Fear Of Ants: Myrmecophobia
Ants are often depicted as annoying little nuisances that emerge at picnics, but for some they have a more threatening reputation. A phobia of ants is called myrmecophobia. People with this phobia may experience debilitating fear when encountering ants and in extreme cases, may experience distress when presented with the mere image of an ant. It is common for people with myrmecophobia to also have a general fear of insects, which is called entomophobia.
Individuals with myrmecophobia feel extreme fear about encountering ants. They may experience several phobic responses such as dizziness, sweating, and shortness of breath along with a greatly increased heart rate. In severe situations, this fear will give rise to full-blown panic attacks. The physiological symptoms experienced when exposed to ants (including intense anxiety) will frequently cause the sufferer to flee the distressing event or go to extreme lengths to avoid contact with ants.
People may fear ants simply because they despise the thought of insects near or on their own bodies. For many people, the sight of ants creeping on the skin may be repulsive. Often someone with a phobia of ants was bitten by them as a child and the memory of fear created the trigger. Frequently the fear can also be learned from a caretaker such as a parent or an older sibling that responded to ants with great fear. These learned responses can be rewritten using Creature Courage’s proven therapeutic techniques.
In several films, ants have been portrayed as dangerous threats, contributing to myrmecophobia. Although the special-effect ants were considered laughable by some moviegoers, for others it may be terrifying. Despite the media representation of ants, very few species pose a threat to humans.
At Creature Courage, we love to turn fear into fascination. For instance, did you know that ants don’t have ears? They use vibrations to ‘hear’ instead. Plus, ants have two stomachs! One stomach is for their own food, and the second is to share food with others. Ants also play an important role in our ecosystem. Their movements through the earth aerate soil, allowing water and oxygen to permeate deep and facilitate plant growth. They may transport seeds to new locations, dispersing plants across a wider area. Additionally, ants eat a wide variety of fresh or decomposing materials, making them invaluable as part of nature’s cleanup crew.
A phobia of ants can interfere with the quality of your life. Ants can be found in most locations around the globe making myrmecophobia a very frustrating phobia to have.The continued mental drain of planning one’s life around myrmecophobia can cause a lot of subconscious anxiety. If you find yourself feeling stressed or anxious about encountering ants, Creature Courage is here for you. We can reverse the anxiety triggers to gain new optimistic feelings around ants . Instead of anxiety, you can have fascination, respect, and appreciation. It may seem unbelievable, but it’s true!
Contact Creature Courage to address your fear of ants and say goodbye to fear and anxiety!