Although you may not have heard of musophobia, it’s a common condition that affects hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. Here’s what you need to know about musophobia, the fear of mice or rats.

What are the Symptoms of Musophobia?

Although many people dislike mice or rats, musophobia is a more extreme fear of these creatures. A few common symptoms include:

• Severe anxiety when around mice or rats
• Feeling nauseous around mice or rats
• Actively avoiding areas that may have mice or rats, such as pet stores
• Feelings of unease when seeing a photo of mice or rats
• Fainting when seeing a mice or rat, whether in person or in a photograph

Symptoms vary from person to person, but feeling extreme anxiety when seeing a mouse or rat is a good indicator that you have musophobia. In extreme cases, people can suffer from panic attacks when they see a rodent.

What Causes Musophobia?

One of the most common causes of musophobia is having a negative or traumatic experience with a mouse or rat in the past, such as being bitten by one. Because this situation was traumatic, your brain is wired to feel anxiety when you’re at risk of experiencing this event again.

Another reason why people are scared of mice or rats is that they can spread disease. People often associate rodents with pathogens and contamination, which can be distressing if they also have a general fear of germs. Rodents can carry parasites, such as ticks and mites, which can lead to infection or illness. 

You can also develop musophobia if your family or friends suffer from it. If you experienced your mom or dad screaming because of a mouse as a child, your brain learns that rodents are something to be fearful of.

How Can Musophobia Be Treated?

If you find that your phobia of rodents is interfering with your personal or professional life, it may be time to seek help. Long-term solutions can include:

• Cognitive-behavioural therapy
• Psychotherapy
• Hypnotherapy
• Gradual desensitization therapy

If your case of musophobia isn’t as extreme, your doctor may prescribe anti-anxiety medication.

Another way to lessen your fear is to educate yourself on mice and rats. If your main concern is that they can carry lethal pathogens, you can take solace in the fact that modern medicine has made many of these diseases obsolete. 

One of the most obvious ways to alleviate the symptoms associated with musophobia is to eliminate any mice or rats from your home. If you come across any evidence of rodents, such as droppings, urine or gnawing sounds, be sure to contact pest control in Barrie. Our experienced professionals will thoroughly inspect your property to determine the extent of the infestation and effectively remove any rodents.

Although some homeowners may try to take matters into their own hands and remove rodents on their own, this can actually do more harm than good. Mice are extremely resourceful and clever, which means that they can often outsmart the average human by coming up with new ways to make themselves at home on your property. In addition, not only can mice reproduce quickly, but they can also easily learn to avoid traps. While you may believe that you’ve eliminated the last of the rodents in your home, it could just be that those remaining have learned to stay away from your traps.

This is why it’s essential to contact a skilled professional to tackle this issue rather than address it on your own. Contact Truly Nolen to learn more about our rodent removal services and how we can safely and efficiently leave your home looking as good as new.