Entomophobia is a persistent and extreme fear of insects. If a person has entomophobia, they would have mental or physical symptoms while having the thought of being near an insect.

It is a specific phobia, a type of anxiety disorder. When a person has an intense and irrational fear of something that poses little or no kind of threat to them, as per National Institute of Mental Health. A person with phobia could be aware about their fears which are irrational.

The symptoms of phobias could begin during childhood and the average age of onset is 7 years old.

Symptoms of Entomophobia

When a person has entomophobia, they will always experience immediate fear or anxiety around insects. Their fear or anxiety is often out of proportion to the actual danger that's posed by insects.

Common symptoms of specific phobias may include:

• Not being able to control their feelings of fear or anxiety even after being aware about it.

• Feeling nauseous

• Dizziness

• Fainting

• Difficulty breathing

• Tightness in the chest

• Rapid heart rate

A person could even experience some of these symptoms even while just thinking about insects. A person’s entomophobia could cause them to go to great lengths to avoid to come in contact with insects which affects their daily life.

Sources - Medical News Today