I have an embarrassing phobia of wasps...help?

raveni

deise go deo wrote: »

From then on it just became easier and now I largly just ignore them.:)

Ah cool, there's hope for us all:D

Bottle_of_Smoke

The-Rigger wrote: »

I don't see why it's irrational, they attack and they sting.
Bees and wasps have become complete psychos over the years, people who say that they will leave you alone if you leave them alone are talking sh1te.

They panic me a bit but the only time I've ever been stung by one was when I was three and I closed my fist around it(god knows why I reacted that way really)

Reality is if you don't aggravate them they won't sting. I know this is easier said than done but if they fly near you you're best off just keeping still

davidhealion

Ruana wrote: »

Hey, I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on how to get over this stupid phobia I have. It's getting near Summer again and I don't want to spend half of it being permanently on alert and/or running away from something only half the size of my little finger! Has anyone had a fear of wasps or bees and managed to get over it?

I've had this irrational fear ever since I was a little girl and I mean it is a proper phobia, I actually shiver and go and cold if I see one and tend to make a run for it if one comes too close (I mean it's a bit undignified for a 24 yr old ) I can't even look at pictures of a wasp! (For some reason bees are fine though, I can cope with bees )

Help!

hey..i have the same phobia..its called sphecksaphobia..only i have a rational fear..i was stung in my rite ear drum and mouth at the same time wen i was a kid..i have similar symptoms (cold and sweaty) so i can sympathise...i dont have ne remedies tho..

BloodRedRose

When I was younger, in first class i think. It was a really warm summers day. My class was standing in line waiting to go inside when a wasp came over. There was pandamoniem(I don't think that's spelt right), everyone started screaming and flailing their arms. I stepped out of the line but the wasp followed me and started flying around my face. I froze. My grandfather had told me time and time again ''If you don't hurt them they won't hurt you'' and ''stay still and they just fly away''.
Then it landed. I think I went into shock. I couldn't move. My whole class gasped and i saw looks of shock and horror on there faces which scared me even more.
The wasp walked around my face for what felt like hours but must have been a few minutes before the teacher started waving something at my face and it flew off.
I didn't like wasps before then and was petrified after. I think the best thing is to stay still and get them to go away with some that won't panic them like wind.
Sorry it's so long...:p

sopick

just stay still and it will buzz off

anthonymax

Sorry but just staying still and minding your own business doesn't mean they won't sting you! I am petrified of them and have been known to run from my car and leave my own kids in it if a wasp comes in (yes I am ashamed of myself!).

I was standing in a queue for ice cream with said kids this summer,and a wasp landed on the back of my leg and stung me. I didn't even know it was there,so it certainly can't be said that they won't sting you if you leave them alone! Pandemonium ensued needless to say. The lady in front of me actually asked me if I wanted an ambulance,I made that much of a fuss. She thought I was allergic (I'm not). Come to think of it she was a very nice lady,considering I almost kicked over her baby's buggy!

deise go deo

anthonymax wrote: »

Sorry but just staying still and minding your own business doesn't mean they won't sting you! I am petrified of them and have been known to run from my car and leave my own kids in it if a wasp comes in (yes I am ashamed of myself!).

A wasp wont sting you unless it feels threatned, You may not have realised it but you probably did something the scare the wasp, If you see a wasp then just ignore it and it will go away, Iv never heard of a wasp just going and stinging someone for no reason, it dosent make sence for them to do that as it leaves them temporarily defenceless while they build up more venom

Wild Rover

deise go deo wrote: »

A wasp wont sting you unless it feels threatned, You may not have realised it but you probably did something the scare the wasp, If you see a wasp then just ignore it and it will go away, Iv never heard of a wasp just going and stinging someone for no reason, it dosent make sence for them to do that as it leaves them temporarily defenceless while they build up more venom

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with you on this one - I've got stung once before in my neck by a wasp while driving my car and I didnt even know he was in it, so there's no way I could have threatened him. He must have been on the back window or something when I got in and I didnt see him. So they do sting without being threatened, i just dont know why!!

anthonymax

deise go deo wrote: »

A wasp wont sting you unless it feels threatned, You may not have realised it but you probably did something the scare the wasp, If you see a wasp then just ignore it and it will go away, Iv never heard of a wasp just going and stinging someone for no reason, it dosent make sence for them to do that as it leaves them temporarily defenceless while they build up more venom

Well you've heard of it happening now!!:D

No seriously,even if you're right and I unintentionally threatened it,doesn't that undermine all the normal advice given to people scared of wasps? I was literally standing still in a queue and it stung the back of my leg,what I did to scare it I don't know,therefore anyone can be standing anywhere at any time doing nothing and this can scare a wasp enough for it to sting you??

Bottle_of_Smoke

Wild Rover wrote: »

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with you on this one - I've got stung once before in my neck by a wasp while driving my car and I didnt even know he was in it, so there's no way I could have threatened him. He must have been on the back window or something when I got in and I didnt see him. So they do sting without being threatened, i just dont know why!!

You didn't intentionally threaten it but you may have moved your neck and put it in an uncomfortable position which the wasp perceived as a threat and stung you.

Why on earth would a wasp attack something far bigger than itself which is not a food source?

funkyjebus

Im male, 27 and 6.5" and im afria do the fecker too. so either your fine or im f**ked.

anthonymax

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

You didn't intentionally threaten it but you may have moved your neck and put it in an uncomfortable position which the wasp perceived as a threat and stung you.

Why on earth would a wasp attack something far bigger than itself which is not a food source?

EXACTLY!!!

No matter what we do we scare wasps unintentionally so. Therefore,it is no good saying to someone who is scared, "just stand still,they won't go near ya". Because,as in my case and some of the other posters,standing still minding your own business can still make a wasp feel threatened and it will STING you.

Sponge Bob

They are dirty dirty feckers but most times they don't sting any worse than a nettle does. However some people get allergic reactions. Best thing to do is allow yourself to get stung and you know there is no problem.

Ruana

anthonymax wrote: »

EXACTLY!!!

No matter what we do we scare wasps unintentionally so. Therefore,it is no good saying to someone who is scared, "just stand still,they won't go near ya". Because,as in my case and some of the other posters,standing still minding your own business can still make a wasp feel threatened and it will STING you.

Am really starting to think that some wasps are just grumply little b*uggers and will just sting you regardless if you move a miniscule amount (as opposed to swatting them etc).

James Jones

Ruana wrote: »

Hey, I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on how to get over this stupid phobia I have. It's getting near Summer again and I don't want to spend half of it being permanently on alert and/or running away from something only half the size of my little finger! Has anyone had a fear of wasps or bees and managed to get over it?

I've had this irrational fear ever since I was a little girl and I mean it is a proper phobia, I actually shiver and go and cold if I see one and tend to make a run for it if one comes too close (I mean it's a bit undignified for a 24 yr old ) I can't even look at pictures of a wasp! (For some reason bees are fine though, I can cope with bees )

Help!

Carry a can of flykiller in your handbag and use it like Mace. Once you've killed a few of them, you'lll become more confident knowing the flykiller is in your bag. In fact, you'll probably begin to enjoy killing them cos its so easy and you'll end up looking for them:D

My daughter was petrified of spiders and really scared of wasps until I showed her on caught in a web. The spider killed it by wrapping it continuously in silk for about 2 minutes. She now thinks spiders are her friends and that wasps aren't so scary after all!

lmaopml

Agree with posters who say that wasps can sometimes sting for no reason. We were on holidays last year ( In Ireland ) and there was a particularly bad outbreak of wasps where we stayed......One night we were sitting there minding our own business when one just flew in and stung by brother in law for no reason, he didn't even see it, it just landed on him and decided to sink some venom in......bleugh. He 'screamed' ( high pitched ) hehe, which was funny afterwards, but not at the time...

I hate them, I actually kept the patio doors locked lastyear in the piping heat during the summer because we had so many wasps that came indoors - more than usual..I couldn't open anything 'sweet' without one coming in to dart around, and then I'd have to evacuate the kids from the room and wait till the feckers left....

I don't mind the bees so much, but wasps freak me out - not to mention it's embarrassing for the whole family when I sprint 20yards mid conversation waving my hands like a maniac out of the blue I spent my whole holidays acting like a freak last year...One minute my hubby and I would be chatting away and the next I'd be down the road 'saving myself'...

There are dumb wasps that just buzz around something sweet or whatever and have no interest in you - but there are definitely 'brainy' :eek:wasps too...brainy and aggressive darting types that follow you when you run, or just land on you to 'test' you and see if you'll run - They're the ones that scare me...

I just want them to eff off, and I don't want to be tested at all....

Somebody suggested a 'Jam Jar' with water in it and some jam around the edges down the end of the back garden last year - but I was too afraid it would draw billions of them to my garden

James Jones

Then try the fly-killer.
Sit back, relax, take aim and SPRAY.
Just a little dart is enough.

scopper

I have always feared wasps (and bees for that matter - amazed most people can differentiate them most of the time) and I'm not sure why. I can't recall any major episode as a kid where I was stung although I do remember even fearing them as a small kid. When I moved to Germany I simply had to stop being so scared because where I live (sunny South) they are a constant presence - there are even hornets :eek:

Anyway I have never lost the fear just because they are so common and I did finally get stung as an adult recently. It really fuggin' hurts. I was walking across the road, didn't even notice/feel any wasps, and then in the back of my neck a sharp pain like someone had stabbed me. Not sure how it happened but I had to wear a plaster to cover the swolleness for about 2 weeks. I hate 'em but I sort of know now that if they do get you it is a second or two of pain and then just a small bit of swollen skin. Worse things can happen.

nesbitt

I have a fear of wasps and control it mostly now. I was stung on the mouth when having a picnic as a small child and my parents think this was the trigger.

There has in my view been a decline in the wasp population where I live so that is great for me.

My eldest child when about 4 went absolutely nuts when a wasp started buzzing around when we were out for lunch. Some other adults thought this was hilarious.... I had to take charge, calm her down and over come my own fear all in that moment. Afterward the episode I gave them a dressing down for being so heartless and mean to a frightened little girl.

However after getting a fright with a wasp in the car while driving, very dangerous and nearly crashed. In summer I use the AC and never leave the windows down.

You may not overcome a phobia but sometimes when you have another person to help too you have to be brave and pretend that all is okay and you can then 'get over your fear'.