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I have a serious phobia about getting some sort of bug or parasite infestation. At this point it’s really affecting my life drastically as I start to panic every few weeks over something different. Lice, scabies, bedbugs, roaches, fleas, threadworms... the list goes on. I’m terrified to stay in hotels or to even sit in movie theater seats. I feel like I can’t go anywhere without being afraid and I don’t know what to do anymore. Anyone else experiencing something similar?
Hb32, I know exactly what you are going through. I too struggle with a phobia of parasites, particularly those that can cause itching. It stems from a mistaken diagnosis of scabies about 5 years ago. I was constantly itchy and I couldn't understand why the creams were not working and I thought I was riddled with the mites under my skin. I bleached the entire apartment every day. Put natural stuff on myself as well and slept uncomfortably (the smells of those products trigger the memories of those horrible months now). Made the giant mistake of googling and coming across crazy stories that made my fear 50 times worse. (Please try not to google things no matter how tempted. It's hard but you can do it!)
2-3 months later doc tells me he wasn't even sure if it was scabies in the first place, that it was just severely dry skin and eczema (which runs in my family alongside asthma) but by then the mental and emotional damage was done... I even have a severe fear of bedbugs because of all the news reports from America and the UK (I'm in Australia). Living in an apartment building, I am constantly in fear of them, always wondering if my neighbours have them and will it affect my apartment as well.
I still have this crippling fear of scabies, bedbugs and lice. But *slightly* better than the past few years. I too HATED going out, so for the first 3 years I was a recluse. I hated the thought of sitting on trains, buses and movie theatre seats, in fact anything upholstered was a no no. I would come home from a forced outing to put my clothes straight into the dryer.
I have started going out more now, even to the movies. But i don't think i will ever be completely free of this fear. My mind still goes hyper with anxiety whenever i am out my apartment. I still put clothes into the dryer when I come home (my husband hates doing it but he'll do it anyway).
Hb32, sending you good vibes. I know how hard it is to live in fear everyday.
Same here I have the same phobia. I also have phobia with water. But I only think that I am human and I am bigger than them. I don't need to be afraid. because your gonna waste your life worrying about bugs but bugs don't even think about you. and thats a fact!