How To Overcome Fear Of Bugs

[TopicStarter]

A majority of people do not have a liking for bugs, but experiencing fear is quite different. And then, there are people with entomophobia. 

Sometimes, as kids, you learn from other people to be scared of bugs. And even as you grow up, this fear does not get eliminated completely. In the worst-case scenario, this feeling only strengthens over time and gets more challenging to get over. 

If the mere thought of a bug evokes images of creepy crawlers, you need to understand that your problem might be more deep-seated. While other people may see this as irrational, the fear for you is as real as it gets. 

You might even find family and friends teasing you about situations like these. But, trust me, embarrassment only enhances the issue and does not solve it. In order to overcome this fear of bugs, it is essential that you handle it more effectively.

And I am here to suggest a few ways which would help you deal with it better. 

#1 Identifying your fears: To know what it is that scares you about bugs is half the battle won. The more you know where this fear stems from, the better you would be able to overcome it. You can maintain a journal to note what makes you fear insects the most. 

If you can locate how this fear started, then it would be easier for you to grasp the intensity of the problem and reach its roots.

#2 Take help from an entomologist: Entomologists can be of great help to understand the anatomy of bugs. They study bugs and can help you better understand how they live and function. 

And if you are in luck, you can even see some dead fossilised bugs in their collection. And to see something that scares you so closely might help you to effectively deal with the fear. This way, you can inspect the bugs up-close without fearing that they will harm you. 

#3 Think positively: Your fear of bugs stems from the belief that they are scary beings. So, you experience extreme negative feelings when they are around you. 

And if you can successfully replace these negative emotions with more positive ones, there’s a good chance that you would be able to combat this fear. 

There’s no doubt that this fear is irrational, but when you experience it, there’s nothing that feels more real. But you need to understand that only a very few of them actually bite. And unless you try to hurt them, they are not going to return the favor!

Do you have a fear of bugs? What steps did you take to overcome it?

[Quinten]

I think exposing yourself to bugs is the best way of getting over it. Sometimes facing your fears is what breaks the fear. I used to fear bugs, but the majority of the time they don't want to bother you. So just don't bother with them. 

I now pick up bugs and put them outside. I used to kill them whenever they bugged me, but now I just find a way to get them out of my home. For me, the fear was the idea of touching bugs. Like, eww they're gross, but in reality they aren't as gross as you'd think. 

[Mila]

4 hours ago, Quinten said:

I think exposing yourself to bugs is the best way of getting over it. Sometimes facing your fears is what breaks the fear. I used to fear bugs, but the majority of the time they don't want to bother you. So just don't bother with them. 

I now pick up bugs and put them outside. I used to kill them whenever they bugged me, but now I just find a way to get them out of my home. For me, the fear was the idea of touching bugs. Like, eww they're gross, but in reality they aren't as gross as you'd think. 

I think in many cases, this is true of fear in general! I know for me, I have always had a fear of spiders and bugs. I still do but it is no longer crippling. What changed me was having to stay in a basement for a year. When I was in between places, I stayed at a friends who basement was unfinished. It was clean but still, it had bugs. I ended up having to interact with different bugs and various spiders. I had to get over it and learn to trap/capture, or kill them myself. 

[Emma]

I never had a strong fear of them. I actually like some of them but I think the gross out factor and the chance of getting one stuck on me always freaked me out. I had a wasp stuck in my hair once and I was panicking over it. I ended up bringing it in the house with me cause I thought it had gotten free and it did not.