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So small and so dreaded
Spider anxiety, also known as arachnophobia in technical jargon, is one of the most common fears of all. Here's how to get the fear under control.
They are hairy and on their eight legs they move much faster than most of us can be. Spiders would definitely never get the grand prize in the 'Most Popular Animal' category. Especially not when it comes to the many people who suffer from a spider phobia . For them, the contact with the little animals is the sheer horror. Sweats, palpitations, dizziness and shortness of breath can be the result.
People who suffer from the fear of spiders (the so-called arachnophobia) , rather than people who do not suffer from this specific phobia, are more likely to ...
... to be bitten by a spider.
... that spiders can seriously injure them (although proven to be native in this country species can not do this.)
... that their fear is completely rational.
Although any kind of phobia should be taken seriously, people who are afraid of spiders are often faced with incomprehension. With comments like "They can not do you anything" is made fun of them. To address a few honest words to those who have not taken seriously the spider phobia of their fellow human beings: The size of a living being is not necessarily the deciding factor in whether we are afraid of him or not. And yes, it's nasty to make fun of the fears of other people.
Better: take the phobia seriously and look for solutions together. After all, most sufferers are annoyed when they are unable to rid their home of spiders because they just do not want to be in contact with them.
Phobics usually have the most success with a behavioral therapy, more specifically with techniques of confrontation therapy. In case of actual arachnophobia this should be done by a therapist. In the run-up, it would then be checked first, how strong the particular fear of spiders really is. Does the sight of the creepy-crawlies cause anxiety or is it just the mere mention of the word 'spider'?
After the phobia has been assessed more accurately, the person concerned is put into a state of absolute relaxation. Here, for example, methods of autogenic training can be used. This is followed by a conversation about spiders. You will then be asked to introduce yourself to a spider and then take a look at pictures of the animals. A visit to a pet shop is possible in this context. The last step is often the direct contact with the animals. This would mean touching a spider.
Which steps are taken in detail and how much time is left between the phases of confrontation therapy, of course, varies according to the severity of the phobia. No one has to do anything in this case that he or she does not feel capable of doing.
