Phobia of worms. Teniophobia. Symptoms and forms of development

Many people have a fear of worms. Some panic at the mere sight of them, while others disdain to touch them, which is also one of the manifestations of scoleciphobia.

Scoleciphobia - fear of worms

Regardless of how intense the fear is, it can and should be fought. You can do this yourself, but it is better to contact a specialist in the field of psychology. The doctor will be able to make the correct diagnosis and select effective treatment.

What is scoleciphobia

Scoleciophobia is the fear of worms. The phobia also extends to caterpillars, slugs, leeches and other creatures that have a visual resemblance to a worm.

Causes

The cause of a person’s phobia can be any event in the past that caused a strong emotional shock. In early childhood, a child is not inherently afraid of anything. This is due to his desire to understand the world around him. A child can see someone else’s reaction to a worm or caterpillar crawling past and simply copy it. Over time, fear of these creatures becomes a normal reaction of his nervous system.

A phobia can also develop from fear or an unpleasant tactile sensation. A psychologically traumatic situation becomes the starting point in the development of scoleciphobia.

Some scientists suggest that the cause of the fear of worms may be the collective unconscious. This is what was formed in a person based on the experience of his distant ancestors. Worms have had a negative connotation in various fairy tales and legends.

Symptoms

People who suffer from a fear of worms experience not only general but also specific phobia symptoms. They are afraid of meeting worms, caterpillars and other living creatures similar to them. If tactile contact occurs, the patient feels disgust and irrational fear. Fear can manifest itself even if someone says the name of worms in conversation. Symptoms such as:

• palpitations and increased blood pressure;
• digestive system disorder: diarrhea, vomiting, nausea;
• dizziness or headache;
• tremor of hands and feet; Pupil dilation;
• noise in the temples;
• profuse sweating, including on the palms;
• suffocation;
• darkening of the eyes.

An attack of fear can be caused not only by a personal encounter with a worm, but also by thoughts about it. The deeper the reason for the development of a phobia, the more accompanying fears befall the person. In psychology, there are cases where patients with scoleciphobia were afraid to walk on the ground because worms live in it, to swim in water because of leeches, and to be near bushes and trees because of the likelihood of being attacked by caterpillars. Such severe cases are quite rare.

Tremor is a symptom of phobia

Treatment of scoleciphobia

If fear prevents a person from living a full life, then it must be fought. It is not always possible to do this on your own, even with the support of family and friends. If the patient really needs help, it is recommended to seek help from a psychotherapist.

Psychotherapy

To cope with the fear of worms, the patient will need several sessions with a psychotherapist. The specialist is tasked with ridding the patient of annoying fear or reducing the intensity of panic fear when meeting its object.

In psychotherapy, several techniques are used to get rid of phobias:

1. Psychoanalysis looks for the true cause of the disorder and helps to cope with it. During sessions, the psychotherapist asks leading questions that could tell us exactly when and why the fear appeared. This method is quite effective and gives long-lasting results;
2. Hypnosis is working with the patient's subconscious. A person is specially introduced into a state of hypnotic sleep and, by communicating directly with his inner “I,” the memory of a particular incident is replaced with a positive experience.
3. The cognitive method suggests facing your fears and being left alone with them. By exposing the patient to interaction with worms and caterpillars, the psychotherapist stimulates the development of a new defense mechanism for the body.
4. Rationalization is the presentation of information about the subject of fear from a different angle. The specialist appeals to rational thinking and demonstrates worms from the other side, as useful and harmless creatures.

At the end of treatment, a person suffering from scoleciphobia needs the help and support of others. This will strengthen the result and allow the patient to live a normal life without irrational fears.

Drug therapy

In advanced forms of scoleciphobia, it is recommended to carry out not only psychotherapy, but also treatment with medications. Most often, tranquilizers are used for these purposes. They help cope with anxiety and reduce the severity of the reaction to the object of the phobia. These drugs are quite strong and addictive. They are sold in pharmacies only with a doctor's prescription and are taken strictly according to the instructions.

Sleeping pills are also prescribed to people with phobias, but during the period of their exacerbation. When a person’s psychophysical condition deteriorates and he is in a state of constant panic, hypnotics are necessary. This allows the body to recover and the nervous system to return to normal. Treatment with such drugs takes place both in a hospital and at home, but you cannot drive or operate other mechanisms in this condition.

If the fear of worms causes depression, then antidepressants are prescribed. They help normalize the emotional background, but they cannot be considered as a cure for phobia.

Sleeping pills are prescribed during exacerbation of the disease

Phytotherapy

In addition to medications, herbal preparations may be prescribed. They have a gentler effect on the nervous system and have virtually no side effects. They can be taken without a doctor’s prescription, but strictly adhere to the recommended dosage. The composition of herbal medicines includes:

• chamomile relieves muscle tightness;
• valerian has a sedative effect;
• motherwort reduces irritability;
• mint and lemon balm have a restorative effect on the nervous system;
• St. John's wort relieves feelings of anxiety;
• creeping thyme has a slight hypnotic effect;
• yarrow helps to recover from a nervous breakdown.

These herbs are brewed and drunk throughout the day as tea. They can also be purchased at the pharmacy in the form of tablets, alcohol tinctures and syrups. Herbal medicines are suitable for the treatment of scoleciphobia in children.

St. John's wort reduces anxiety

Conclusion

Fear of worms is a rather unpleasant phobia that prevents people from doing the things they love: fishing, gardening, walking in nature, etc. To get rid of fear, you need to put in a lot of effort and spend a lot of time, but the result is costs.

Scoleciphobes may also suffer from other related phobias. Only a qualified specialist can understand this. He is also able to develop a special rehabilitation program for the patient, taking into account all the features of his phobia.

Girls, I’ll tell you about my phobia, which I haven’t been able to get rid of since childhood. When I was little, my mother cooked milk soup, we sat down to eat, I scooped the soup with a spoon and into my mouth, and instead of noodles there were worms. my kind older sister threw a couple of them there for me, I know that I’m afraid of them. after these freaks were in my mouth, I started wildly vomiting, convulsions, crying, hysterics. I just couldn’t calm down. Then we moved to live in the country for the summer and I found such a cool cat on the street and brought it into the house. Everyone liked it and we decided to keep it. and then three weeks later she disappeared. no and no. everyone has already forgotten about her. until one day my mother crawled into the underground to get something out of there and found her dead and the monkeys were already operating on her. We don’t know what she died from. but my mother told me that this is my cat and I should clean it up. I was forced to crawl into the underground with a bag and a shovel. I burst into tears, tried to put this cat in a bag, but as luck would have it, it slipped off the shoulder blade and these worms just swarmed like a mountain on it. In the end, I was still able to do it. then she somehow dragged out this bag and took it to the fire. RESULT: Now, at the sight of worms, I experience panic, I begin to have involuntary spasms throughout my body, I cry like a fool and feel sick. Why did I remember this? The other day my husband and I went to the store. We decided to take a walk and take the tram. The tram stop is on the side of the wonderful park. Well, we were standing where the trees were and I saw that a mushroom was growing on one tree and there was some kind of film on it. I was holding in my hand a wrapper from the nuts that I had just crunched. I take this piece of paper and touch this film, it comes off and worms of some translucent yellow color begin to fall out. I felt like I was electrocuted. I jumped away from the tree, probably 3 meters, and jumped out onto the sidewalk to my husband. I was shaking all over, there were tears in my eyes, I felt so bad that it was just scary. I somehow calmed down.
For me, the most difficult periods in life are spring and autumn. especially if they are rainy. these worms crawl out on the street and then my life turns into hell. I am not only afraid of earthworms, but also of all caterpillars and everything that has a worm-like shape.
Why did I remember this today, you ask? and that's the problem. I washed dark grapes today and wanted to eat them, but for some reason they began to smell like worms. and I couldn't. I walk and twitch all day. Probably due to pregnancy, my sense of smell and touch have become too heightened.
How can I get rid of this? I have little faith in psychologists. because phobias are not so easy to get rid of

The fear of microbes greatly complicates the life of a person. Such a phobia can turn into real paranoia if you do not start to fight it. People concerned about the cleanliness of their own body wash their hands several times a day and more. In their opinion, this is the only way to get rid of germs and dirt that could get on the skin during communication with another person or interaction with any object. Paranoid thoughts prevent them from focusing on really important events, which is why the quality of life of mysophobes greatly deteriorates.

A person with mysophobia tries to wash his hands at every opportunity.

Fear of germs is called one of the varieties of zoophobia. It can be found in the ICD-10 under the code F40. To find out exactly what this disorder is called, you need to consult reference books. In medicine, this condition is called bacteriophobia or mysophobia. Verminophobia is also included in this category of fears. People who are very afraid of worms suffer from it.

A person with a mental disorder tries to wash his hands at every opportunity. Such actions do not alleviate his condition, since after a few minutes he again has the need to cleanse his body of non-existent impurities. If the disorder is severe, the patient may wash their hands at least 600 times a day. Because of this, his skin suffers greatly. Due to cleansers, it becomes excessively dry and cracked.

The patient always carries hand sanitizer with him. As a rule, he is characterized by such character traits as pedantry and cleanliness.

People with mysophobia often realize that not all bacteria and germs pose a danger to their lives. But they can't help their own fear.

Causes

According to scientific research, people who have unresolved psychological problems are most susceptible to phobias associated with germs, worms and dirt. In this case, we can talk about constant coercion to do something or frequent intrusion of others into personal space.

Bacterophobia often worries people whose profession involves constant contact with pathogens. A person who has had a close relative or friend die due to an infection is afraid of bacteria.

Mental illness may result from incorrect definition of boundaries in a living space. This applies to people who have to share their home with another family.

Sudden weight gain, pregnancy or abortion are also factors that contribute to the development of mysophobia.

It is very important to determine the true cause of the fear of germs. This determines the choice of treatment for a person with this disorder.

Every year the number of people suffering from a fear of germs is only increasing. Experts have found an explanation for this phenomenon. In their opinion, such fears are born in a person’s head due to the fact that he lives in a potentially dangerous environment. In addition, films about infections with various pathogens are now popular. Such films leave a negative imprint on impressionable viewers.

Symptoms

People who suffer from mysophobia feel that everything around them is teeming with germs.

Verminophobia, like the fear of germs, is characterized by pronounced symptoms. It is noticeable to most people who are surrounded by a person with a mental disorder. People with mysophobia cause confusion in others, and sometimes they can be frightening with their unnatural behavior.

You can recognize a person with a fear of germs by the following symptoms:

1. Constant rejection of handshakes and hugs.
2. Preference for using disposable tableware.
3. Refusal to travel by public transport.
4. Isolation from other people, even friends and relatives.
5. Disdainful attitude towards street and domestic animals.
6. The need to wash hands a large number of times.
7. Fear of touching any sources on the street that could lead to infection.

Such a person instantly becomes irritated when someone else touches his personal belongings. In especially severe cases, severe skin damage can be seen on the patient’s hands. They occur because he applies too much force while washing a potentially infected part of the body.

If the patient is in a state of panic, which is caused by the inability to cleanse his body using available methods, then he begins to experience a lack of air. The person vomits, the skin turns pale and the pulse quickens. In this case, he requires urgent medical attention. He is not able to overcome the phobia on his own at the activation stage.

Diagnostics

Psychotherapists diagnose mysophobia. Based on the patient's symptoms, they can tell what is bothering him. According to experts, this pathology does not pose any particular problems. It responds well to treatment if the person himself becomes interested in his recovery.

In the process of diagnosing fear, which is called mysophobia, it is important to distinguish this disorder from other, more serious pathologies. Fear of germs can be confused with the following disease conditions:

• Neurosis-like form of schizophrenia.
• Schizotypal disorder.
• Paranoid schizophrenia.

These pathologies are associated with delusional and obsessive states that have nothing to do with phobias.

How is the treatment carried out?

Since mysophobia acts on a subconscious level, professional hypnosis by a psychotherapist is one of the most ancient, fastest and most effective forms of psychotherapeutic work

Fear of worms, germs and bacteria may require treatment, which is carried out using different methods.

Therapy is used if mysophobia causes a person severe discomfort and prevents him from living a normal life.

If a person wants to get rid of a phobia, he first needs to set such a goal and gradually move towards it with the help of an experienced psychotherapist.

Professional help

Verminophobia and fear of germs do not go away on their own. A person with a mental disorder caused by a fear of infection requires psychocorrection.

Prices for consultations with a qualified psychotherapist start from 600 rubles per session.

If a patient comes to see a specialist and says, “I’m afraid of germs,” the doctor begins to select an individual course of therapy for him, aimed at suppressing the main fear.

Many mysophobes are constantly in a state of heightened anxiety. To calm the patient, the specialist will suggest taking certain medications:

• Neuroleptics.
• Tranquilizers.
• Antidepressants.

They relieve the main symptoms of a mental disorder. Hypnosis sessions help eliminate the problem itself. All the factors that contribute to the development of the disease are hidden in the subconscious. The person himself may not know about them. And only through hypnosis can information about negative experiences from the past be brought to the surface.

Hypnotherapy has a lasting effect. But to achieve it, you have to go through several long sessions. As a result of this treatment, the following changes will be noticeable:

1. The patient begins to understand that microbes are an integral part of his life.
2. He learns to correctly assess the threat to life that microorganisms can pose.
3. A person becomes interested in communicating with other people.
4. He feels safe in society.
5. Anxiety stops haunting him.

Another way to treat the fear of germs is psychotherapy. To get rid of fear, a person must learn to perform actions that can lead to infection. We are talking about shaking hands, traveling on public transport or stroking someone else's pet. This therapy gives a good result if the patient does not refuse to carry out the psychotherapist’s tasks. It works best when the disorder is in its early stages of development.

People with mysophobia benefit from meditation

A phobia can be corrected without the intervention of a specialist. If the manifestations of the disorder are weak or moderate in nature, then the person can cope with the deviation on his own. To achieve this goal, he will need to master a number of meditative techniques and autogenic training that help him fully relax and get rid of anxiety.

People with this mental disorder benefit from breathing exercises and meditation. They help relieve stress, anxiety and restore balance. The most important thing in such a situation is not to try to run away from fear, but to start fighting it with radical methods.

Recovery is achieved gradually. To avoid severe panic attacks in the future, the patient should learn to perform basic actions that do not threaten his life:

1. It is necessary to pet the dog or cat.
2. You should learn to take a shower no more than 2 times a day.
3. You should not refuse a handshake when a person you know extends their hand during greeting.

Trying to recover quickly, some mysophobes completely refuse water procedures. This is wrong behavior that will only make things worse. A person must see a clear line between the painful desire to constantly be in a sterile environment, as well as to avoid contamination of the body, and ordinary cleanliness. If he is unable to differentiate between these things, then he definitely needs medical attention. The sooner it is provided, the faster the patient can return to normal life without fear of germs.

A type of mental disorder on the neurotic spectrum, manifested in a pathological fear of worms and the ailments they cause, is scoleciphobia. Less commonly, phobia is considered as a symptom of fear of helminth infections and worms of various etiologies, often not only neurotic. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, family members of patients with severe scoleciphobia have an increased risk of developing the disease.

Varieties and causes of occurrence

According to research by psychiatrists, this disease is common in older people. In childhood, many people show interest in understanding the world, studying the surrounding plants and wildlife. Direct perception of the world around us protects children from imaginary fears. Kids often collect worms that interest them after the rain, examine them, and study them. Parents, as a rule, ask the child to remove this muck and, after thoroughly washing their hands with soap, never touch them again.

Feeling the mother’s disgust and fear of worms, the child adopts basic behavior patterns.

From this moment on, the first signs of the disease may appear. Also, the cause of the disease can be any strong emotional shock. For example, from the unexpected tactile sensation of a slippery body or accidentally seeing a picture of crushed caterpillars. Less often, scientists suggest a direct connection with the collective unconscious. In ancient times, worms had a negative response in various legends and myths.

The following types of scoleciphobia are distinguished:

The sight of an object of phobia or something similar in appearance to a worm causes severe anxiety in patients. In most cases, the patient realizes that his fear is unreasonable and excessive. However, fear disrupts the usual way of life and causes an asthenizing effect. The asthenic effect manifests itself in the form of a painful condition, leading to increased fatigue and exhaustion of the body.

A characteristic feature of scoleciphobia - the so-called fear of worms - is the desire to avoid contact with a possible irritant as soon as possible.

The range of emotional reactions varies from mild nervousness in response to the actual presence of a worm to panic attacks provoked by a simple graphic image.

To the physiological symptoms of fear of worms (phobias) include:

1. attacks of dizziness and headache;
2. digestive tract disorders: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting;
3. surges in blood pressure and rapid heartbeat;
4. dilated pupils or darkening of the eyes;
5. noise in the head;
6. tremor of the limbs;
7. suffocation, lack of air;
8. increased sweat production, especially in the palms.

Psychological signs include:

1. feeling of anxiety and tension;
2. anticipation of the development of negative events;
3. increased sensitivity to environmental noise;
4. loss of concentration;
5. obsessive ideas about an unpleasant future.

Classic syndrome

As a syndrome, scoleciphobia and its common variant, helminthophobia, can be present in the development of diseases in various fields: psychosis and schizophrenia, alcoholism, hypochondriacal personality disorders, a side effect of long-term use of MAO inhibitors or methylphenidate.

The development of phobia is often found in patients who have already been cured of actual helminthiasis.

If the phobia disrupts the usual way of life, then the patient should seek qualified help from specialists. When treating humans they use:

1. Hypnotherapy. The doctor instills in the patient’s subconscious mind positive thinking and the perception of his fears. This is a complex technique with many nuances. The success of the session depends solely on the experience and professionalism of the hypnotherapist.
2. Medical treatment. Used in cases of advanced anxiety, panic and depression. A drug from the benzodiazepine group can be prescribed by a psychiatrist's prescription. The main effect in this case comes from the process of inhibition of nervous excitation.
3. Phytotherapy. The calming effect that people need when treating fears is achieved through a balanced intake of alcoholic infusions and decoctions of dill, lemon balm, hawthorn, peony and valerian.
4. Behavioristic technique of “convergence”. Cognitive psychology involves achieving maximum effectiveness from doctor-controlled contacts with the object of a phobia. As a result, new psychological reactions to the stimulus must be formed.
5. Art therapy. The patient is asked to make a detailed drawing of the object of anxiety or the most terrible fantasy associated with it. After a detailed analysis and discussion with a psychotherapist, the “ritual” destruction of the image is carried out. Clear associations are formed with the patient destroying his fears.