Last Updated on February 18, 2023 by Mike Robinson
What is Apiphobia?
Apiphobia, also known as melissophobia, is a specific phobia characterized by an irrational and excessive fear of bees, wasps, and hornets. The fear of bees or wasps is quite common in society, mainly because of the fear that causes the possibility of being stung by these insects.
However, apiphobia does not refer to a simple fear of bees but is a psychopathological disorder that describes a phobic fear. People with apiphobia experience high anxiety when exposed to bees, so they always avoid contact with them.
Apiphobia is a well-defined disorder with therapeutic interventions capable of reversing the phobic fear of bees.
Characteristics of Apiphobia
Apiphobia is an anxiety disorder listed within the group known as specific phobias. Apiphobia is a term that comes from the Latin word “apis,” which means bee, and “phobos,” which means fear. Hence, the definition of apiphobia is a fear of bees.
However, apiphobia does not include all kinds of bees. To relate the fear of these insects with this type of specific phobia, bees, and wasps must cause a phobic fear. The phobic fear characteristic of apiphobia is defined by four main properties: intensity, irrationality, uncontrollability, and persistence.
1- Excessive
The fear of bees related to apiphobia is excessive in response to the demands of the situation. For example, an individual with this disorder may show an extremely high level of fear in apparently safe situations, such as being outdoors where bees may be in the area.
2- Irrational
A high irrational component accompanies the exaggerated intensity of the fear of bees related to this disorder. In other words, the person who has a fear of bees is not able to justify in a reasoned way why they fear them.
Individuals with apiphobia fear bees but are unable to reason or explain the reasons for their anxiety.
3- Uncontrollable
On the other hand, subjects with apiphobia cannot control their anxiety. When these feelings appear, they completely take over their thinking and behavior.
4: Lead to avoidance
The fear of bees related to apiphobia is so high that it causes a noticeable avoidance behavior in the person. The individual with this condition will avoid exposure to bees by all means, even if this behavior reduces the person’s quality of life.
For those with apiphobia, the most important thing is to avoid the anxiety sensations they experience when they come into contact with water.
5: The condition is constant.
The fear of bees is a persistent disorder. The fear of bees does not occur only occasionally, at certain times or places. People with this disorder experience a fear of bees whenever they come into contact with them. Likewise, if left untreated, this disorder will be present for life.
Symptom of Apiphobia
The symptoms of apiphobia are brought on by the fear that bees initiate. Anxiety is the result of this fear. The physical nature of the disorder is one of its most significant symptoms. These represent several adjustments to how the organism functions and are brought on by an increase in the autonomic nervous system activity brought on by a fear of bees.
Physical Symptoms
The most common physical signs of apiphobia include:
- An increase in your heartbeat (possibly accompanied by palpitations or tachycardia)
- An increase in respiration
- Excessive sweating
- Tension headaches
- Stomach aches, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting
Cognitive Symptoms
Conversely, cognitive signs and symptoms are fundamental to the symptomatology of apiphobia. These thoughts make up a collection of irrational and unfavorable ideas about bees that typically cause discomfort and a desire to escape any area where bees might be present.
Behavior Symptoms
Apiphobia also affects a person’s pattern of behavior, which is another characteristic. The primary behavior change is avoidance. This type of behavior causes the individual to avoid contact with bees.
It is typical for the escape to appear when the avoidance behaviors fail, and the subject is close to bees. This refers to the actions taken by the subject to avoid their feared surroundings.
Diagnosis of Apiphobia
For a positive diagnosis of apiphobia, the following must be true:
- There must be intense fear or anxiety for a bee, a wasp, or a bumblebee (a phobic element).
- The phobic element almost always causes fear or immediate anxiety.
- The phobic element is actively avoided or resisted with fear or intense anxiety.
- Fear or anxiety is disproportionate to the level of danger posed by bees.
- Fear, anxiety, or avoidance is persistent and typically lasts six or more months.
- Fear, anxiety, or avoidance causes clinically significant discomfort or deterioration in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
- There is no other explanation for the disturbance causing the symptoms, like another mental disorder.
Causes of Apiphobia
The data about the disorder’s etiology suggest that there is no single cause for apiphobia. Different factors may relate to the development of the condition.
In this sense, direct conditioning seems to be the most important factor. Having lived through traumatic experiences related to bees can lead to the development of apiphobia.
However, other factors such as vicar conditioning (visualizing negative images about bees) or verbal conditioning (receiving negative information about bees), genetic factors, and certain personality traits are also involved in the etiology of this psychopathology.
Treatment Options
Psychotherapy is currently the preferred method of treatment for apiphobia. Mainly, cognitive behavioral therapy is the intervention that therapists use most often.
The primary method this treatment uses is to expose the subject to bees, either in real life (direct contact with the insects), virtually, or through a story.
Also read: Acrophobia: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
Also, relaxation techniques can reduce anxiety caused by the fear of bees, and cognitive therapy can manage and modify irrational thoughts about these animals.
