Wikipedia definition: Apiphobia is one of the zoophobias prevalent in young children and may prevent them from taking part in any outdoor activities. Older people control the natural fear of bees more easily.
So my question remains, how the hell do I get over my fear of bees as a nearly 30 year old adult (and wasps, and pretty much everything that flies because it may be a bee)?
A few summers ago I felt like it was more under control, but this year it feels worse than normal, and I am worried that I am going to waste a lot of beautiful days indoors because of it. In fact, my stomach drops way faster thinking about a bee around me or god forbid, in the house, than flying on an airplane ~ and that is saying a lot.
Bees and me haven’t mixed since I was a little girl. My grandmother NEVER got mad at me, except for when I would scream bloody murder and nearly give her a heart attack, just because I saw a bee outside. She said I made her heart stop a few times. Have I been stung? Yep, but only a few years ago when I stepped on a dead one on the beach. Otherwise, I have jumped in backyard pools with all my clothes on, stayed indoors on the most beautiful of days and nearly cried when the indoors wasn’t a feasible escape from a rouge yellow and black killer.
So far this spring I keep our back door closed 24/7 (we don’t have a screen door) and cross the street when walking Kona to avoid flowering trees. I am dreading gardening even though I desperately want flowers in our yard and almost jumped out of my skin on Easter Sunday when a few wasps were spotted at Mike’s parents’ backyard.
I know I am not along in this phobia, but I’ve never actually met anyone who truly gets it. If you have any advice at all, I am all ears. Summer is coming up too fast and I just can’t fathom spending it indoors because of this ridiculous phobia.
