Description and mechanism of development of apiphobia. The main causes of the fear of bees, as well as the clinical picture of an unfolding attack. The principles of treatment and prevention of such symptoms. Apiphobia is an obsessive fear that arises at the slightest memory, buzzing, or the appearance of bees near a person. Phobia is completely illogical, and a person realizes the irrationality of his experiences, but absolutely cannot resist them. No amount of talk, ridicule or rational evidence can convince him that there is nothing to be afraid of and that bees cannot do significant harm.
Description and mechanism of development of apiphobia
Phobia can manifest itself in completely different conditions. Sometimes a person sees, in fact, a bee, and sometimes he just remembers it. One buzzing nearby can trigger a panic reaction.
It should be understood that a bee sting in most cases is absolutely harmless and does not cause any consequences. Most often, it provokes only minor pain sensations for several seconds. The exceptions are those cases in which a person is allergic to bee venom. It is known that such bites are practiced in traditional medicine. Bee venom has been used since the time of Hippocrates to treat myositis, neuralgia and osteochondrosis. In the modern world, this method is called apitherapy. In fact, there is no reason to be afraid of this, but this is not an argument for those who suffer from apiphobia. Fear of bee stings can develop immediately after the first case, and maybe after the attack of several insects at the same time. The shock and pain that a person experiences during such an incident can leave unpleasant memories in the mind for a long time.
Causes of the fear of bees
At the moment, the only reason for this fear cannot be named. Many studies point to some features that increase the likelihood of developing apiphobia. Consider the causes of the fear of bees:
- Age … As mentioned above, children tend to exaggerate their feelings about possible danger. Moreover, their violent imagination and impressionability can turn the slightest threat of pain into a serious phobia. Also, children perceive prohibitions and learn the world from the words of their parents. Repeated repetition that the insect is aggressive convinces the child of the extreme danger of meeting a bee, even if, in fact, its sting is not so terrible. Children do not rationalize potential damage, but are simply terrified of what, in their opinion, may harm. For adults, there is a defense mechanism in the form of logical reasoning and at least some experience. That is, an adult knows better what he is afraid of. But despite this, even older people can suffer from apiphobia.
- History of anaphylactic shock … Allergy sufferers are much more prone to fear of bees. They know firsthand what anaphylactic shock is, and are afraid of its onset like fire. Of course, the human factor plays a role and people will avoid situations that, even with a minimal probability, pose a risk to their health and life. In fact, anaphylactic shock in this case is an acute reaction of the body to bee venom in the form of an instant drop in blood pressure. In the absence of timely assistance, this condition poses a serious threat to human life. A sharp drop in blood pressure very quickly causes irreversible ischemic changes that lead to death.
- Impressionability … Those people who take the surrounding events to heart are considered especially vulnerable to the development of fear of bees. It is easy for them to instill information from the media about the worst killer bees or aggressive attacks from insects. In most cases, these are inventions of reporters and journalists to obtain effective material. Unfortunately, such stories do impress sensitive people. They become a trigger for the development of apiphobia. For impressionable individuals, after watching such videos or reading articles, even the buzzing of an approaching insect will become a reason for a panic attack.
- Genetic factor … A pair of modern American scientists Rakizon and Derringer are studying the phenomenon of the existence of a protective reaction, which is encoded in the human genome, on dangerous animals and insects. Our ancestors at one time faced a threat from wildlife in the form of large animals, flocks of aggressive insects and other dangers. A defensive reaction saved them from inevitable death, self-preservation instincts were formed. All of them were embedded in DNA and, over time, became a stable component of human behavior. That is, in fact, everyone is afraid of danger at a subconscious level. Some to a greater extent, some to a lesser extent. This explains the phenomenon of the development of apiphobia in some and the usual caution in other people.
The main manifestations of apiphobia in humans
The development of signs of apiphobia depends on the individual characteristics of the course of fear of bees in a particular person. Depending on their nature and patterns of response to danger, everyone will behave differently in the same case. There are the most common variants of the signs of apiphobia, which are manifested in most people who suffer from this ailment:
- The escape … The most common reaction of apophobes to the approach of an insect is represented by an irresistible desire to escape as far as possible from the epicenter of potential danger. Often this subconscious desire borders on recklessness, and people can get hurt or harm themselves by fleeing from an insect that has come into their field of vision. In such a state of escape, people forget about where they are running, in what and whether it is really safer to retire in the direction that the subconscious has chosen in convulsive fear. In a mild version of this behavior, the person calmly leaves the room or simply tries to avoid an insect bite without emotional reactions.
- Vegetative traits … In addition to psychological reactions, the body also reacts to overwhelming fear. The autonomic nervous system, depending on the predominance of the parasympathetic or sympathetic division, in response to panic fear of a bee sting, can form its own symptoms. Most often it is dizziness, increased blood pressure. Sometimes people complain of rapid heartbeat, weakness in the legs and arms. There is also severe sweating, hands and feet trembling. It immediately becomes difficult for a person to breathe.
- Aggression … The severe form of the disease is manifested by changes in human behavior, which are characterized by an acute reaction to bees. A person tries to kill a nearby insect or insects. To do this, he uses all available means, simultaneously destroying everything that comes to hand. The only human goal in a panic attack is to eliminate the insect threat. In this state, you can harm not only the property that is in the immediate vicinity, but also those people who are nearby. That is why manifestations of aggression are a sign of a severe course of apiphobia and require psychotherapeutic intervention.
Ways to deal with the fear of bees
Virtually any degree of bee fear requires proper treatment. At the slightest sign of a phobia, remember that it will not go away on its own. Small children can outgrow the fear of bees, but more often than not, it transforms into more complex psychological problems and remains for the rest of their adult life. That is why timely medical assistance will help get rid of the consequences of a phobia.
Behavioral therapy
The simplest and most accessible method of psychotherapeutic treatment is widely used for many psychological disorders and phobias. An experienced specialist, after several sessions, will help a person formulate the essence of the problem, identify the main etiological factors and determine the standard models of the behavior of a particular patient in a situation with bees.
Then the therapist will try to build the most optimal line of defense, create more perfect patterns. These are completely new patterns of behavior that will make it much easier to respond to encounters with insects. By applying them in practice, patients will be able to maintain their sanity and behave correctly next time. For optimal results, approximately 10 behavioral therapy sessions are required. It must be combined with the desire of the person himself to work on himself, to cope with the situation and emotions. The psychotherapist will be able to formulate models of behavior, but it is the patient's task to implement them. This is the simplest and most affordable method and shows optimal efficiency. In this case, the patient receives the support of a psychotherapist and the opportunity to deal with his problem together with a specialist.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis is an effective technique that is rarely used to treat the most severe cases of apiphobia. The person is introduced into a semi-trance state, in which his external defenses are slightly weakened. He calmly and wholeheartedly perceives the external environment and is easily amenable to suggestion. The procedure for induction of hypnosis should be performed by a specialist who has the appropriate qualifications. Unlike behavioral therapy, this method is much easier for the patient, since he does not need to make special efforts to achieve the therapeutic goal. All work and responsibility is focused on the specialist. An important part of each hypnosis is the correct formulation of attitudes, which must be introduced into the subconscious of a person so that, under certain conditions, he can remember and be able to use them. Those phrases that need to be inspired by the hypnotist must be formulated unambiguously and correctly.
The installation should not affect other situations and should not significantly change the response to hazard. That is, a person must get rid of apiphobia exclusively, and not all fears together.
Auto-training
There is also a technique that allows you to achieve good therapeutic results by working without a psychotherapist. In this case, all trainings fall on the shoulders of the patient himself, and the result of such a method of treatment directly depends on the quality of his work and diligence. A person should carry out auto trainings all alone.
The conditions for the sessions must be suitable. First, you need silence, without any distracting sounds. Secondly, you need to take a comfortable position in which it will be convenient to spend up to 30 minutes of time. A person should not be distracted by external factors, which can somehow interrupt auto-training. This is the only way to achieve complete concentration on tasks.
The auto-training program consists of a sequential instruction of short and clear attitudes, which are formulated in such a way as to better convey the message to the person. Each item must be read and followed in accordance with the rules indicated in the text. Today, there are many options for such programs, among which you can easily choose the one that is more suitable in meaning and text to your life situation. In this case, for the fear of bees.
The effectiveness of this method cannot be said unequivocally. It absolutely depends on the person who is trying to get rid of the psychological problem in the form of apiphobia with the help of auto-training. For the best result, you need self-control, endurance, the ability to work on yourself and the desire to achieve your goals.
How to deal with the fear of bees - watch the video:
Apiphobia is a rather serious problem for a person suffering from this ailment. In individuals with a severe course, it creates significant difficulties in adulthood, turning a common fear into a serious phobia with severe consequences. That is why one should not overlook the presence of fears of bees and wasps in childhood, but try to get rid of them as soon as possible.
