Critical Issue

Katsaridaphobia (phobia of cockroaches) is a critical issue in the lives of those who suffer from it. Seeing and interacting with cockroaches is a fairly common occurrence in life. While for most it is a non-issue, maybe a bit gross or startling at worst, it is debilitating for a select few, and can require external support to manage [5]. In the field of psychology, professionals aim to completely understand and find treatment options for those that have mental disorders. For specific phobias, the goal is to personalize a treatment plan for their client to get them to have a less drastic response to the stimuli [11]. A very common way to go about this is through a tactic called exposure therapy. Exposure therapy is characterized by gradually exposing the client to more and more intense stimuli that may trigger the fear, and working to desensitize them one step at a time until they are comfortable enough to live in a world where the feared item, in this case cockroaches, exists [5]. Cockroaches can be used in this recovery technique for those suffering from Katsaridaphobia. For example, on day one, participants will hear the word cockroach. They will slowly adjust and become habituated to hearing the word and the fear response will lessen until the task is manageable. Later on, a photograph of a cockroach can be shown to the client. Eventually, if the treatment goes well, they can get to the point where they feel moderately okay looking at a cockroach in a container across the room, or walking by one on the ground. Check out the video to the left of the text if you want to see exposure therapy for Katsaridaphobia in action. Opposition from those who do not understand Katsaridaphobia or other such fears may state that phobias “aren’t real” and that the sufferer should “get over it.” In reality, although considered irrational, the fear is very real to phobia sufferers, and support should be available to those that want to seek help.