ants - Myrmecophobia
bees - Apiphobia or Melissophobia
lice - Pediculophobia or Phthiriophobia
moths - Mottephobia
wasps - Spheksophobia

I am petrified of bugs and insects in paricular ants. I hope this is of any use to you

[5-HTP]

It's just stink. It's not, say, a stinG.

Smelly bugs also smell bad because they're all 'OH NO THIS HUMAN COULD KILL ME' so they try to let off a smell. If you start screaming, they will probably let off more smell.

Try empathizing with the poor little arthropod, perhaps.

[angel700]

Originally Posted by mycatsniffy

I have a great fear of bugs. mostly spiders and beetles. a beetle came into my room one day. it was one of those stink bugs, its brown, and big, and completely nasty looking. I can't even be in the same room until someone gets rid of it and checks every inch of my room to make sure nothings there. I went up there a few hours later, I wanted to find it and have someone get rid of it. I was very anxious, looking around, I didn't see anything. then the smell hit me. it gives off this unpleasant scent. and the moment I smelled it, I was screaming get me out of here, I ran down into the living room, sobbing, I could barely breathe.. it was terrifying for me but I couldnt get over the fact that it was just a bug. I always freak out when I get within a few feet of a bug. what is that all about??

don't feel like you're alone - there isn't a place on earth big enough for me and a roach! I'm so afraid of them that even after I've smothered it in bug spray (and usually half a can before I feel like their really dead) I cannot bring myself to pick it up - I use the longest cat scoop I have and hold it as far out as I can away from me to get rid of it. Found a new creature in my current apartment that freaks me out just as much - called a millipede. I'm just as phobic about them turns out! And when you have two cats that chase dust bunnies with as much vigor as any bug, you just never know it there's a real threat.