Fear of bees (apiphobia): causes, symptoms and treatment

We review the characteristics of this exceptionally common phobia.

Bee stings can be painful and unpleasant, and no one likes to be stung by a bee.. However, some people develop an irrational fear of these insects, which causes them tremendous discomfort and anxiety in their presence.

The mere sound of a buzzing can provoke a state of panic and fear so intense that the person wants to leave the place immediately as a result of irrational thoughts. This extreme and unrealistic fear is known as apiphobia, and in this article we will delve into its symptoms, causes and consequences.

What is apiphobia

The word apiphobia comes from the Latin "apis" meaning bees, and from the Greek "phobos" translated as fear. This phobia is also known as melisophobia, because bee in Greek is "melissa".

Apiphobia is a phobic disorder and, therefore, an anxiety disorder.. Its main symptom is extreme fear, discomfort and anxiety, which cause the person to try to avoid bees at all costs. This phobia is often related to the fear of other flying insects such as wasps or hornets.

Many people have been stung by these insects or have family or friends who have been stung themselves. But the sting of these insects, which can be painful, does not pose a health risk, unless the person being stung is allergic or receives multiple simultaneous stings.

Apiphobia does not necessarily pose a serious problem for the person, especially in cases where there is little contact with the bees or wasps. However, it is necessary to see a specialist in cases where these symptoms persist and affect the subject's life.. For example, it can be a serious problem for those who live near a forest or whose neighbor has a hive of bees. In such circumstances, your apiphobia needs treatment.

Causes

Like all other phobias, this condition is usually directly associated with a previous incidence with bees. In other words, a traumatic event. The most frequent cause is being stung by bees, which can provoke the learning of irrational fear by classical conditioning, a type of associative learning that we explain in our article: "Classical conditioning and its most important experiments".

This phobia usually develops in childhood, although it can also occur at any age.

However, there are other possible causes that have nothing to do with being stung by a bee or wasp.. For example, when someone in our environment has been stung. When this happens, apiphobia can be acquired by vicarious conditioning. In addition, since we are taught to be afraid of and stay away from bees from the time we are small, this extreme behavior can lead some people to develop irrational beliefs about these insects. Television and movies also play a role in developing these beliefs.

Some experts also claim that we are biologically predisposed to suffer from phobias, as this emotion has served the human species to survive for centuries. This has meant that phobias do not respond to logical arguments, but are primitive, non-cognitive associations.

Symptoms and signs

Symptoms are common in the different types of phobia, what varies is the stimulus that provokes it. These symptoms can be cognitive, behavioral and physical. Among them, the following stand out:

• Extreme and irrational fear of bees (even when they are not present). (even when they are not present). Even a thought, an image or talk of bees can trigger the fear.
• Anxiety, anguish and general malaise.
• Thoughts of death
• Complete avoidance of places where bees and bee hives may be found. For example, forests or caves.
• Lack of concentration
• Confusion
• Panic attacks accompanied by signs such as sweating, trembling, rapid heartbeat, dizziness or fainting, Nausea or vomiting, shortness of breath, abdominal discomfort.

Treatment and therapy

Psychological therapy has been shown in many studies to work especially well in treating phobias. Specifically, cognitive behavioral therapy, which is aimed at modifying those thoughts or behaviors that cause discomfort to the patient.

Most of the time, fear of bees is related to irrational beliefs, so trying to replace this negative image of bees can help. However, relaxation and exposure techniques are the treatment par excellence in the case of phobias..

Exposure therapy is characterized by frequent sessions in which the person is confronted with the feared stimulus in a progressive manner. Psychologists also teach different forms of relaxation such as exercises for the release of muscular tension, mental visualizations and breathing control. The psychologist can also teach the patient relaxation techniques so that the patient can use them simultaneously during the exposure. This is known as systematic desensitization technique.

In severe cases of anxiety, anxiolytics and antidepressants can be used to control a person's feelings of fear. However, they should never be administered without medical supervision and without being part of a treatment that includes psychotherapy.

Other therapeutic methods such as Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy have been shown to be effective in treating phobias.

New technologies applied to the treatment of phobias

New technologies have allowed patients to be exposed to the phobic stimulus without it being present. This is possible thanks to virtual reality and augmented reality. Studies show that these types of techniques are very effective. Nowadays, even mobile applications have been developed to treat phobias.

• We tell you about it in our article: "8 apps to treat phobias and fears from your smartphone".