Arachnophobia, or the fear of spiders, manifests itself in panic and paralyzing fear, a sense of threat, and a growing anxiety accompanied by a feeling of disgust and disgust. Arachnophobia is one of the most common phobias in the world. Fortunately, there are therapeutic methods to treat spider fear effectively.

Arachnophobia(Greek for "arachne" - "spider" and "phobia" - "fear") may be more or less severe, but a person suffering from this type of anxiety not only feels scared at the sight of a spider, but also has a distorted idea of ​​\ u200b \ u200bthe spider.

Unpleasant feelings are caused by the appearance of an arachnid, but also by the belief that it is dangerous, insidious, and that it endangers he alth and even life. People with a strong fear of spiders do not even have to see them with their own eyes, it is enough to imagine, for example, a spider walking on their hand or getting tangled in their hair, to make them feel overwhelming fear. In addition, as researchers from Ohio State University have shown, arachnophobia causes the perception of the object that causes anxiety to change. Based on the research, it turned out that people suffering from this type of phobia perceive spiders as much larger than they really are, which further intensifies their fear.

What are the causes of arachnophobia?

Scientists agree that the vast majority of cases of arachnophobia begin in childhood. A child may be scared by spiders, e.g. by older siblings or peers.

Anxiety may also result from observing the behavior of adults and duplicating fear. If parents react with fear, disgust or disgust to spiders, they teach their children to react in a similar way.

At the same time, some scientists believe that the primary fear of spiders is stored in our genes. As a result of evolution, a natural mechanism has been created that suggests escaping from the dangers posed by spiders in this case.

Symptoms of arachnophobia (fear of spiders)

Irrational, usually completely unjustified fear is accompanied by additional physical symptoms, similar to those experienced during very strong stress. They are:

  • accelerated heartbeat,
  • dizziness that may lead tofainting,
  • chills,
  • goosebumps,
  • trembling or feeling distressed,
  • sometimes nausea and even vomiting.

People with arachnophobia experience such a strong fear of spiders that they avoid their places of occurrence, i.e. forests, shores of lakes and rivers, meadows, but also darkened cellars or attics.

Some people with arachnophobia react with screeching, screaming, crying at the sight of a spider and most often running away quickly, others are so paralyzed with fear that they cannot move. Moreover, they are not supported by any rational arguments that, for example, only a small percentage of spiders in the world (approx. 3-4%) are poisonous, and all others are completely harmless.

Treatment of the drug against spiders

People with arachnophobia experience an unfounded but paralyzing fear that they cannot imagine overcoming it. Meanwhile, there are therapeutic methods that allow not only to tame fear, but also to completely get rid of it.

One of the most effective methods isdesensitization , that is, gradually reducing the over-reaction to the fear-inducing object. This is a tactic of small steps, because first the patient looks at photos of spiders, he also listens to the therapist's rational explanations and arguments (e.g. that they are useful), who thus builds a more positive image of them.

At the same time, the doctor denies patients' false beliefs that spiders threaten them in any way. The next step is to try to get used to living spiders - approach the terrarium, watch them, and the last step is touching the spider, preferably holding it in your hand.

Desensitization brings lasting results, because, as shown by studies of people who underwent it, they did not feel fear of spiders even a few months after the end of the therapy.

Another method isimplosive therapy , in which the fearful person is rapidly exposed to the anxiety-inducing stimulus. In fact, it is throwing deep water, because the patient, for example, is placed on the shoulder of a spider without any preparation. After repeating this behavior several times, the reaction to the anxiety stimulus should become weaker and weaker.

Regardless of the therapeutic method chosen, it is worth trying therapy to face arachnophobia, because freeing yourself from fear strengthens not only our psyche, but also our self-confidence.

Category:

Psychiatry