Pediculophobia – Is It a Fear or Phobia?

by | Oct 25, 2019 | Lice Treatments, parenting | 0 comments

This Halloween we see scary things all around us! We are not talking about being deathly afraid of clowns or jumping at the sight of a spider. In the United States, parents suffer from many types of realistic fears for their children. Some of the most common fears include kidnapping, bullying, physical harm or disease. 

Did you know that the fear of head lice is a real phobia for some anxiety-prone parents or children?

 

What Exactly is This Phobia and How Does it Affect Someone?

Pediculophobia is the fear of lice. Head lice, body lice or pubic lice all fall into this category. All types of lice are small, parasite animals that live off of human blood. Their whole existence depends on the availability of a human source to provide food, shelter, and warmth.  

This specific phobia’s name is thought to have originated from the word pediculo, which is a Latin for lice. It can be caused by many things, like traumatic events or early childhood drama. Did you suffer a horrible case of head lice as a child? Did you face ridicule from peers because of it? Maybe you were scared by an event that involved insects or head lice in particular. Any or all of these could cause unrealistic fears to take over in someone’s mind. 

 

How Do I Know if It’s a Phobia or a Normal Worry?

Any person will tell you that the thought of head lice will make them feel a pit in their stomach, their heads feel a little itchy, and an instant worry can set in. Thoughts can begin to race in their minds, “What would I do if my kid had head lice? How can I be sure they don’t have it?”

This is all normal and justified fear, especially if you have children between the ages of 3-10. The CDC indicates in the U.S.  that up to 12 million children between these ages will become infected with head lice this year alone.  That is not beginning to account for the rise in the number of tweens and teens who are contracting head lice each year. 

However, if the fear of head lice is causing you extreme anxiety you could be dealing with a phobia. Some large indicators include panic attacks, heart arrhythmia, severe sweating, inability to speak or stop shaking. Some people suffering from this phobia will literally become nauseous and physically ill at the thought of a lice break out. Is this you? If so, there are available treatments to help you overcome your fears.

 

How Can I Deal with this Phobia or Fear of Head Lice?

Experts at Lice Clinics of Texas are your BEST source for getting rid of head lice on the scalp. Whether you are suffering from a  real phobia or just clueless about what steps to take like most parents, we can end your head lice nightmare! Give us a call today to speak with a knowledgeable staff member about our most effective approach in eliminating head lice for good.