Dealing With Fear

Needing some help with an ongoing problem. I have developed an unreasonable and problematic fear of wasps. Everytime I see one when I’m outside or one buzzes near, I feel my pulse jump, I’m ducking, dodging, damn near reached panic attack status today. Was sitting at a stop-sign and one flew in front of the windshield. For a second I thought it was in the car (had the sunroof open) and I freaked out. If I had actually been moving, probably would have wrecked out. One flew by this weekend while I was driving a tractor and I literally abandoned ship, pulled the key out, dove off the damn thing.

Main reason I think I’ve developed this fear is two summers ago I got stung three times in two days, all in the face. Thankfully I’m not allergic. But the after effects are getting unbearable. And living in rural Texas, you’re gonna encounter wasps, bees etc. on a regular basis.

Anybody got any ideas? And yes, the thought of just getting used to getting stung by taking a few shots from one has occured to me. I don’t feel it would be a healthy thing to do though.

The more “Un-natural” you act as in ducking and dodging waving your arms around, the more likely you are to trigger an agressive responce from the hornet.

I also dont suggest just pissin one off so it stings you to try to get over it.

I"d go out, and stand where you know a few are gonna fly by, and do just that. Stand there and let them fly around you. Hold out your hand and see if one will land in it.

It’s hard to overcome a natural urge, but in this case work on it.

G. Gordon Liddy had a fear of rats. To overcome it, he caught one, killed it, cooked it, and ate it.

I’m not suggesting you do anything similar, of course, but the idea of confronting one’s fears seems to have worked for Liddy.

How about calling Animal Control or a local pest control company and going along with them the next time they’re called to remove a wasp nest?

[quote]Atomic Dog wrote:
G. Gordon Liddy had a fear of rats. To overcome it, he caught one, killed it, cooked it, and ate it.

I’m not suggesting you do anything similar, of course, but the idea of confronting one’s fears seems to have worked for Liddy.

How about calling Animal Control or a local pest control company and going along with them the next time they’re called to remove a wasp nest?

[/quote]

TC, I also read where Liddy was phobic of thunder and lightning storms so he tied himself to tree one night during an electrical storm! I guess thats direct confrontation! Also I think he was pretty young when he did both things like fourteen or fifteen.

Get one of those beesuits and throw a rock at a waspnest.

I don’t think I need to elaborate any further…

Did liddy live past 14?

LOL tying to a tree. I have a fear of breasts…what do you suggest!?

WRT the wasp issue, it is a fairly natural thing. Negative experiences are maked increadibly clearly and often indelibly in the brain, i.e. you wouldn’t eat green meat twice. Some people find some application of self hypnosis, attached to a focus/anchor , i.e. tapping the hack of hand.

This can aid in affecting arousal levels and anxiety levels.

Check out the sports psych when it comes on. may be some tips, or he may be on hand for some info.

Screw what TC and Elk say. Run like hell and scream like a girl. That’s what I do. Knock on wood - no stings, yet. I am missing several teeth, and have had three concussions, but no wasp stings.

Seriously, I’m no G-Man - but facing your fears and conquering them is the only way to get past this.

Unless you’re scared of clowns - there is no cure for that except the death of said clown.

BTW - you have, by far, the coolest avatar I’ve ever seen.

Why doesn’t it surprise me you have a fear of breasts. J/K

No worries Dan… Don’t feel bad about it.

I too have a paralyzing fear. It’s not necessarily of Wasps, just swarms of anything in general. I used to work at a X-mas tree farm and during the summers I had to go tree to tree shearing them with a long machete type knife. Well, one day I went to shearing a tree and disrupted a beehive. I must have been stung a dozen times over my back and neck. Since that day, whenever a swarm of anything comes around, even little black flies, I get the sweaty upper lip and have to calm myself down or else I’m a shivering pile of fetal positioned fear. It’s rare that it ever gets that intense but it has happened before. Any advice or tips people might have on conquering this issue would kick ass since I can’t kill, gut, and fry a swarm of little no see-ums.

I am afraid but i conquered my fear.

I now have implants of my own.

Be one with your fear, grasshopper.

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear… And when it is gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear is gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”

Got stung over a half-dozen times two summers ago when I slammed the lawnmower into the side of the compost heap and roused the nest of hornets (or whatever they were) in there. (Drenched them days later from a distance with spray.) Got real careful about going back there in summer. I also get things flying around the deck. I keep two things in mind:

  1. Be aware of my environment; spot them before they spot (and come at) me.
  2. No sudden moves; don’t flail pointlessly at anything that can be easily angered.

(Hey! Just realized that I’ve outlined good forum etiquette!)

Get a root canal… you’ll discover that a bee sting is a lesser distraction… :wink:

Go buy some wasp freeze and find some nests, and destroy them!

BTW, I am in pest control, you should try fighting angry wasps under the eaves of a two story house, on an extension ladder, at night.

They are supposed to be less active at night.

Thanks for all the advice, really. Went out behind the office today, oddly enough after taking two Spike, and found a nest. A few were buzzing about and I was leary, but no freaking out. I tell you, Spike has some mood altering properties that are nice.

The way I’m reacting when they fly by is pissing me off because I have to deal with situations on a regular basis that would cause fear in most people and they don’t phase me a bit. I’m a volunteer firefighter and on a pretty regular basis I’m walking off into a house thats on fire, or climbing on the roof of one. My job has me dealing with juvneile delinquents and their lovely parents and I’ve got no problem walking off into the “hood” or soem backwoods enclave to go find some kid. (Note: I am the whitest of white boys. red hair, freckled, fair skin.) I train in MA, get kicked, punched, have broken bones, no fear there. Totaled a car out three years ago in the rain and have no problems driving in the rain.

Everytime I’ve discovered a fear of something in the past, I’ve tried to face it (werewolves and the dark, age 10), conquer it (public speaking in Highs chool) or learn to co-exist respectfully with it so I wouldn’t freak out (lizards. I like 'em around for the bug killing aspect, but I don’t like touching them.)

I guess it could be that the wasp thing is something I have no control over unlike a fire or inbred convicts. I can’t talk a wasp down or threaten it. And carrying a can of Black Flag around 24/7 is not practical. And I’ve been stung probably a dozen times in my life, and no phobia developed before now. Gonna try facing the fears some more, with a can of wasp spray in both hands.

Again thanks for all the advice.

Unless you’re scared of clowns - there is no cure for that except the death of said clown.

Fear of clowns is something I don’t understand, but have used to my advantage for malicious reasons on multiple occasions Wouldn’t do it to someone with a serious fear, i.e. snakes, WASPS, assorted bugs, lawyers, bagpipes, etc. But you announce you have a clown phobia, you’re fair game.

BTW - you have, by far, the coolest avatar I’ve ever seen. [/quote]

Thank you. Where abouts in Texas are you Rainjack? I’m in Sabine County, Deep East Texas

I have suffered from clownophobia ever since my parents thoght it would be ‘nice’ to have one at my 5th birtday party. I have found no cure in 35 years of suffering.

I live near Amarillo - way up in the panhandle.

Don’t read Stephen King’s “It”.

Not that I’d really recommend it anyway.

[quote]rainjack wrote:
I have suffered from clownophobia ever since my parents thoght it would be ‘nice’ to have one at my 5th birtday party. I have found no cure in 35 years of suffering.

I live near Amarillo - way up in the panhandle. [/quote]

I saw the movie version. That didn’t help.

It’s not like I freak out when I see a clown, okay maybe I freak out a little when I see one. I just don’t want them talking to me - or my kids. Hell that guy in the clown suit could be another John Wayne Gasey.

It’s kinda like with snakes - everyone I see is a rattler until he is dead and I can safely confirm otherwise. Same with the clowns.

[quote]Xen Nova wrote:
“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear… And when it is gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear is gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”[/quote]

KULL WAHAD!

La’
Redsol1