Have you ever flinched at the thought of spiders? Are you afraid of these animals more than anything else? Perhaps you even heard such a word: "arachnophobia"? In this article, we will talk in detail about what kind of fear and how to cope with it.
What is arachnophobia
If you translate this term from the ancient Greek language, it will mean fear of arthropods. In other words, arachnophobia is a fear of spiders. This phobia was allocated into a separate category because of its wide distribution. This disease has already spread so much among people that scientists have to constantly look for new methods to overcome the ailment. People who are prone to such fear are called arachnophobia. But many of them do not even know about their ailment, since they consider the fear of spiders a manifestation of the usual instinct of self-preservation. Nevertheless, in Achranophobia this fear manifests itself much more sharply, accompanied by heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, increased sweating, sometimes even trembling.
Arachnophobic Stars
This is a disease with which even the inhabitants of the Hollywood Olympus are familiar. Rupert Green (one of the heroes of the Harry Potter movie), Johnny Depp, Ronald Reagan (40th US President), Johann Friedrich von Schiller (German poet) knew firsthand that arachnophobia is a rather unpleasant disease ... These stars, like many other well-known (and not quite) personalities, they were afraid of spiders more than anything else. Despite the mental and physical superiority of a person over a spider, more and more people get acquainted with this phobia every year.
What are the causes of arachnophobia
Arachnophobia is a disease. And, like any other ailment, it has its own reasons. The main thing is that it is human nature to fear that he is different from himself. There is no doubt in the external and internal differences between a person and a spider. The ability of these animals to appear absolutely unexpectedly and completely suddenly in the most unexpected places adds even more oil to the fire. People are also scared that the behavior of spiders is completely unpredictable. The speed with which these animals are able to move is terrifying, especially if we take into account the ratio of this speed to the size of their body.
The main causes of arachnophobia are as follows:
1. Predisposition at the genetic level. In this case, fear is inherited, so to speak, by inheritance from distant ancestors. This kind of phobia can even affect a person who has never encountered spiders.
2. The influence of parents. If a child grows up in a family where fear of arthropods is inherent in parents, he himself begins to fear them. Indeed, in most life situations, the child in making decisions is guided by the opinion of their parents. Arachnophobia is a fear that can be inherited.
3. Personal experience. If at least once a person has experienced stress from meeting with a spider, there is a high probability that this fear will remain with him for life.
But is it really worth being afraid of spiders?
According to medical statistics, about five thousand people die every year from the bites of these arthropods. And we are talking only about registered cases. Based on such statistics, anyone, even the healthiest person, will feel fear in relation to these animals. But, nevertheless, it should be noted that in our country, most spiders are absolutely harmless. But even those that can harm a person will never do it first. And they attack only in case of direct threat.
Can arachnophobia be cured?
The fear of spiders haunts so many people in life. This phobia, fortunately, is treatable. Psychotherapists successfully fight this fear. There are several basic techniques that help get rid of the disease. We’ll talk about them now.
At the moment, the most effective way to treat arachnophobia is to replace unwanted behavioral patterns with useful skills. It's no secret that in order to get rid of any fear, you need to meet him face to face. This is what experts do when working with a person prone to phobias. This does not pose any threat to the patient, because the doctor conducts therapy only with the consent of the patient, he does it gradually, while ensuring maximum safety.
Over time, people get used to the fact that spiders can be in close proximity to them and at the same time do no harm. Realizing this, a person, as a rule, says goodbye to his phobia. And after such therapy, many even start spiders as pets.
There is another technique, namely the use of computer programs that mimic the approach of a spider to a person. This method is less effective than the previous one, but more accessible. Indeed, for its use it is not necessary to have a living spider, just a computer is enough.
How to get rid of this ailment on your own
Modern people live in constant stress, including because of this, many of them are familiar with arachnophobia. Treatment can be carried out independently if there is no opportunity to visit a specialist. There is one simple exercise in which a person will have to kill his fear.
To begin with, a phobia needs to be materialized, so to speak. You can make a plasticine spider figurine, buy a finished toy or just draw it.
Then, within a few minutes, study the created embodiment of the phobia, feel the whole gamut of negative emotions that a person experiences from meeting with the animal, and fully realize his fear.
Further, this fear must be transferred to a spider figurine or drawing.
After a person has completely coped with the previous tasks, you can safely proceed to the reprisal of his weakness. You can do whatever you want - to break the figure, cut or tear the picture. The main thing is to feel control, and in the future, victory over fear.
Fear of spiders is a phobia, although strong, but treatable. It is only necessary to have a great desire to get rid of the disease and show firm perseverance. We must not forget that people prone to all kinds of phobias, more often than others suffer from nervous or heart diseases. Therefore, if you notice this kind of fear in yourself, you should not endure torment - you need to urgently fight it.