Social Anxiety Support

rcapo89 · 10-30-2009, 09:45 AM

Does anyone here have irrational fears not related to SA? I have a great fear bordering on phobia of insects.
I ask this because of an incident that happened last night. I was going upstairs to bed when I spotted a cockroach.

I couldn't go to bed knowing there was a cockroach in the house. The cockroach hid under the couch against the wall. I stood on the couch with a shoe in one hand and bug spray on the other. My heart was beating rapidly, my legs were shaking, and I was sweating bullets. I eventually dropped the shoe missing the "target"

After about ten minutes I eventually cornered it stomping it will my shoe.
The entire scene was comical, me a grown man being terrified of an insect that can do me NO harm.

Anyone else have an irrational fear?

anonymid · 10-30-2009, 10:04 AM

I'm terrified of bugs, too. I've only encountered one cockroach in my life, and luckily a friend was there to deal with it for me.

rcapo89 · 10-30-2009, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anonymid

I'm terrified of bugs, too. I've only encountered one cockroach in my life, and luckily a friend was there to deal with it for me.

Wow you have only encountered one cockroach in your entire life?!
I contribute my extreme fear of insects partly to my mother. I remember when I was a child, my family and I were watching an action movie on television in my parents room. There was a scene in the movie when a guy was set on fire. At that very moment my mother started screaming hysterically. We assumed she was reacting to the violent scene. It turned out that there was a cockroach flying around in the room. She raced into the bathroom to hide. If only this hilarious scene were caught on tape.

Also cockroaches are insects not bugs, there is a difference. (I know I'm a geek).

anonymid · 10-30-2009, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcapo89

Wow you have only encountered one cockroach in your entire life?!

Incidentally, that lone encounter was when I was living in Georgia. I was only there for four months, though. I've lived most of my life in the northeast, and in non-urban settings.

rcapo89 · 10-30-2009, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anonymid

Incidentally, that lone encounter was when I was living in Georgia. I was only there for four months, though. I've lived most of my life in the northeast, and in non-urban settings.

I'm sure you loved living in *the great state of Georgia* exaggerated southern accent. The state bird in Georgia is the mosquito.

nightrain · 10-30-2009, 11:18 AM

Germs... I wash my hands 50+ times a day

rcapo89 · 10-30-2009, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightrain

Germs... I wash my hands 50+ times a day

Wow fifty times a day!!!

nubly · 10-30-2009, 12:27 PM

im afraid of women when they are mad

rcapo89 · 10-30-2009, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nubly

im afraid of women when they are mad

LOL!!!

But seriously does anyone else have horror stories dealing with insects.

Hank Scorpio · 10-30-2009, 03:49 PM

I love insects and don't understand why everybody doesn't.

Rixy · 10-30-2009, 04:46 PM

I hate the buzzing of insects. Mostly wasps and beetles, it freaks me out so much. Apart from that I dont think I have that much of a fear of insects.

Futures · 10-30-2009, 05:00 PM

I don't think I've ever encountered a cockroach.

They look kind of freaky, but the worst for me is House Centipedes! Those things terrify me. Last spring, I encountered about 5 of them in the span of one week which is strange considering I usually only see a couple a year.

But when I see those things, I will literally wait for an hour for them to come out of their hiding spot so I can kill them.

Your Crazy · 10-30-2009, 05:01 PM

Dear God I read that title wrong...lol.

Anyway, I ****ing HATE spiders, or any bug with more than six legs. One time I saw one of these in my basement and freaked out.

Braxietel · 10-30-2009, 05:18 PM

I hate insects, I cannot say just how scared I get of these little *******s.

rcapo89 · 10-30-2009, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Your Crazy

Dear God I read that title wrong...lol.

Anyway, I ****ing HATE spiders, or any bug with more than six legs. One time I saw one of these in my basement and freaked out.

I found this exact insect in my bathroom tub several days ago.

silenced · 10-30-2009, 05:29 PM

Oh man, I have insect phobia as well. It's gotten better, but I'm still freaked out by wasps, cockroaches, and large insects. Buzzing insects makes my skin crawl. It used be really bad, and I knew that my fear was way over irrational.

However, I found that after I did some research on some of these insects the phobia reduced. I think you have to learn to identify insects, understand their behavior, and observe, I think insects can be fascinating if you observe them from a different perspective. And sometimes, you find out that insects which you thought were scary are actually harmless.

I try to observe them for the sake of learning more about them and seeing what they do, and then it becomes more of a passion than a fear.
For example, I used to be so scared of bees that I would not get anywhere close to them ( flowers where bees are pollinating). Now I can sit and watch them go from flower to flower, and in a weird way I kind of enjoy it, its not so much a fear.
I used to be so scared of craneflies because they looked like gigantic mosquitoes, but after reading about them I found out they are harmless, and now I'm not scared of them anymore.

There's still a long way to go, it will always be tough to completely overcome a phobia.

Tungsten · 10-30-2009, 05:34 PM

From an evolutionary perspective, having a fear of cockroaches makes sense. They're sneaky, they spread disease, and their primary role in life is to make grown men jump up on chairs and scream like little girls.
They've survived asteroid collisions and two ice ages waiting for us to evolve the ability to manifest fear in this way, and now that we have they're going to keep on creeping us out until we finally become extinct and they rule the earth again.

JordanJP · 10-30-2009, 08:07 PM

lol that's quite the little story rich... regarding myself I can't say I like insects but If I had to deal with them I usually just get it done and over with. In that case I would have gotten a paper towel and grabbed the cockroach with the paper towel, and then I would bring it outside and release it.... I mean I do that with pretty much any insect I encounter, I don't particularly like to harm insects, they are living organisms after all....

anyways thanks for sharing that with us man : )

You're all right

rcapo89 · 10-30-2009, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JordanJP

lol that's quite the little story rich... regarding myself I can't say I like insects but If I had to deal with them I usually just get it done and over with. In that case I would have gotten a paper towel and grabbed the cockroach with the paper towel, and then I would bring it outside and release it.... I mean I do that with pretty much any insect I encounter, I don't particularly like to harm insects, they are living organisms after all....

anyways thanks for sharing that with us man : )

You're all right

Hey Jordan thanks for responding to my thread! I understand your position on not wanting to kill any living organism but the thought of grabbing an insect with a paper towel makes my skin crawl.
All though I must admit I was fascinated observing the cockroach. I was surprised how intelligent it was in hiding from me. I would have sworn it was thinking of how to escape from me.
Anyway I wondering if there is an evolutionary reason why many humans have a fear of insects.

layitontheline · 10-30-2009, 09:03 PM

I am very scared of insects too. I never kill them though, so I've spent half an hour before trying to capture it to release it outside because I'm so scared to get close to it. I can't sleep if I know one is in my room. This past summer these wormlike creatures made an appearance at our house, and it seemed like every night I'd find one in my room. I found one on my pillow one night and almost had a heart attack. So every night I would literally crawl all over my room, tearing my bed apart, looking behind my bed with a flashlight, etc., making sure I found them all.

10-30-2009, 09:45 AM	#1 (permalink)
rcapo89 Status: Exploring the moon Europa Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Georgia (northeast of Atlanta) Gender: Male Age: 20 Posts: 840	Irrational fear of insects! Does anyone here have irrational fears not related to SA? I have a great fear bordering on phobia of insects. I ask this because of an incident that happened last night. I was going upstairs to bed when I spotted a cockroach. I couldn't go to bed knowing there was a cockroach in the house. The cockroach hid under the couch against the wall. I stood on the couch with a shoe in one hand and bug spray on the other. My heart was beating rapidly, my legs were shaking, and I was sweating bullets. I eventually dropped the shoe missing the "target" After about ten minutes I eventually cornered it stomping it will my shoe. The entire scene was comical, me a grown man being terrified of an insect that can do me NO harm. Anyone else have an irrational fear? __________________ I see the world being slowly transformed into a wilderness, I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too. I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that everything will change for the better, that this cruelty too shall end, that peace and tranquility will return once more. - Anne Frank

10-30-2009, 10:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
anonymid Status: gulping for shape Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Chicagoland Gender: Male Age: 30 Posts: 2,077	I'm terrified of bugs, too. I've only encountered one cockroach in my life, and luckily a friend was there to deal with it for me. __________________ "He who has not the courage to suffer either death or life, who will neither resist nor flee, what can we do with him?" - Montaigne

10-30-2009, 04:46 PM	#11 (permalink)
Rixy Status: Falling into Guru Muhk Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: UK Gender: Male Age: 17 Posts: 214	I hate the buzzing of insects. Mostly wasps and beetles, it freaks me out so much. Apart from that I dont think I have that much of a fear of insects. __________________ Will you say hello to my ma? Will you pay a visit to her? She was an artist just as you were I'd have introduced you to her She would take me out on Sundays We'd go laughing through the garbage She repaired legs like a doctor On the kitchen chairs we sat on She was unhappy just as you were unhappy just as you were unhappy just as you were unhappy just as you were... -Jane's Addiction (Then She Did...)

10-30-2009, 05:01 PM	#13 (permalink)
Your Crazy Status: 007 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: My Mind Gender: Male Posts: 300	Dear God I read that title wrong...lol. Anyway, I ****ing HATE spiders, or any bug with more than six legs. One time I saw one of these in my basement and freaked out. __________________ "I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you...stranger." - The Joker

10-30-2009, 05:18 PM	#14 (permalink)
Braxietel Status: Dandy or a clown? Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Melbourne, Australia Gender: Male Age: 17 Posts: 211	I hate insects, I cannot say just how scared I get of these little *******s. __________________ DeviantART \| Twitter \| Facebook \| VideoBlog \| Blog

10-30-2009, 11:18 AM	#6 (permalink)
nightrain Status: SAS Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: NC Gender: Male Age: 22 Posts: 825	Germs... I wash my hands 50+ times a day

10-30-2009, 12:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
nubly Status: SAS Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: USA the greatest and best country in the world!! :) Posts: 7,065	im afraid of women when they are mad

10-30-2009, 03:49 PM	#10 (permalink)
Hank Scorpio Status: SAS Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Underground Posts: 333	I love insects and don't understand why everybody doesn't.

10-30-2009, 05:00 PM	#12 (permalink)
Futures Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Midwest Gender: Male Age: 28 Posts: 1,904	I don't think I've ever encountered a cockroach. They look kind of freaky, but the worst for me is House Centipedes! Those things terrify me. Last spring, I encountered about 5 of them in the span of one week which is strange considering I usually only see a couple a year. But when I see those things, I will literally wait for an hour for them to come out of their hiding spot so I can kill them.

10-30-2009, 05:29 PM	#16 (permalink)
silenced Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Gender: Male Age: 19 Posts: 69	Oh man, I have insect phobia as well. It's gotten better, but I'm still freaked out by wasps, cockroaches, and large insects. Buzzing insects makes my skin crawl. It used be really bad, and I knew that my fear was way over irrational. However, I found that after I did some research on some of these insects the phobia reduced. I think you have to learn to identify insects, understand their behavior, and observe, I think insects can be fascinating if you observe them from a different perspective. And sometimes, you find out that insects which you thought were scary are actually harmless. I try to observe them for the sake of learning more about them and seeing what they do, and then it becomes more of a passion than a fear. For example, I used to be so scared of bees that I would not get anywhere close to them ( flowers where bees are pollinating). Now I can sit and watch them go from flower to flower, and in a weird way I kind of enjoy it, its not so much a fear. I used to be so scared of craneflies because they looked like gigantic mosquitoes, but after reading about them I found out they are harmless, and now I'm not scared of them anymore. There's still a long way to go, it will always be tough to completely overcome a phobia. __________________ I'd rather be hated for what I am than loved for whom I'm not. -bbarn from SAS

10-30-2009, 05:34 PM	#17 (permalink)
Tungsten Status: SAS Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Gender: Male Age: 30 Posts: 1,120	From an evolutionary perspective, having a fear of cockroaches makes sense. They're sneaky, they spread disease, and their primary role in life is to make grown men jump up on chairs and scream like little girls. They've survived asteroid collisions and two ice ages waiting for us to evolve the ability to manifest fear in this way, and now that we have they're going to keep on creeping us out until we finally become extinct and they rule the earth again.

10-30-2009, 08:07 PM	#18 (permalink)
JordanJP Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Chatham, Ontario Canada Gender: Male Age: 20 Posts: 33	lol that's quite the little story rich... regarding myself I can't say I like insects but If I had to deal with them I usually just get it done and over with. In that case I would have gotten a paper towel and grabbed the cockroach with the paper towel, and then I would bring it outside and release it.... I mean I do that with pretty much any insect I encounter, I don't particularly like to harm insects, they are living organisms after all.... anyways thanks for sharing that with us man : ) You're all right

10-30-2009, 09:03 PM	#20 (permalink)
layitontheline Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Gender: Female Age: 20 Posts: 320	I am very scared of insects too. I never kill them though, so I've spent half an hour before trying to capture it to release it outside because I'm so scared to get close to it. I can't sleep if I know one is in my room. This past summer these wormlike creatures made an appearance at our house, and it seemed like every night I'd find one in my room. I found one on my pillow one night and almost had a heart attack. So every night I would literally crawl all over my room, tearing my bed apart, looking behind my bed with a flashlight, etc., making sure I found them all.