Apiphobia refers to an irrational fear of bees. The best treatment for this is cognitive behavioral therapy and is wide adopted by phobic persons of this type of phobia.

A phobia is an unreasonable sort of fear that can cause evading and panic. Phobias are a moderately common type of anxiety disorder. Phobias can be treated with cognitive behavioral therapy using exposure and panic reduction techniques. In many cases, anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medication proves helpful, particularly during the early stages of therapy.

The word "apiphobia" comes from "api-" from the Greek "apis" meaning bee + "phobia" from the Greek "phobos" meaning fear = literally, fear of bee(s). Apiphobia is also known as melissophobia, since "melissa" is another Greek word for bee.

Most people with Apiphobia try to shun any reminders or thoughts of the ordeal. Despite this avoidant behavior, many people with Apiphobia repeatedly re-experience the ordeal in the form of flashback episodes, memories, nightmares, or frightening thoughts, especially when they are exposed to events or objects reminiscent of the trauma. Symptoms of Apiphobia also include emotional numbness and sleep disturbances (including insomnia), depression, and irritability or outbursts of anger. Feelings of intense guiltiness are also common. Apiphobia is diagnosed only if these symptoms last more than one month.

Fortunately, through research supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), effective treatments have been developed to help people with Apiphobia.

How common is Apiphobia?

Treatment for Apiphobia includes cognitive-behavioral therapy, group psychotherapy, and medications (including antidepressants). Various forms of exposure therapy (such as systemic desensitization and imaginable flooding) have all been used with Apiphobia patients. Exposure treatment for Apiphobia involves repeated reliving of the trauma, under controlled conditions, with the aim of facilitating the processing of the trauma.

Can People with Apiphobia Also Have Other Physical or Emotional Illnesses?

People with Apiphobia can also have other psychological difficulties, particularly depression, substance abuse, or another anxiety disorder. The possibility of treatment success is increased when these other conditions are appropriately diagnosed and treated, as well.

Research has also shown that behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy can be useful for treating several of the anxiety disorders.

Behavioral therapy focuses on changing precise actions and uses several techniques to decreases or stop unwanted behavior. For instance, one technique trains patients in diaphragmatic breathing, a special breathing exercise involving slow, deep breaths to reduce anxiety. This is required because people who are anxious often hyperventilate; taking rapid shallow breaths that can trigger rapid heartbeat, lightheadedness, and other symptoms. Another technique--exposure therapy--slowly exposes patients to what frightens them and helps them cope with their fears.

Like behavioral therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches patients to respond differently to the situations and bodily sensations that trigger panic attacks and other anxiety symptoms. However, patients also learn to understand how their thinking patterns contribute to their symptoms and how to change their thoughts so that symptoms are less liable to occur. This awareness of thinking patterns is combined with exposure and other behavioral techniques to help people tackle their feared situations. For instance, someone who becomes lightheaded during a panic attack and fears he is going to die can be helped with the following approach used in cognitive-behavioral therapy.

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