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Table of Contents

Definition

Symptoms

Diagnosis

Causes

Treatment

Fear of butterflies is a specificphobia. It is also calledlepidopterophobia. A phobia is an irrational and excessive fear of something that poses little or no threat. When someone with lepidopterophobia has an encounter with a butterfly or even thinks about one, it can trigger fear or panic. They may avoid places where they might see a butterfly. The phobia may even interfere with daily functioning.The word “lepidopterophobia” is derived from the Greek wordsLepidopteraandphóbos. Lepidoptera describes the order of insects that includes butterflies and moths. Phóbos refers to an aversion or fear.This article explores the causes and symptoms of lepidopterophobia. It also discusses how this phobia is diagnosed and treated.The Spruce / Valerie de LeónDefinitionThe fear of butterflies or moths is calledlepidopterophobia. When a person has a phobia, they have a fear that is so excessive that it can interfere with their daily life.Fear of butterflies is a type of anxiety disorder, classified as a specific phobia (animal type). About 12.5% of adults in the United States have experienced a specific phobia at some point in their lives.A person with lepidopterophobia may fear the insect itself, its fluttering or flying, or both.SymptomsThe symptoms of lepidopterophobia are similar to those of other phobias. The trigger can be a photo of a butterfly, the thought of a butterfly, or a physical sighting of the insect.A person with this condition may feel anxiety or panic immediately almost every time they encounter the trigger. Some of these symptoms may include:Shortness of breathShakingSweatingRapid heartbeatThe physical symptoms are due to the release of adrenaline, a hormone that produces the fight-or-flight response.People with this phobia may avoid places where they might see butterflies. They may steer clear of parks (especially during seasons when there may be butterflies), zoos, or other institutions that have butterflies.To be diagnosed with a phobia, the fear must persist for at least six months, cause significant distress, or significantly affect their daily life.DiagnosisPhobias can disrupt the normalcy of life and can lead to other anxiety and depressive disorders. It is important to get help if you or someone you know is living with a phobia.You can bring your concerns to your primary healthcare provider, who will ask you questions regarding your health. They will also ask you questions specific to your fear and your symptoms. They may refer you to a licensed mental health professional who can help you work through the phobia so it will not continue to disrupt your life.A mental health professional will assess your symptoms. They will apply criteria from the fifth edition of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)” to determine whether it is a specific phobia or another disorder.According to the DSM-5, criteria to be diagnosed with a specific phobia include the following:The feared object creates a level of excessive fear.The reaction almost always occurs immediately within the presence of the cause of the fear (such as a butterfly).The reaction is out of proportion to any danger the feared object poses.The fear causes the person to avoid the cause of fear or endure an extreme reaction and distress.The fear or phobia limits day-to-day living.The fear, anxiety, or avoidance has persisted for six months or more.The disturbance is not better explained as symptoms of another mental health disorder.How Phobia Is DiagnosedCausesThe cause of fear of butterflies and other specific phobias is unclear. The phobia can occur due to learned behavior (such as observing a parent who has the same fear), genetics, or a past experience that has activated fear of insects, flying insects, or swarms of insects.TreatmentTreatment options will depend on the severity of the phobia. This is something you will work through with your mental health professional. Some therapies that can help include the following:Cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT)is a type of psychotherapy (talk therapy) that challenges irrational thoughts and behaviors.Exposure therapy:In this form of CBT, you will work with your therapist to desensitize yourself to butterflies. This may be done through imagining exposure, experiencing real-life exposure, or having virtual reality exposure. Exposure therapy usually starts with something small like looking at a picture of a butterfly and then progresses slowly until you are eventually able to be in the same space as a live butterfly.Relaxationandbreathing techniques:These may help you cope with your reaction to butterflies.Medication:Medications may help treat symptoms of specific phobias such as fear and anxiety, but they don’t treat the phobia itself. For example, your healthcare provider may prescribe a benzodiazepine, which is an anti-anxiety medication like buspirone, or abeta-blockerlike propranolol to help control symptoms like racing heart and and shaking. Antidepressants are sometimes also prescribed to treat specific phobias.List of Common and Unusual PhobiasSummaryLepidopterophobia, a fear of butterflies, is a specific phobia. It is an irrational and excessive fear in which a person displays immediate anxiety or panic when exposed to butterflies. The fear is so intense that people will avoid places where they might encounter butterflies.A mental health professional can diagnose this phobia. Treatment includes talk therapy, including exposure therapy. Sometimes medication is used to treat a specific phobia.

Fear of butterflies is a specificphobia. It is also calledlepidopterophobia. A phobia is an irrational and excessive fear of something that poses little or no threat. When someone with lepidopterophobia has an encounter with a butterfly or even thinks about one, it can trigger fear or panic. They may avoid places where they might see a butterfly. The phobia may even interfere with daily functioning.

The word “lepidopterophobia” is derived from the Greek wordsLepidopteraandphóbos. Lepidoptera describes the order of insects that includes butterflies and moths. Phóbos refers to an aversion or fear.

This article explores the causes and symptoms of lepidopterophobia. It also discusses how this phobia is diagnosed and treated.

The Spruce / Valerie de León

Vegetable garden mixed with purple and orange flowers

The fear of butterflies or moths is calledlepidopterophobia. When a person has a phobia, they have a fear that is so excessive that it can interfere with their daily life.

Fear of butterflies is a type of anxiety disorder, classified as a specific phobia (animal type). About 12.5% of adults in the United States have experienced a specific phobia at some point in their lives.

A person with lepidopterophobia may fear the insect itself, its fluttering or flying, or both.

The symptoms of lepidopterophobia are similar to those of other phobias. The trigger can be a photo of a butterfly, the thought of a butterfly, or a physical sighting of the insect.

A person with this condition may feel anxiety or panic immediately almost every time they encounter the trigger. Some of these symptoms may include:

The physical symptoms are due to the release of adrenaline, a hormone that produces the fight-or-flight response.

People with this phobia may avoid places where they might see butterflies. They may steer clear of parks (especially during seasons when there may be butterflies), zoos, or other institutions that have butterflies.

To be diagnosed with a phobia, the fear must persist for at least six months, cause significant distress, or significantly affect their daily life.

Phobias can disrupt the normalcy of life and can lead to other anxiety and depressive disorders. It is important to get help if you or someone you know is living with a phobia.

You can bring your concerns to your primary healthcare provider, who will ask you questions regarding your health. They will also ask you questions specific to your fear and your symptoms. They may refer you to a licensed mental health professional who can help you work through the phobia so it will not continue to disrupt your life.

A mental health professional will assess your symptoms. They will apply criteria from the fifth edition of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)” to determine whether it is a specific phobia or another disorder.

According to the DSM-5, criteria to be diagnosed with a specific phobia include the following:

How Phobia Is Diagnosed

The cause of fear of butterflies and other specific phobias is unclear. The phobia can occur due to learned behavior (such as observing a parent who has the same fear), genetics, or a past experience that has activated fear of insects, flying insects, or swarms of insects.

Treatment options will depend on the severity of the phobia. This is something you will work through with your mental health professional. Some therapies that can help include the following:

List of Common and Unusual Phobias

Summary

Lepidopterophobia, a fear of butterflies, is a specific phobia. It is an irrational and excessive fear in which a person displays immediate anxiety or panic when exposed to butterflies. The fear is so intense that people will avoid places where they might encounter butterflies.

A mental health professional can diagnose this phobia. Treatment includes talk therapy, including exposure therapy. Sometimes medication is used to treat a specific phobia.

7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Phobias.National Health Service.Causes - phobias.Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Facts & statistics.American Psychiatric Association. 2013.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, DSM-5.Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 Changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun.Table 3.11, DSM-IV to DSM-5 specific phobia comparison.National Health Services.Self-help - phobias.

7 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Phobias.National Health Service.Causes - phobias.Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Facts & statistics.American Psychiatric Association. 2013.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, DSM-5.Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 Changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun.Table 3.11, DSM-IV to DSM-5 specific phobia comparison.National Health Services.Self-help - phobias.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Phobias.National Health Service.Causes - phobias.Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Facts & statistics.American Psychiatric Association. 2013.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, DSM-5.Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 Changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun.Table 3.11, DSM-IV to DSM-5 specific phobia comparison.National Health Services.Self-help - phobias.

National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.

Johns Hopkins Medicine.Phobias.

National Health Service.Causes - phobias.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America.Facts & statistics.

American Psychiatric Association. 2013.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, DSM-5.Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 Changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun.Table 3.11, DSM-IV to DSM-5 specific phobia comparison.

National Health Services.Self-help - phobias.

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