How can I get over my fear of house centipedes?

Question

Last night I was in my bathroom, and I look in my mirror and I see this big disgusting house centipede! I had to call my mom to come and kill it, I was terrified and had trouble falling asleep. Since my room is the basement I'm constantly scared of them, they're so ugly and fast and creepy looking! Just now I saw one climbing up my wall and I had to throw a shoe at it to kill it cuz I'm scared that it will like jump on my face and head and stuff. I know it's irrational but I'm so scared! When I saw it I almost fainted! I started breathing really heavily and my heart rate was up, I was so scared!

how can i get over this? it's driving me crazy!

Answer 1

I have the exact same fear, only it's not with centipedes but wasps.

I haven't heard of centipedes biting people, just to be sure I checked the web and it says that it's only the tropical species that do.  I find that the more you find about something like this the less fearful you become.  The website I looked at was:

http://www.atshq.org/articles/centipedes...

If you keep seeing these creatures and are still scared I would ask your mom about moving rooms.

Answer 2

Spray your room with surface spray.  

Answer 3

I wish I had an answer for you but I don't really.  Just try to realize that they cannot jump so they will not jump on your face and head and stuff like you said.  Look them up on the internet and try to get a positive side of them.  At least they are not scorpiaons or huge spiders.  Take it easy and try not to get anxiety.  Thats what is happening when you breath hard and your heart rate goes up.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseac...

try this site.  

Answer 4

Best thing to do is get rid of them. Farm supply stores sell a product called diatamaceous soil (food grade), that will get rid of them. I don't think it is poisonous to humans but you can ask when you get it. They can probably also tell you where to leave it to insure that the centipedes will feed on it. Probably somewhere damp.

Answer 5

you should get one as a pet, they're really not that bad...........

Answer 6

They're scary because they are completely different from us. Begin to see it as a living creature. When it is crawling on the wall, it is looking for food or a home. It is scared too. Only, it is at your mercy. I know this is hard, I haven't mastered it myself yet, but it seems to be working for me.

Answer 7

the next time you see one look at it from a differnt point of view pretend its a cute puppy or somthing and you might be less afraid

Answer 8

i know exactly how hard it is for u!

try breathing techniques and thought challenging, cos in a realistic frame of mind the centipede can never harm you, and isn't a threat to you at all.

breathe in for 3 and out for 6 and u will feel more relaxed already.

lots of people get fears of bugs so you're not odd or strange! just remember they cant harm you, the way u feel with the rush of symptoms is just your body in 'fight or flight' mode. ready to run away from the situation or fight it. but you can deal with the problem in a calm way. sure centipedes arent very nice looking creatures.

how about using a step by step technique? first look at a picture of one maybe a cartoon if thats easier until you feel calm loking at one. then look at a more indetail picture of a centipede, and then maybe try goig to a local zoo centre and see if they have any centipedes behind glass or anything.

the each step will get easier every time you do it.

good luck!

x

Answer 9

Think about how much bigger you are than them--they are probably more scared of you...if centipedes have fear.  Or you could just do what I do and put a cup over the bug until someone else comes to get it.  

Answer 10

Everyone knows that centipedes are gross and scary. I often am kept awake afraid spiders will crawl all over me the instant I fall asleep. This is the trick: train yourself to think differently about centipedes. Try researching them a bit. You'll find that they're harmless. they prefer the dark, try sleeping w/ the light on. Tell Mom you don't want to sleep in the basement anymore. find out what kills them and put it all over your room.  

Answer 11

eat one.