It is no wonder that thousands of people suffer from cockroach phobia, After all, besides being an elusive insect that is difficult to exterminate, the anatomy and behavior of cockroaches cause repulsion in humans.

In general, humans fear the movement of the invaders, which always seem to come out of nowhere and jump out of hiding when you least expect it. In this sense, sometimes a negative experience of cockroach fright or disgust becomes a phobia.

Nevertheless, most people are repulsed by the animal without feeling a great fear On the other hand, according to specialists, a phobia is this feeling of fear in an irrational way that can cause intense anxiety and even paranoia, as we will explain throughout this article. So, read on and check it out!

Cockroach phobia: what is it?

Also called blatophobia, cockroach phobia is the name given to people who cannot keep control of their negative emotions when exposed to an environment with one or more of these insects.

However, it is worth pointing out that running away or avoiding cockroaches is not the same as not being able to function near it.That is, The person with the phobia does have his or her rationing function impaired by the presence of the animal.

In this way, the individual only has a cockroach phobia if he sees one and, consequently, triggers terrible fantasies about what might happen in that situation. This tends to be followed by exaggerated reactions and irrational behavior.

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For people facing this problem, it is difficult to live with the phobia, which is why severe cases of blatophobia need to seek proper treatment in order to understand the causes of this dread and control their condition.

Roach Fear: Causes and Symptoms

It is hypothesized that cockroach phobia This is because cockroaches are known to squeeze themselves into various crevices inside houses, sewers, and other dark and tight spaces.

More than that, fear of cockroaches can also result from their peculiar anatomy, such as:

• Twitching antennae and limbs;
• bugger's eyes;
• thin, dry wings.

These characteristics can cause natural survival instincts to kick in and warn the person to stay away from the creatures Although, logically, cockroaches can do little to attack us or hurt us, the human brain can over-watch for cockroaches to the point of panic.

Behavioral point of view

According to psychology, phobias develop as a result of an experience that frightens or has left traumas. With cockroaches, this can include events such as:

• find a cockroach in your food;
• to see a cockroach fly in his direction.

However, these phobias can also develop from unrelated items. They just need to be associated with a traumatic event.

Example

You may have opened a jar and a cockroach crawled out. As a result, the sight of jars or the thought of opening them can trigger the cockroach phobia.

In addition, humans have evolved to be afraid of certain elements because they are threatening. This can include anything from containers or spaces with insects hiding inside.

Main symptoms of cockroach phobia

As in other classes of disorders, the symptoms studied can range from major to minor. In this regard, we must take into consideration the mental state and other conditions related to the individual.

But in general, the most relevant and well-known symptoms of cockroach phobia are:

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• nausea and dizziness;
• shivers;
• difficulty in breathing;
• elevated heart rate;
• sensation of suffocation and even strangulation;
• Pain or a pinching sensation in the chest;
• numbness in some areas of the body;
• excessive sweating;
• difficulty in thinking and speaking clearly;
• inability to distinguish what is real;
• panic attacks;
• Instantaneous or temporary paralysis.

These are physical symptoms caused by excessive fear and help to arrive at a more accurate diagnosis of cockroach phobia. After identifying these signs the specialist will be able to tell the correct treatment.

Therapies to treat blatophobia

There are a wide variety of therapies used in the treatment of cockroach phobia The techniques help the patient to master his emotions, control his irrational impulses, and have a better quality of life.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

This therapy involves unpairing the anxiety response to the feared situation. This is done by identifying the thought patterns that create problems or are irrational. Thus, it helps people to take on new and more adaptable ways of thinking about situations that cause challenges.

In addition, since these thought patterns are more helpful and realistic, CBT helps people extinguish the anxiety response and provides methods of behaviors to help them cope with fear without anxiety.

Thus, through this well-directed process of changing thoughts and behaviors, by the fifth session most people show significant improvement in the control of cockroach phobia .

Exposure and desensitization therapy

Another effective approach to treating cockroach phobia is to present phobic stimuli to the patient under controlled conditions until desensitization is achieved in the system.

That is, gradually the individual is exposed to his fear in order to decrease his sensitivity related to the insect. As a consequence, the level of anxiety caused by the cockroach decreases severely and reduces all other symptoms.

Relaxation techniques

To deal with cockroach phobia effectively, psychotherapy can be practiced in conjunction with techniques to relax, such as autogenic training, breathing exercises, yoga, and hypnosis, which is also a methodology that works for many cases.

This alternative treatment generates a state of relaxation that induces the person in question to recognize the causes of his fears and to overcome them.

Overall, it is worth remembering that all treatments for phobias should be treated by a specialized professional, especially if the problem prevents you from leading a normal life and causes any significant discomfort. After all, it is a serious matter.

Final considerations

As we saw, the cockroach phobia or blatophobia is an irrational and persistent fear of these small insects that is unjustified, debilitating, and affects the sufferer's quality of life.

So if you are interested in learning about the origin of phobia and how it manifests in the mind, enroll in our clinical psychoanalysis course. After all, the online course provides all the necessary background on existing therapies and their applications. So click here to learn more and enroll now!

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