All about the fear of rats and mice, ways to get rid of fear

Slava Profina 07/25/2018 no comments

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The most common mental disorder is the fear of rats and mice. These phobias are called zemmiphobia and musophobia (suriphobia). It is generally accepted that women suffer from them more often, but this is not true. Scientists have proven that fear of rodents is characteristic of both sexes equally.

Causes of phobias

Scientists have found that the cause of musophobia is the genetic memory of the long-standing coexistence of mice and humans. When humanity was just beginning to develop, and people lived in caves, the roles of men and women were strictly distributed - the former were breadwinners and went hunting, and the latter cooked food and looked after the hearth. There was little food, it was not easy to get it, and mice scurried around the caves and destroyed food supplies, possibly biting women and children. And one can imagine how women suffered from their men when they discovered food spoiled by rodents.

Why is it dangerous?

Zemmiphobes understand the irrationality of their fears and reactions. After hysterical and panic attacks, they experience a feeling of guilt and embarrassment. Over time, this can lead to the development of a fear of social condemnation and censure. If zemmiphobia is based on disgust, then one of the popular complications is obsessive-compulsive disorder and hypochondria. A person becomes obsessed with cleanliness and his health.

It is important! In principle, our society adequately treats those who are afraid of rats. This phobia is accepted. The likelihood of encountering a rat in normal urban work-home conditions is low. Therefore, zemmiphobia does not bother all people and does not always cause complications.

The reason for the fear of rats and mice

Geneticists and scientists have found that the emergence of musophobia was provoked by the joint life of rodents and humans. At the beginning of their journey, people lived in caves in small groups consisting of several men and women. Each of them performed a specific role - men hunted and obtained food, guarding the rest of the group in their free time, and women prepared food, looking after children and the surrounding household. Times were not the easiest, so food was tight, and the mice living in the same caves mercilessly hunted for the remains of food. When they did not find her, they could bite sleeping women and children. Some of them could get dangerous diseases when viruses carried by mice were in their blood. In addition to this, one can imagine the dissatisfaction of hungry men who, upon returning, learned about a significant depletion of food supplies.

Symptoms

Phobia of rats and mice can manifest itself in varying degrees. In a mild form of musophobia, it is an involuntary scream, a desire to run away. With greater severity, fear can be supplemented by somatic symptoms:

• shortness of breath;
• tachycardia;
• dizziness;
• dry mouth.

In clinical cases of phobia, obsessive fear does not leave the person all the time, derealization occurs, general anxiety is felt, increased sweating, any shadow on the floor seems like a mouse, even panic attacks occur.

Signs of a sick person

Any fear arises in a special way, and its sensations are not similar to the feelings of another person. One person will run away in hysteria as far as possible, at one glance at the animal, and the other will stand like a statue, never moving. They are united by common manifestations of phobia:

• non-standard behavior;
• rapid inhalation and exhalation;
• trembling of limbs;
• minor problems with the speech apparatus;
• attacks of nausea and regular dizziness;
• frequent sweating;
• growing panic;
• carefully avoiding the rodent's teeth to prevent accidental bites.

Musophobes understand the name of the fear of mice and the absurdity of their reaction to the most harmless rodent. But few people are able to take control of themselves, and they fall into a prolonged depression from the additional fear of disgracing themselves in front of their close circle. If no one helps them, then the level of pathological panic will increase, acquiring new deceptive fears.

In severe cases, the patient ceases to understand where reality surrounds him, and from what moment harmless fantasies begin. For fear of being attacked by rodents, they can block all the openings that can be found in the house so that mice cannot get inside and find it.

Treatment methods

How to stop being afraid of mice and rats?

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Many people suffer from phobias, and in advanced cases, fear can interfere with normal life. Treatment directly depends on the degree of manifestation of fear.

Psychotherapeutic assistance

In severe cases of phobia, you should consult a psychotherapist. It will help you understand the causes of fear and get rid of the symptoms. At first, appointments with a specialist will consist of conversations. He will try to find out how severe the phobia is. Specialists use psychotherapy or medications to get rid of the phobia.

Psychological methods:

1. Hypnotherapy. All human fears are in the subconscious. Hypnosis allows you to turn off fear. The method has proven itself to be the most effective treatment method. But many patients are afraid to trust a specialist.
2. Neuro-linguistic programming . The technique consists of convincing the patient that his attitude towards rodents is distorted.
3. Visualization. In the fight against the fear of mice, pictures of them are often used. Funny and cute images of rodents change attitudes towards them.

To combat fear, a specialist may prescribe sedatives, which are taken in a course. This is necessary in cases where fear becomes the cause of constant stress. You must take the medications in a course for three months. If the phobia has led to depression, antidepressants are prescribed.

In cases where a person suffers from panic attacks and confuses reality with fantasy, tranquilizers are prescribed.

Attention. Such drugs are addictive, so they should not be taken for a long period.

Self help

If the phobia is developed in a weak form, you can try to get rid of it on your own. It is worth understanding the psychosomatics of fear, because the basis of a phobia always lies in psychological reasons. You can get rid of fear yourself using self-hypnosis. You need to convince yourself that rodents do not pose any danger and do not lie in wait for you at every step.

To change your attitude towards rodents, it is recommended to watch films and cartoons in which rats and mice are presented in good roles. This method is especially effective for getting rid of phobias in children. You can also visit pet stores and observe domestic rats and mice there.

Important. For the first visits, you can take a friend with you as support.

For brave individuals, a radical method is suitable - getting a decorative rat or mouse. Close contact with a rodent will convince you that these animals are not scary at all. You will need to look after him and notice funny moments in his behavior.

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You can also do psychological work with yourself. First, acknowledge the fear. Next, you should think about the reasons for its occurrence. Find out what exactly you are afraid of. Next, imagine that the worst thing has happened, this will eliminate the fear of the unknown. Then imagine the source of your fear in a funny and kind situation. This technique is recommended to be used regularly.

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Definition and Description

Dementophobia means fear of madness. The name consists of two Greek words: dementos - “madness” and phobos - “fear”. In psychiatry, dementophobia is also called lissophobia. This mental disorder should not be confused with psychophobia, which is the fear of the mentally ill. Dementophobes are not afraid of crazy people, they are frightened by the idea of ​​becoming such themselves.

People suffering from dementophobia experience severe anxiety or panic when they have thoughts that they might go crazy. This can also happen if they saw a scene with a crazy person present. Excessive fear of insanity greatly affects daily life. The fear of going crazy prevents a person from maintaining normal relationships with others. In some cases, dementophobe cannot leave the house or even his room because he is afraid of harming loved ones. Persons suffering from this mental disorder are isolated from society and are often depressed.

How to get rid of your fear of rats

The main means of treatment is the technique of gradual rapprochement with fear. In addition, psychologists use hypnosis and EMDR. As self-help, you can use art therapy, dissociation techniques and master self-regulation skills.

In addition, anxiety can be reduced through information education. Find out the peculiarities of the life of rodents, study their instincts and habits. For example, from the literature you will learn that rats attack only if they think they are in danger. Moles are completely harmless, but they can spoil the garden. Information education is suitable for any subtype of rodent phobia.

Origin of the definition of zemmiphobia

Zemmiphobia (in other sources - zemmiphobia) stands for "fear of large mole rats." Some researchers have become interested in the question of what it is.

The popular version is the popular name for naked rats, which in appearance and behavior are practically no different from moles. The only difference is that on the front of their heads they have pronounced fang-shaped teeth, with which they dig underground tunnels. They live in groups in Africa. Each of these colonies numbers from 80 to 300 animals. Among them there is only one main female, and her males include 19 individuals. Other members of the colony perform work tasks or simply provide security.

But it has not yet been confirmed by significant evidence. Therefore, if it contains erroneous information, then science does not yet know where the word “zemmiphobia” came from.

Preventive measures

Mice very easily chew through polyethylene, plastic, wood, plastic and even plaster. To fight them using the repelling method, you should immediately focus on strong and pungent odors, which are often perceived by mice as signals of danger. Among the folk remedies that every housewife always has at hand, there may be the following natural repellers of house rodents:

• Bay leaf;
• fresh mint;
• ammonia;
• vinegar;
• copper sulfate in small quantities.

It is enough to place mint or bay leaves in those places where rodents often show themselves, and you will notice how effective it will be to reduce their activity in the house or apartment. You can spill a little bite or ammonia near the trash can if this is tolerable for the owners of the house. Not only smells will quickly scare away animals, but also other ways:

1. Ventilation openings must have durable grilles.
2. All cracks and holes can be sealed not only with plaster, but also with sealant. Only in this case it is advisable to put poison into the crack or hole or spray a chemical agent or repeller.
3. Products should be stored in containers that are inaccessible to pests. For example, it is better to store cereals and nuts in tightly sealed jars.
4. Regularly remove (take out) garbage from the house, do wet cleaning with disinfectants to prevent bacteria and germs brought into the house by mice from entering the body of a person or pet.

In cases where preventive methods have not helped, you should immediately call orderlies - specialists who could not only destroy the pests in one treatment, but also remove them from the territory of the house when they are already poisoned. Such professionals may ask home owners to first remove furniture and other obstacles to make work easier. But you will be able to get rid of the overpopulation of these rodents in your home in time, because they are very prolific.

For city dwellers, the appearance of a mouse in an apartment sometimes causes a real shock. However, this is not as unique a situation as it seems. Nimble, agile rodents are very mobile and often migrate over fairly long distances.

As a means of communication, they were provided with a whole network of underground communications that enveloped our cities. Through basements, sewer and water supply systems, they penetrate into the most seemingly inaccessible and well-guarded apartments of people. They are attracted by warmth, curiosity, and most importantly, the smell of food. Small, crafty bodies, sharp teeth and claws help them overcome, often not the most reliable barriers erected by builders.