Fear of spiders is also referred to as Arachnophobia . The phobia is can be sometime stimulated just by the thought or even an image of the spider. It should be known that Arachnophobia is not the same as conventional spider fear wherein a person just does not like spiders. Phobia struck people start panicking when they are around spiders or sometimes even sees a spider in imagination or picture.
The fear of spider stays wherever a person goes, for example in their house, on vacation (especially while camping), possibly at office and almost every place where there are possibilities of spider. While arachnophobia attack occurs the person may experience symptoms such as excessive sweating, dizziness, dankness, increased rate of breathing, queasiness etc. There are several causes that may lead to fear of spider, for example and early incident in life which was very frightening. This can be a memorable ordeal which has its influence for a long time. Most people afflicted by this phobia do not even remember the incident that leads to fear of spider in them. It may be due to the instant of panic that the mind must have created a phobia.
How to overcome fear of spiders
There are several ways in can try to reduce phobia of spiders. Some of the possible ways to manage or get rid of arachnophobia are as follows:
Face the fear
If you are suffering from arachnophobia then it should be known that there are more chances that a spider may not harm you. Hence, you need to take you chances and face your fear of spiders. If you see a spider, do not go on to kill it immediately. See it carefully and try to examine it, it cannot do much harm to you. Use a stick or any object with which you feel safe try to play with the spider. But at the same time, there are some kinds of spiders that may be life threatening to you; hence, you should try to maintain some distance.
Accept these tiny ones
Know that spiders are a part of the nature and they are unavoidable. There are high chances that you may encounter spiders at any point of time; hence rather then running away from spiders try to get rid of your fear of spiders. Once you start understanding these spiders you will understand that your fear was merely for nothing.
Know about spiders
It is better to gain as much information about spider as possible. It is just like a battle wherein if you know the weak points of your enemy you may win over the battle, same way if you have information about spiders, you may be able to win over your fear for them. Equip yourself with all sorts of information about the spiders, there are possibilities that you may forget your fear and start keeping a spider as your pet. Comprehensive information may also help you distinguish between hazardous and benign spiders. To your information there are very few spiders in parts of the world which are poisonous and there are possible cure available in hospitals.
Start to overcome fear
If you have extreme fear of spiders and you are even afraid of their images then you should have someone with whom you would feel safe and obtain image of spider or toy spider and spend some time handling it. This may seem insensible but in reality this technique is really helpful of for those who are extremely scared of spider. When you become extremely comfortable with the toys or images of spider, try to switch to a benign real life spider and inspect it learn its behavior etc. If you still experience fear then have someone with whom you may feel safe. Let the person first handle the spider which may give you some confidence and then overcome your fear and touch the spider slightly and gradually start handling it.
Face spider in real life
If you see a spider in your home suddenly, do not run away keep looking at it till your fear of spiders reduces. If you do not feel safe to go near it initially, then stay at some distance and notice it behavior. If you fear reduces start going closer to it with any object in you hand that makes you feel safe. Then gradually touch it and play with it for sometime. When you think your feared is gone you can pick the spider and leave it in bushes around your house and let it go.
Some useful information on fear of spiders
According to scientists it is realized that people who have arachnophobia may have born with it. The may not only be born with fear of spiders but of also snakes. Scientists are not able to understand or explain actual cause of the inborn phobia. Based on latest studies, it is proven that unborn crickets could have fear of spiders due to their mother’s traumatic experience with spiders. A study was conducted where in scientist put pregnant cricket in a vivarium also containing a wolf spider. It was ensured that spider’s fangs were coated with wax which may not have any effect on pregnant cricket when the spider stalks. When the pregnant crickets laid their eggs and produce their offspring, they behavior was compared to behavior of normal offspring of other cricket. The difference observed was dramatic. The study indicated that offspring which were born in vivarium had fear of spiders.
Similarly, a study was conducted to understand the arachnophobia as well as snake phobia. In this study both adult and child volunteer were able to detect snake and spider images among other non threatening images of objects more quickly, then they could detect frog or caterpillar etc. This study, along with other numerous studies also indicated that fear of spider may be innate. This condition is common in most people and it can be overcome by adopting one of the above mentioned techniques.
