Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Chilopodophobia

ZiggyPastorius

ZiggyPastorius

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Sep 16, 2007
3,142
1
Berklee College of Music
All right, so, I'm not sure what exactly my intention for posting this is...I guess I'll figure it out soon enough.

Basically, I am scared to death of centipedes. I go absolutely insane when I see them (not in a violent way, I just freak out). I can't go near them and thus, I can't kill them (and imagining the sound they make when they die makes me vomit, not kidding). I really don't know what it is about them that bothers me...but the way they look is really terrifying to me, and whenever I see one (especially when they surprise me) I scream and yell at the top of my voice, run as far away as I can, and I'm basically traumatised for a few minutes. Here's an example:

I went to go bring my dog in a little while ago. I go downstairs to put my shoe on, and what's there...a centipede...it crawls out from around my shoe and goes under a bench. So, basically, I ran away as fast as I could, didn't put my shoes on even though it's been raining. I went out the back door, brought the dog in, then rushed upstairs, and I've been freaking out ever since...I don't want to go downstairs, and no one is home to kill it. I don't know what to do right now because of it, because I'm hungry, I want to go for a walk, et cetera, but I'm afraid to go downstairs. I'm also not going to go to sleep tonight in case it finds its way upstairs to my room. I don't know what I will do in the morning, though, when I go downstairs and it's in my kitchen or something.

Anyways, can anyone explain to me perhaps why I have such a fear of them? I've never had any traumatising experiences or anything as a kid, and there's really nothing to explain it. Also, anyone know how to get rid of the fear of them? How can I help my current situation? Et cetera...maybe some interesting facts about them, I don't know. Still not entirely sure why I felt compelled to post this.
 
I can understand your fear, they have so many legs. It's gross.

I think the best way to get over your fear is confronting it. Keep telling yourself you are 100x bigger than that thing and it cannot hurt you. Then just step on it, but yell as you do it thus avoiding the noise you hate. I don't know what else to do. Therapy?
 
cycocelica said:
I can understand your fear, they have so many legs. It's gross.

I think the best way to get over your fear is confronting it. Keep telling yourself you are 100x bigger than that thing and it cannot hurt you. Then just step on it, but yell as you do it thus avoiding the noise you hate. I don't know what else to do. Therapy?
Click to expand...

I've considered trying to confront them so many times, but every time I try, something happens. I'm just so afraid of being touched/attacked/whatever by one, whether they're harmful or not. Hearing someone talk about them even bothers me sometimes, depending on how graphic the conversation is.

I may have to consider therapy, because it being in my house seriously inhibits my ability to live, because I don't want to leave my room.

By the way, it's not just the noise, it's also the feeling.
 
Strong cleaning products work great - Cillit Bang, bathroom sprays, hob cleaners etc - just be careful you don't stain anything.

Cillit Bang has killed every insect I have sprayed in about 2 seconds, including a gigantic wasp :D They just... die.
 
spineom6.jpg
 
Look i know what its like to be afraid of stupid things but the only way to get over it is to confront it. My little cousin used to be terrified of rubber and fake snakes. One day he was eating and i threw one at the table and he freaked out a lot! I did a few more times the following days. By the end of the week he was completely unafraid. My ex girlfriend was scared of seeing lizards and she would just scream at the sight of them. I took her outside more often and she got used to it.
 
Your best bet to get over the fear of them is to condition yourself.

Here is what i would do. Get like a plastic box or a box with a window. Have somebody put one in the box. Put the box as far away from you as possible but so you can still see it.

Slowly walk towards the box. Keeping telling your self out loud that your 100x bigger than they are like cycocelica said.

Im sure that as soon as you see it you will become afraid. Stop there and look at it. Look at it for as long as you can then turn slowly and walk away. Your in control here. You decide how close you get and how long you stay.

Do this every day, each day getting closer and closer. And staying a little longer each time.

Eventually you should be able to walk straight up to the box and look the little bastard right in the eye.

From what i read on wikipedia not all centipedes are poisonous. Some are but are not dangerous to humans unless your allergic to them or your a small child.

They say that the most you will get is a little pain and maybe some swelling. But you wont die from it. And your arm wont fall off.

Where do you live by the way? I live in missouri and have never seen one before.
 
cantthinkofone said:
Your best bet to get over the fear of them is to condition yourself.

Here is what i would do. Get like a plastic box or a box with a window. Have somebody put one in the box. Put the box as far away from you as possible but so you can still see it.

Slowly walk towards the box. Keeping telling your self out loud that your 100x bigger than they are like cycocelica said.

Im sure that as soon as you see it you will become afraid. Stop there and look at it. Look at it for as long as you can then turn slowly and walk away. Your in control here. You decide how close you get and how long you stay.

Do this every day, each day getting closer and closer. And staying a little longer each time.

Eventually you should be able to walk straight up to the box and look the little bastard right in the eye.

From what i read on wikipedia not all centipedes are poisonous. Some are but are not dangerous to humans unless your allergic to them or your a small child.

They say that the most you will get is a little pain and maybe some swelling. But you wont die from it. And your arm wont fall off.

Where do you live by the way? I live in missouri and have never seen one before.
Click to expand...

Maybe I'll get the courage and ask my mom to do that for me (catch it and box it, that is) next time.

I live in Michigan and while they're not a huge problem, usually every couple of months, one will appear in my kitchen or somewhere and scare the **** out of me.

The only thing I'm scared about, is that I think it may be more than just a fear of seeing them or being surprised by them or whatever. One time, on our bus ride home from Cedar Point (like a month or so ago), Nick and I were talking about them. I'm usually fine just talking about them as long as there's nothing that puts an image in my head. I don't remember what it was, but somewhere in the conversation, something was said (hell, I don't even remember now, nor do I want to), and I freaked out. It wasn't just a scream/be afraid freak out, it was like I lost all control of my body, I buried my face in my girlfriend, covered my ears, and shook for a couple of minutes. Maybe that is still just a regular fear, and I'll ask my mom about doing that, but, there's a small part of me that's afraid it's something worse than just simply fear.
 
I actually like centipedes- they're pretty. Roaches are what freak me out. I lived in an apartment infested by them once. They were everywhere- it was horrible. And I will never get used to those nasty things.
 
leekohler said:
I actually like centipedes- they're pretty. Roaches are what freak me out. I lived in an apartment infested by them once. They were everywhere- it was horrible. And I will never get used to those nasty things.
Click to expand...

Cockroaches are truly the worse bug. I hate those. Plus its true, they never die!
 
I understand you, Im arachnophobic and if I as much as see a spider I get a weird chill down my back. I can kill them though, I enjoy it, and do it quite savagely (with a stick or something).

Victor
 
Another thing i just thought of just now is to find a repellent. There has to be something out there that they hate. A smell or noise, something. You might email a biologist at a local university and see if they know any thing. Or somebody who is a Entomology guru.
 
Centipedes don't bother me too much. If I see one in the house, I just catch it in a cup and release it outside. I don't like killing anything...animals or insects. So, I just catch and release all of them.

What I don't like is when is when you're sitting down on the couch or laying on your bed and one crawls on you. You're just happily relaxing when you suddenly feel a little tickle on your arm or leg. You look down and there it is....a centipede. It's antennae all twitching. Those long, hair-like legs tickling you as they ungulate in unison. Instinctively, you flick it off. The centipede flies through the air and lands nearby. It scurries off quickly. But is it coming back toward you or to find safety under your dresser? Man, those buggers are fast!

Ever since I got my cat, 13 years ago, he has helped keep the centipede population down (Centipedes and Daddy Longs Legs are his two favorite insect snacks). A few summers ago, I once watched him patiently hunt a centipede for well over an hour. One afternoon, I went to the basement and saw my cat staring intently beneath a cupboard. His eyes wide, carefully scanning the opening. After a moment, he stuck his right front leg, underneath, desperately reaching for something. For what, I didn't know. Then, suddenly, a centipede shot out. A chase was initiated. All over the basement, my cat pursued it with zeal. Like all cats, he was playing with it, batting it around. At some point, the centipede scurried close to the stairs and found a bag of old clothing. It crawled up the side and inside. My cat paused, staring at the bulging plastic bag. He laid down, resting, but alert...ready to pounce in a split second. There was complete silence. Then...crinkle, crinkle. The centipede blew his own cover. My cat focused with his laser point predatory intention. Crinkle, crinkle. A few minutes later, it emerged. peaking out the top of the bag. In a flash, my cat swung his paw. The centipede went flying off the bag. When it landed, it began to scurry off...but my cat would have none of it. He pounced. Then, backed off a little. The centipede moved slowly and then stopped. No movement. My cat sniffed and then, satisfied, claimed his prize.

This whole talk of centipedes reminds me of another story, a funny incident that happened a while ago.... I heard a scream from the bathroom. My aunt was in there. My mother went to investigate...but, I heard another scream....then, the calling out of my name. I went over, only to see them both standing outside the bathroom, pointing inside to the shower wall. "Centipede!" my Aunt said. I ran to get a cup. I came back and proceeded to capture the offender. As I got close, I smiled to myself. "It's hair! It's a clump of hair on the wall," I thought to myself. But I proceeded as if it was an actual centipede. I captured it in the cup. But instead, I reached inside and pulled it out. They screamed in unison and jumped back toward the wall of the hallway. "It's hair!" I finally said. They were so unbelievably embarrassed. I can't help but still tease them about this to this day. Heh heh. :D

Well, that's enough stories for now....

But keep this in mind, everyone:
The next time you feel a little tickle on your leg or small sensation anywhere on your body, it just may be one of our little friends, the centipede. And look up from time to time. There just may be one on the ceiling or wall, waiting to drop down on you.... ;)
 
It's well known that centipedes will attack people that use Comic Sans...

Seriously though... therapy. The lack of bad experiences or mental illness (I am assuming) makes me suspect you have convinced yourself that you are afraid. Your expectation that you will be fearful reinforces the reaction. You need to see a professional to break the cycle.

And don't kill them. They haven't (and won't) do you any harm. They are actually quite useful little critters to have around (same with spiders). They are predatory, so they kill insects that might otherwise get into your food or transmit parasites to people and pets.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back