The world is full of living beings. For many years, much of the world stage was dominated by different animals and insects. The truth is that the insertion of living beings has direct effects on the lives of human beings. Likewise, the emotions that arise in this type of interactions can range from amazement, anger, uncertainty, sadness or fear, among others.
When we start to think about moths as flying insects that circulate in different spaces, although they may seem insignificant, there are people who have an intense and lasting fear of these insects. If the necessary help is not available, this can have unfavorable consequences in the development of daily activities. In this Psychology-Online article, we will talk about motephobia (phobia of moths): what it is, causes, symptoms and treatment.
What is motephobia
Motephobia is a irrational and exacerbated fear of moths. It is not a fear that has a logical explanation, so it can be defined as an anxiety disorder located within the framework of the group of specific phobias of the DSM-V.
How do I know if I have motephobia? Given its particularities, it is important that the following are met: diagnostic criteria in order to identify it:
- immediate against moths.
- Avoidance of situations or places where there are moths.
- Fear and/or anxiety disproportionate to the real danger posed by moths.
- Duration of six months or more.
- The alteration cannot be explained by the presence of other mental disorders or due to the intake of medications or toxic substances.
- Deterioration of work, social and family relationships due to fear and/or anxiety.
Causes of motephobia
One of the pillars to locate appropriate methods to deal with the phobia of moths is understand the origins of this clinical picture. The importance of this point is that it allows us to develop effective strategies to solve the problems caused by motephobia. So why are people afraid of butterflies?
Below, we show you the main causes of motephobia:
Environmental factors
The past traumatic situations They are usually linked to the presence of fears towards different objects, animals and/or people. In this way, the persistence of fears can give rise to motephobia. Likewise, it is important to keep in mind that if a close person suffers from motephobia, it is possible for the individual to replicate this clinical condition and incorporate the behavioral patterns into their daily life.
Genetic factors
It may happen that one of the parents has a certain genetic predisposition to feel with greater emotional intensity various situations linked to . For this reason, one of the aspects to take into account is to understand that there are various neuronal connections in the cerebral cortex that produce fear responses due to the processing of stimuli coming from outside.
Symptoms of motephobia
When it comes to accurately detecting fear of moths, it is important to know the physical and behavioral manifestations of people with this clinical diagnosis. Next, we will describe the most relevant symptoms of motephobia:
- Anxiety.
- Distress.
- Fear.
- Excessive sweating.
- Palpitations.
- .
- Nausea and/or vomiting.
- Shortness of breath.
- Shortness of breath.
- Incrise of cardiac frecuency.
- Catastrophic thoughts linked to death.
- Avoidance of outdoor places.
However, the presence of any of these symptoms in isolation does not necessarily indicate motephobia. It is essential that the diagnosis be carried out by a specialized health professional who evaluates the characteristics of each person according to factors such as age, sex or pre-existing diseases, among others.
Treatment of motephobia
Beyond the difficulties that motephobia entails, there are effective methods to overcome moth phobias. In this section, we will explain the most important treatments for motephobia:
Psychological therapy
Therapy allows you to work on the emotions, thoughts and behaviors that give rise to the patient’s symptoms. On the one hand, it provides resources to face situations of stress and/or anxiety in a more pleasant way according to the needs of each individual.
On the other hand, psychological therapy allows find the origin of the symptoms and enables the person to adopt coherent strategies to address situations that are conflictive.
Psychiatric medication
The administration of psychotropic drugs is only used in the most serious cases of motephobia, that is, when fear interferes with the development of the person’s daily life. Drugs modify neuronal connections and reduce the intensity of symptoms, however, psychiatric medication should be taken under the supervision of a professional of mental health.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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References
- American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington: Panamericana Medical Publishing.
Bibliography
- Delgado Reyes, AC, Sánchez López, JV (2019). Fears, phobias and their treatments. Electronic Journal of Psychology Iztacala, 22 (2), 798-833.
- Moreno, P. (2002). Anxiety guide. Desclée de Brower: Bilbao.