Motefobia consists of an exaggerated and irrational fear of butterflies, developing in these people symptoms of panic, nausea or anxiety when they see images or contact these insects or even other insects with wings, such as moths for example.
People who have this phobia are afraid that the wings of these insects come in contact with the skin, giving the sensation of crawling or brushing the skin.
What Causes Motefobia
Some people with Motefobia also have a tendency to be afraid of birds and other flying insects, which may be related to the evolutionary fear that humans have associated with flying animals, and so generally people who are afraid of butterflies are also afraid of other insects with wings. People with this phobia often imagine themselves being attacked by these winged creatures.
Butterflies and moths tend to exist in swarms, such as bees, for example. The negative or traumatic experience with these insects in childhood may have caused the phobia of butterflies.
Motefobia can also turn into parasitic delirium, which is a mental problem in which the person with phobia has a permanent sensation of insects crawling on the skin, which can, in extreme cases, cause skin damage due to intense itching.
Possible symptoms
Some people with Motefobia are even afraid to look at pictures of butterflies, which cause deep anxiety, disgust or panic just thinking about butterflies.
In addition, other symptoms may occur, such as tremors, an attempt to escape, crying, screaming, chills, agitation, intense sweating, palpitations, a feeling of dry mouth and wheezing. In more severe cases, the person may refuse to leave the house for fear of finding butterflies.
Most phobics avoid gardens, parks, zoos, florists' shops or places where there is the possibility of finding butterflies.
How to lose your fear of butterflies
There are ways that can help to alleviate or even lose the fear of butterflies such as starting to see pictures or images of butterflies on the internet or in books for example, drawing these insects or watching realistic videos, using self-help books or attending therapy. group and talk about this fear with family and friends.
In more severe cases and if the phobia affects the person's daily life a lot, it is advisable to consult a therapist.
