Scoleciphobia: Extreme fear of worms
From afar, it looked like just dirt on the bathroom wall but as I got closer, it became shinier red and appears to be wriggling on the tile. I froze and my heart started racing unreasonably. I can handle spiders, rats, caterpillars, even 10-foot girl pythons (Malabon zoo had one when we visited, she was huge and yellow. Her fangs were removed so she was safe to hold) but a worm in sight is a different story.
To make it short, with no other choice, I ended up murdering the poor horrible worm with a bleaching agent (Couldn’t squish it, if I squish it I’d have to scrape off its carcass from the floor and I’m not getting within three feet of it. shooting it with the bleacher works better and after half-emptying a bottle, I finally got it!). Victory for one who is immensely terrified of those wriggling creatures! I had to, I needed a shower and I did it quick – IN THE CHAIR! AND THAT WASN’T EASY! Just so my legs won’t touch the floor where the ‘thing’ is dying.
This may sound silly to many but “Scoleciphobia – abnormal and unwarranted fear of worms” is common and mostly among women. It’s a condition that unfortunately I’m afflicted of and been struggling to overcome.
DEFINITON and POSSIBLE CAUSE
One site explains that :
Like all fears and phobias, Scoleciphobia is created by the unconscious mind as a protective mechanism. At some point in your past, there was likely an event linking worms and emotional trauma. Whilst the original catalyst may have been a real-life scare (mine is) of some kind, the condition can also be triggered by myriad, benign events like movies, TV, or perhaps seeing someone else experience trauma.
But so long as the negative association is powerful enough, the unconscious mind thinks: "Ahh, this whole thing is very dangerous. How do I keep myself from getting in this kind of situation again? (I don’t buy this part though) I know, I'll attach terrible feelings to worms, that way I'll steer clear in the future and so be safe." Just like that, Scoleciphobia is born. Attaching emotions to situations is one of the primary ways that humans learn (Hmmm, don’t know if I agree with this). Sometimes we just get the wiring wrong.
I’m just mildly Scoleciphobic, meaning it hasn’t gotten in the way of work or personal dealings with anyone.
The truth is, often our fears are baseless, we have them because we make them and then we keep them. The important thing is that no matter what is the root of our fears, we shouldn‘t let it control our lives.
And we can overcome it if we let GOD help.
To make it short, with no other choice, I ended up murdering the poor horrible worm with a bleaching agent (Couldn’t squish it, if I squish it I’d have to scrape off its carcass from the floor and I’m not getting within three feet of it. shooting it with the bleacher works better and after half-emptying a bottle, I finally got it!). Victory for one who is immensely terrified of those wriggling creatures! I had to, I needed a shower and I did it quick – IN THE CHAIR! AND THAT WASN’T EASY! Just so my legs won’t touch the floor where the ‘thing’ is dying.
This may sound silly to many but “Scoleciphobia – abnormal and unwarranted fear of worms” is common and mostly among women. It’s a condition that unfortunately I’m afflicted of and been struggling to overcome.
DEFINITON and POSSIBLE CAUSE
One site explains that :
Like all fears and phobias, Scoleciphobia is created by the unconscious mind as a protective mechanism. At some point in your past, there was likely an event linking worms and emotional trauma. Whilst the original catalyst may have been a real-life scare (mine is) of some kind, the condition can also be triggered by myriad, benign events like movies, TV, or perhaps seeing someone else experience trauma.
But so long as the negative association is powerful enough, the unconscious mind thinks: "Ahh, this whole thing is very dangerous. How do I keep myself from getting in this kind of situation again? (I don’t buy this part though) I know, I'll attach terrible feelings to worms, that way I'll steer clear in the future and so be safe." Just like that, Scoleciphobia is born. Attaching emotions to situations is one of the primary ways that humans learn (Hmmm, don’t know if I agree with this). Sometimes we just get the wiring wrong.
I’m just mildly Scoleciphobic, meaning it hasn’t gotten in the way of work or personal dealings with anyone.
The truth is, often our fears are baseless, we have them because we make them and then we keep them. The important thing is that no matter what is the root of our fears, we shouldn‘t let it control our lives.
And we can overcome it if we let GOD help.
Comments
I'm not sure if I am Scoleciphobic of some sort. 'Pag nakakakita ako ng uod o bulate o caterpillar, di naman ako natatakot, diring-diri lang talaga! As in! I even tried touching a worm during our fishing fellowship sa church pero di ko talaga kaya! whahaha!
Anyway, I agree with what you've said:
'The truth is, often our fears are baseless, we have them because we make them and then we keep them.'
I had been a victim of useless fears that I made myself like, 'I won't be good enough, God really doesn't love me, I am not worthy to be a Christian, my family can live without me, people won't be convinced to my testimony' things like these.
Thanks God talaga kasi He didn't let me go. Ako rin naman kasi ang may mali on the first place. I didn't spend much time praying and reading the bible. At isa pa, I let my mind be filled with useless thoughts. I tend to depend on my own reasoning.
I hope and pray nga ate thess, na patuloy nating ma-overcome ang mga kanya-kanyang fears natin. Syempre, tulad nga ng sinabi mo, WITH GOD'S HELP. ^_^
More power to you!
Why would you think you won't be good enough? God loves even the sinners nga eh kaya Jesus Christ died on the cross, how much more, you who's already His child.
We all have insecurities, even the guys. Kaya nga, we need to find our confidence in the Lord.
God bless Karen.
Yun ang tinuturo ngayon sa akin ni God: having my confidence in Him and acknowledging Him more than my own abilities.
May tendency kasi ako na:
kung hindi ako insecure, over-confident naman ako.
God is indeed changing us from glory to glory.
Thanks po ulit ate thess! ^_^