Phobias are constant,
irrational fears that afflict some people. Their fear should be taken
seriously. The person should never be made fun of or belittled because of their
fear.
Myrmecophobia is an
intense fear of ants. This fear belongs to the more general category of
Entomophobias (the fear of insects). But the fear of bees and fear of ants are
more specific as the sufferers only fear those respective classes of insects.
Myrmecophobia is derived
from the Greek word Myrmex meaning ‘ants’ and phobos which stands for the
“Greek God of fear”. Myrmecophobic individuals are, in a sense, similar to
Arachnophobes- (people who fear spiders) in that; they might shudder or cry at
the sight of ants just like the latter might do at the sight of spiders. People
with extreme ant phobia often believe that these bugs might enter their homes,
contaminate their food or lead to massive destruction, damage, even death.
Treating and overcoming the fear of ants
Often, the fear of ants
is confused with other health ailments; hence a proper diagnosis may be needed
to ascertain the condition. A trained healthcare provider needs to determine
the specific triggers of the phobia, specifically to see if the individual is
suffering from general Entomophobia or from Myrmecophobia.
Find out more: http://www.fearof.net/fear-of-ants-phobia-myrmecophobia/