Eating bugs and worms is way over rated.
I saw a Dr. Phil show where some women were facing their greatest fear: camping. In order to go camping, and to win a reward, each woman was presented with a bug she had to eat.
Now, this is ridiculous. I've never eaten a bug on purpose, and I've spend days, months and years in the back country. Sometimes alone, sometimes with a friend. Sometimes seriously low on food. Sometimes just a spoonful of instant potatoes and and Ramen seasoning. That made a bowl of hot soup, and I told myself that was supper. Some wild onions mixed with instant rice or pasta. Its just that simple.
I've been asked how do you make people like the wilderness. How do you make a woman like backpacking? It sure isn't by asking them to prove how tough they are, by requiring them to eat stuff crawling around in the dirt.
A peaceful co existance unless required for survival is the path to feeling at home in the wilderness. When you are at home, there is no anxiety or fear.
You're right. Creating anxiety artificially is not productive. Developing self confidence through real experience and knowledge is the way to go. When in a survival situation, we need to know how to build fire, find safe water, and make shelter. Food is important too, but we don't have to be able to eat every slug and grasshopper we come across to prove we can be self-reliant. If you have confidence in your outdoor abilities, when you need to eat food that is normally outside of your comfort zone, you'll be able to do it.
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