Irrational Wasp Phobia

Denerick

I've always had a terrible phobia of wasps. Every summer I dread it when the wasps begin to arrive. When I sit outside I'm a constant anxious state because I'm convinced a wasp is either hovering over me, or in between my clothes and skin (A horrible feeling)

Now, to my mind, I've only been stung once, I'm not allergic and wasn't painful but I just can't help myself when I see a wasp approaching me. I stop breathing and sometimes am completely paralysed in fear. If not that, I run as fast as I can (When nobody else is about) When others are about I flail at the wasp like a madman. Please help! It genuinely ruins every summer!

watna

I don't think phobias of spiders and wasps etc can be called irrational. If something can hurt you I think it is more rational to be afraid of it (obviously up to a point) then it is to be afraid of tomatoes (my personal phobia) or clowns or the like. I think if you can accept that and try to understand it then maybe that will help a little bit.

Otherwise, I suppose you can just try and control it. Have you discussed with friends and family how afraid you are? Maybe if they understand better then you will feel more comfortable being outside - they can look out for you a bit more and reassure you.

Denerick

My friends know all too well about it. I deservedly get a right mocking over it! I would like to know if there is a way of overcoming it, I'm sick of living with this phobia. I remember that I used to work in a fruit and veg shop, which was infested with wasps every summer and I used to coexist, despite being highly anxious around them. Maybe I need to be regularly in contact with them in order to learn to coexist better, because the uncontrollable fear is a terrible feeling and I feel like its definately holding me back.

LadyJ

The thing about wasps, and this is why in some ways I am more panicked about them than spiders, is that they can fly and if they want to come near you then there isn't much you can do.

Insect repellant might work for keeping them off you and some sun lotions have that in them. As for conquering the fear, cognitive behavioural therapy has proven to be a really good way for beating phobias.

Bottle_of_Smoke

I don't think its quite a phobia. They sting which is painful and they can move a lot faster than we can.

They put the fear into me when they come near me but the thing is, they won't sting unless you scare them, a guy proved this by sitting outside with his face covered in jam and had hundreds of wasps land on him. Just try to stay as still as possible or walk away slowly with no sudden movements.

I've only been stung once by one and thats when I was about 3 and I closed my fist on one without ralising it was there. In the hundreds of times they've flown near me and I've panicked on the inside I've never been stung.

kinda lost

i cant even look at them,just tried to watch something about wasps and hornets on youtube,only lasted 5 seconds before the swets started:(

buzzibee

This is my worst fear, I hate wasps with a passion, dread Summer and being by the sea with ice creams etc. . . Last year they ruined my holiday and I had my daughter with me, they started hovering at her and all I could do was grab her and try to run with her. . .and the flaming things still followed us, she probably has a fear now too but I cant control it. Any repellent I have used doesnt work. Years ago my mam used to always light a cigarette and blow the smoke around, they didnt like that? I avoid wearing perfume or eating sweet things when I know they are about.
Has anyone ever had a wasp fly in the window when driving, no words can describe this. Its absolute terror. :eek:

Denerick

buzzibee wrote: »

This is my worst fear, I hate wasps with a passion, dread Summer and being by the sea with ice creams etc. . . Last year they ruined my holiday and I had my daughter with me, they started hovering at her and all I could do was grab her and try to run with her. . .and the flaming things still followed us, she probably has a fear now too but I cant control it. Any repellent I have used doesnt work. Years ago my mam used to always light a cigarette and blow the smoke around, they didnt like that? I avoid wearing perfume or eating sweet things when I know they are about.
Has anyone ever had a wasp fly in the window when driving, no words can describe this. Its absolute terror. :eek:

That is one of the worst feelings in the world, when you know a wasp is around you. Even worse when they fly in the back and your not sure whether they are still there or have flown out.

Recently I've had to check my bed before I go to sleep in case a wasp flew in there during the day. My phobia's going overdrive as the first wasps of the year begin to appear. I'm going to crack soon :eek:

jane says

I dunno if I have a *phobia* per say, but I do have to kill them if they come into the house.

I do have a DREAD though of them being in the car. I have stopped and pulled over to check. Would that qualify I wonder?

Funnily enough I have got stung, don't remember it being too bad, so why the fear?

buzzibee

Jane you would know if you had a phobia. . .I was looking at pictures of hornets the other day (dont ask, sick curiosity) and I felt ill looking at them. I was stung but by a bee when I was a baby but I dont think thats were my fear comes from. Bees arent so bad unless they look wasp-like, some do, its the honey bee.
I think its the colours and the sound of the wasp that make people so afraid, not the sting. They hover and tend to go around your eyes, into your hair etc.. aaagh Im shuddering here. . .
Once I had my bedroom window open and woke up with a wasp on my face, it was the sound ringing through my ear that woke me.
I have had so many encounters with wasps, they seek me out I reckon . . .

Helix

Denerick wrote: »

Now, to my mind, I've only been stung once

you need to be stung again

not joking

i had a horrible fear of wasps after being stung as a child. then i got stung a couple more times and realised it wasnt particularly sore, so the fear went away

VinnyTGM

I remember when I was young(6/8) there was a wasp in my PJ's and when I put them on he stung me, I had a very bad fear of them for a while after that, but I'm grand now.

jenno86

I used to be really scared of Wasps, when one would come into the house I would have to leg it and get a magazine to kill it. If I was outside and one came near me I would leg it also and flapping my arms trying to hit it. I have never been stung and I know that this is probably why I am so scared of them. I did watch Hornets and Wasps videos on YouTube and they make my skin crawl. However lately I have been trying to be calm when outside when you comes near me but I still have to kill them straight away when you comes in the house. Part of my fear would be not know if I am allergic to the sting or not.

BigDuffman

I'm terrified of wasps too! So's my mate. Hilarious sight to see big 6.2 lads squeeking like little girls and flailing at tiny specks.

I got stung 4 or 5 times as a kid. Worst one was sat down on a bench and got stung twice under the knee cap. Knee swole up and it was agonizing.

I dont mind bees though strangely enough. They appear "friendly" as their fat and dont fly as fast as wasps and they are productive as they make honey.

Wasps are pointless nasty creatures that appear to chase you!

I dont mind them when I can move away from them. But worst is when your in public or any situation where acting like a looney and ducking & diving isn't appropriate, so just have to sit their nervously grinning and casually swatting them away....while inside your churning!

Starfox

I used to be terrified of wasps before and i mean terrified! and the cheeky feckers dont help it by being curious and wanting to land on your head at any given time!

I was camping at a beach one summer and i woke up the next morning with a pain and lump on my forehead, and i heard a buzzing in my tent! yip it was a wasp, as i quickly got out of the tent what are the chance i would stand on another one and get stung again lol!

And later that day i managed to get stung a 3rd time from one on my fanta orange can!

Anyway after 3 stings i realised theyre not that bad, the sting is just like a nettle really! Heres a tip if one comes flying at you, (always head first) stay calm for just a second, and wak them down towards the ground, they will always get stunned and hit the ground, its up to you if you want to squish them!

xIsabelx

Yeah, I'm not sure if it's a phobia, given the fact that wasps can actually hurt you so there's a rational reason to fear them.

I hate wasps. I'm not as terrified of them as I am of spiders, but I really feel uncomfortable if there's one around. It has to be deaded lol. I work in a supermarket and they always fly in the door when the sugary donuts and croissants are around!

I think trying to remain as still as possible works well if one lands on you, because they will eventually just fly off again. I know that sounds insane to someone who's terrified of them though, your instinct is to shake all about and get as far away from it as possible. Maybe you should permanently attach a fly swatter to your wrist

Wibbs

I can't abide wasps. They do freak me out, though luckily it's a minor phobia type thing not full blown. Bees I actually like and they're usually not aggressive at all. A bee would not freak me out nearly as much as a wasp, if at all.

I would also agree with the staying still thing. I once saw my dad doing gardening work and he had 4 or 5 wasps around him, landing on him, but he ignored them and they didn't sting him. I got all twitchy and they made a beeline(sorry:o) for me. Wasps(and bees) respond to sudden movement and CO2 in your breath which will make them react.

It's been said that wasps are faster than bees. I always heard that bees were faster at full tilt than a wasp?

buzzibee

Hi Wibbs...How ANYONE can stand still when there is a wasp I will never know. Its not the sting, its them!! So much faster than bees for sure, bees just want the honey. One landed on my daughter's bag (flowery) yesterday and the poor thing thought they were real

Aww guys I got stung on Monday by a WASP :mad:, crawled up my jeans while I was on the bus and stung me below the knee. I thought it was a sharp thread but somehow it got out and I saw it walking across the floor (luckily I didnt realise what was happening)

The pain was unreal I have to say but I had to keep my cool for the sake of my daughter and she was oblivious to me freaking out on the inside.
Still though it wasnt fear as the wasp was now dead as someone squished it, if I saw it on me now that would be different.

Cows Go µ

I terrified of wasps, it's not a phobia, (I know it's not, I have a phobia of needles and my fear of wasps isn't half as bad), my main problem is I've never been stung. So I have built it up so much in my mind that I run away practically screaming if I am near one. Or I kill it if I can, ie. it's landed and interested in something else.

TheScribbler

Starfox I have a son who has a similar problem regarding wasps. If we are eating outside and one lands on an adjacent table, he is up and away. Mind you he has good cause as he has been stung by the little beasties more than anyone else I know. They seem to seek him out. So take heart you are not alone.

TheScribbler

I'm feeling miserable at the moment. I was cutting my hedge today when a wasp stung my knee through my track suit which was immediately following by two others in the same area. I nearly dropped the electric clippers. Having sponged the swelling down with an ice pack I resumed my task when I was stuck on the inside thigh almost immediately followed by a sting in my neck. I'm thinking about going to bed.

carrie D

so afraid of wasps that I cannot even bring myself to read your replies.. .. but will try. The tought of talking, reading, even thinking about them makes my skin crawl, and I feel very anxious!!!!!!!! Yes, I know I am a fraidy cat. Can't snap out of it. Nothing will change my phobia. :eek:
Only can write about them now cause I know that the summer is over and I wont see a wasp for a few months.