A woman in Telangana took her own life on November 4, reportedly driven by an overwhelming fear of ants, a specific phobia known as myrmecophobia. The 25-year-old victim, a mother of a three-year-old, was discovered by her husband after he returned from work to their Sangareddy district home, which was locked from the inside. Neighbors assisted him in gaining entry.
Family and neighbors informed the police that her fear of ants was a lifelong struggle, originating in her childhood. The severity of this phobia had led her to undergo counseling at a hospital in Mancherial. It appears this intense fear continued to affect her well-being after her marriage in 2022.
On the day of her death, she had ensured her daughter was with a relative before undertaking household chores. Her final written communication, a suicide note addressed to her husband, explicitly stated her inability to endure her ant phobia any longer and pleaded with him to raise their daughter. The note also included personal messages, suggesting a state of acute distress. Police are investigating the possibility that an encounter with ants while she was cleaning might have triggered her drastic decision. Authorities are gathering more information by speaking with her family and medical professionals who previously treated her.