A grandfather from Lancashire who had a debilitating fear of moths overcame his phobia thanks to a specialized clinic in Amsterdam. Dave Jackson, 59, now embraces the insects after years of avoiding them.
A grandfather who had an intense phobia of being 'attacked' by moths that he avoided his garden during summer evenings for decades now adores the insects thanks to a fear-curing clinic . Dave Jackson, 59, from Darwen, Lancashire, developed a phobia of moths, known as lepidopterophobia, in his early 20s after working nights at an envelope-making factory where the winged insects were attracted to the lights and the warm appliances.
The machine operator said the harmless bugs 'frightened the life' out of him when they fluttered past his head or flew into objects, adding he thought they were 'out to get' him. Years later, Dave found his phobia was 'taking over' his life to the point where he would 'dread' summertime. The crippling fear meant Dave would avoid camping trips and could not enjoy a drink in his garden on warm evenings, which he felt was 'unfair' for his wife of 16 years, Bev, 63. But after visiting a special clinic in Amsterdam in October 2023, dedicated to treating those with fears and phobias, Dave now wants to 'embrace all the moths'. Since undergoing treatment, he has held the insect in his hand and even moved one into his home, saying the experience has been 'life-changing'. 'It’s just the thought that these moths were out to get me, to attack me,' Dave told PA Real Life. 'It was silly but obviously when you have a phobia, it’s not silly as that’s how you think. I used to think they could sense my feelings, my emotions – I was petrified of them.' Dave's fear of butterflies and moths, known as lepidopterophobia, first took root in his early 20s while he was working night shifts at an envelope-making factory in Darwen, a place teeming with these insects. 'They used to come in all the time all during the night, flying around, this fat body and these wings,' Dave said. “Because they were disorientated, they used to bang into the machine, they’d hit you, or they’d just land on your table – they frightened the hell out of me
Lepidopterophobia Phobia Fear-Curing Clinic Moths Mental Health
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