All About Myrmecophobia, the Fear of Ants, and How to Overcome it with Psychological Therapy & Counselling

What is Myrmecophobia?

Myrmecophobia is the Fear of Ants and can cause significant anxiety and stress if you suffer from it.

There may be a number of reasons why you developed Myrmecophobia, for example:

• You may have had negative experiences with ants in the past, for example, falling into or disturbing and ants nest.
• You might have picked-up the fear of Ants from a parent who suffered from it.

Although phobias are often described as ‘disorders’, there is no valid scientific evidence that Myrmecophobia is the result of any kind of biological fault or chemical imbalance as proposed in the biomedical models of mental illness.

On the contrary, Myrmecophobia is much more likely to be the result of your own, subjective evaluation (what you think your experiences mean) of what happened to you and is therefore better described as a psychosocial symptom.

Myrmecophobia Symptoms & Behaviours

All phobias, including Myrmecophobia, create feelings of anxiety because phobic objects or situations are always perceived as a threat.

Consequently, the symptoms of Myrmecophobia are both specific and generic and may include:

• Avoiding places where Ants might have a next.
• Being fastidious about cleanliness in the home.
• An elevated heart rate.
• A sense of dread about what might happen.
• Worrying that you might pass out.
• Feeling dizzy or disoriented.
• Having heart palpitations.
• Having a dry or sticky mouth.
• Hot sweats.
• Feeling Stressed.
• Difficulty breathing easily.
• Feelings of panic.

Moreover, you may have all, some or even different symptoms to these listed here and this is due to the subjective nature of Myrmecophobia.

Furthermore, you should also be aware that many of these somatic symptoms (symptoms felt in the body) listed above WILL subside over time and rarely last for more than 20 to 30 minutes.

What Causes Myrmecophobia?

it is likely that your Myrmecophobia is the result of either traumatic experiences or adverse situations that you experienced at some point in your life.

You may, for example, have had an ant infestation in your home and had a negative emotional reaction to seeing such an infestation.

What’s more, because the Fear of Ants has never been linked to any biological factors, the most likely explanation for your Myrmecophobia is the way that you understood and made sense of your earlier experiences.

Counselling and Therapy for Myrmecophobia

We can offer you a number of different types of therapy and counselling for your Myrmecophobia the Fear of Ants.

Choosing the most suitable therapy depends on a number of different considerations including factors such as:

• How long you have had your phobia.
• Your personal preferences.
• How your phobia is affecting you today.

You can read more about the different types of therapy for Myrmecophobia on the following links:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Myrmecophobia
• Counselling for Myrmecophobia
• Pluralistic Therapy for the Fear of Ants

Although all forms of psychotherapy use slightly different approaches, the one thing they all have in common is the relationship that is formed between the client and therapist.

Furthermore, research also suggests that the therapy relationship may be the most important factor in achieving a good therapy outcome.

Arrange your FREE initial consultation here.

If you’d like to find out more about overcoming Myrmecophobia or recovering from related mental health problems then why not arrange a free initial consultation with us.

During this consultation we will discuss your particular phobia and the different types of mental health counselling we offer without you having to commit to any counselling going forward.

The consultation lasts around 50 minutes and is a great opportunity to meet with either Paul or Joan and decide if you would like to proceed with any support.