Six syllables and 15 letters – that’s what katsaridaphobia is made of. If this is the first time you have heard of the word, fear not that you are vocabulary challenged. Majority of the population haven’t either. But if you knew what it is, you’d be nodding your head and agreeing that it’s possible, valid even.
Katsaridaphobia is the irrational and sustained fear of cockroaches. Most people, including you, would probably say they have this type of phobia and be proud of it. After all, a person who actually likes cockroaches is the abnormal one. Cockroaches are the dirtiest insects on earth and being afraid of them implies by association that the phobic individual is scrupulously clean.
But, while a fear of this disgusting pest is normal, katsaridaphobia is not. Imagine a cockroach-phobic person seeing the insect and that person begins sobbing uncontrollably and having a panic attack. He is terror-stricken and scared stiff. His heart is beating fast, there is a feeling of impending doom and he has labored breathing. A person with katsaridaphobia acknowledges that the fear is overly disproportionate to the size of the creature, but the feeling is beyond his control. As a result, he is constantly spraying insecticides, sweeping the floors and carpets and sealing off doors and windows.
Fear aside, however, it is always desirable to have a roach-free house or office. Not only do they look hideous, they are also carriers of various diseases and filth. What’s worse is, these critters breed fast and once present, they invade the area in multitudes. That’s why professional extermination by experts is recommended. According to the Rove Pest Control profile, some pest control companies offer free estimates and guarantee results of their services.
Cockroach phobia is caused by a prior traumatic experience involving the little critter or a family member recounting his or her own traumatic experience and the fear rubs off on the listener. Katsaridaphobia is treatable and there are standard and offbeat methods of therapy. Here are some ways of curing cockroach phobia:
- Exposure to the object – the phobic person is shown a cockroach. He responds wit h fear, anxiety and panic but the insect is not removed from his sight. Inevitably, the negative reactions subside. Exposure is repeated until he learns how to control his phobia. This type of therapy is barbaric and cruel but is still being used for its effectiveness.
- Relaxation techniques – deep breathing, thinking of calm surroundings, yoga and meditation are a few of the techniques used for relaxing the mind and developing internal serenity. Achieving a state of calmness is an antidote to phobia.
- Augmented reality – superimposing the virtual world over the real one, augmented reality as therapy for cockroach phobia involves letting a simulated swarm of the insects crawl over the phobic person’s hands until the feelings of fear and panic abate naturally.
- Energy psychology – is based on the premise that lines of energy, or meridians, course through our bodies and phobias are simply blockages of these energies. By tapping on a series of body points and concentrating on the specific image that is causing the problem or repeatedly saying a word, the blocked energy is released and the fear disappears.
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Marie Miller is a nurse. Sometimes she writes about disease conditions that have a psychological component, like phobias.
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