The Fear of Bees: Apiphobia or Melissophobia

Does the buzz of a bee always increase your heartbeat and get your palms to sweat? Do you find it challenging to enjoy yourself outside because you’re worried that you might have to encounter a sting? It may be that you have Apiphobia, or a fear of bees.  Alternatively, this fear may be also called Melissophobia. People with a phobia of bees may also have a fear of wasp, spheksophobia, and  mysophobia or the fear of pain and also a general fear of insects, known as Entomophobia 

 It is not irrational to be concerned about bees. Bees stings can be unpleasant, and some individuals can even have allergic reactions and thus more reason to take care.  Even so, bee stings are not that common and a phobia can be detrimental to the quality of one’s life.  

When someone has a phobia, they will often respond to the source of the fear with avoidance and panic in its presence.  Panic is an overwhelming sense of anxiety that may result in screaming, crying, racing heartbeat, dizziness, or nausea, among other symptoms. The intensity of the feeling is not inherently equal to the ‘threat’ that causes it. The person with a bee phobia may understand rationally that their reaction is extreme however that does not stop them from responding and feeling how they do to the trigger, it is an automatic response.

Individuals with Apiphobia may make great efforts to avoid bees.  Some will avoid public parks, picnics, nature, and other outside locations they believe may bring them into contact with bees. This obviously complicates the life of the phobic person as they attempt to plan their life around difficult-to-predict bee encounters. 

 Frequently, Apiphobia comes from having a negative experience with bees as a child.  Perhaps you were stung by a bee or multiple bees.  Perhaps you had a parent or guardian that expressed great fear upon encountering bees.  The fears of others can often be imprinted upon us from a young age.  These learned experiences can be rewritten through our proven phobia treatment plans. 

 Education can be a powerful tool against fear.  Apiphobic individuals frequently benefit from learning more about bees.  For instance, did you know that bees dance to communicate the location of food and resources?  They navigate using the sun as a compass and on cloudy days, use special polarized photoreceptors to find their way.  

 Bees are also an important part of the economy, producing honey and employing beekeepers that farm and maintain their hives.  Additionally, bees are crucial to our world ecology. As pollinators, they are responsible for growing many wild plants and food crops.  It is thanks to bees that we can enjoy a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds on our plates. We would actually not be able to survive if all the bees disappeared, they are crucial to all life on the planet.  Despite their importance to our ecosystems, their numbers are dwindling. 

Apiphobia can be inconvenient and embarrassing.  Won’t it be good to sit down and enjoy a barbecue at a garden or park with your family or friends without worrying about encountering bees?  If you experience a fear of bees that is detrimental to your enjoyment of life, Creature Courage can help. Get in touch today for professional assistance. We will work with you to determine your symptoms and create an appropriate plan to overcome your fear of bees