Spiders

I think i posted hear about this a couple of years ago, but the problem has gotten much worse!

I know this is a common phobia (I would have spelled out the real name but couldn't remember how to spell it), so i'm hoping someone will have advice.

Okay so, I'm TERRIFIED of spiders! I always have been, but I think it's gotten much worse! I was in a restaurant yesterday, and there was a spider crawling on the curtain thing. It scared me really bad and I started to tear up and panic, but my aunt went and she got it behind the thing so that I couldn't see it. Then we switched place because I was still scared. So then I kept trying to keep an eye in that direction. Then i looked and the spider was crawling closer to my seet. I was sort of trapped between the spidr and my two little cousins, so i started flipping out and telling them to get out so that I could get out. My aunt killed it but i was still crying and I couldn't breathe or anything and then I was really scared to get into the car, because I didn't want to be in such an enclosed space with the thoughts of a spider getting into the car. I've threatened to get out of a moving car over it before. I know it's a stupidthing to be so afraid of but I have no idea how to control it!

Any advice PLEASE!

Hypnotherapy or NLP would sort this out for you.

Do a search for neuro linguistic programming fast phobia cure.

You may even be able to find some free stuff!

If not then for fast phobia cure you wouldn't be looking at lengthy treatment or repeated sessions before you saw results so it's good value!

I used to be scared of then too but have dealt with my own fear, (combination of unplanned exposure therapy( Long story ) and self hypnosis) It's worth getting this sorted as jumping out of moving cars is more dangerous than any eight legged beastie!

I don't think I could do anything involving hypnotism, but i just talked to my aunt, and i have some over all anxiety problems anyway, so she strongly suggested I talk to a doctor about because she said anxiety meds could help with the phobia too.

I used to have a fear of snakes, and my uncle made me face that fear by actually having me kill a small snake, and slowly I got over it. You may have to step on a few spiders or maybe buy an electrically charged fly swatter or if you want to, buy an automatic weapon to really feel like you're in charge. But establishing dominance is a real way to control your fear.

I'm very afraid of spiders, have been my entire life. It's more so with the webbing for me, I hate the way it feels. It's especially bad if the spider is hanging down and UGH. I'll stop there! I actually had a nightmare just last night about spiders, being trapped and not being able to get out because there's a spider in the way or the whole house is covered in spiders and webs. It's really the only nightmare I have. lol

However, I actually found lately that I'm not so bad. I'm able to react better when I'm around them. I believe it's because I recently moved to an area that has a lot more spiders than I'm used to, so I'm pretty much forced to see them every day. Because of this, I've been using a lot of willpower to get over my fear. When I see a spider, I freak out at first from the shock, but then I just focus on my breathing and try and talk myself out of the fear. I'm ok with the spider staying in my house as long as it's not bothering me. I even managed to run (yes run haha) down a thin hallway that had a fairly sinister looking spider on the wall of it. Before I wouldn't have been able to pass so closely, but now I can run by. It's a start! I'm not at walking.. yet.

I really do believe it's just facing our fears, being exposed and desensitized to it. Have you tried looking up images on the internet of spiders? Starting with something not so terrifying? That used to bother me quite a bit, but now I only slightly cringe when I see a particularly disturbing spider image. You don't have to get to the point where you can hold a spider in your hand, you just have to be able to live your life with them -- because bugs are very much a part of our lives, unfortunately!

(I'd just like to say too that I know all about the "spider sense", I call it. You get used to knowing where spiders hang out, so your eyes are always drifting there and you can spot them all too well while others think you're crazy for being able to find them so easily. Because we're so aware of where they may be hiding, it makes us more anxious. We're fine if we don't know it's there, so why do we go looking for it? If I see a spider, I will constantly be watching it so it doesn't get too close. I can't rest until it's been killed or let outside (I really do hate getting someone to kill them...))

I'm super terrified of spiders.
Oh God I see one now matter how big or small or how far away I'll panic I'll scream and run like crazy Then I'll be shaking and sweating
To me seeing a spider is like it being the end of the world

I've read that exposure therapy (google it) is good for treating phobias. If you don't know what it is, then basically it's being exposed to the thing you are afraid of little by little.
For example, the first step may be to sit and think of a spider somewhere near you for as long as you can and then doing it for a bit longer the next time. The next step may be to look at a picture of a spider and then a dead one in a jar on the opposite side of the room, and then a dead one in a jar close to you, then a living one in a jar, then with it on the table infront of you etc.
You'll basically do this until you are not afraid of, or at least are able to deal with having spiders near you.

Any anxiety disorders clinic is bound to do exposure therapy so maybe get your GP to give you a recommendation for a good one.

Hello everyone! I just thought I would give a bit of an update on this.

I think that I made a really big connection with my spider fear. I think it was linked to other fears and dread that I was feeling but couldn't express. Because as the stress levels would rise, so would the fear and my reactions to the little buggers. I've made a lot of progress in therapy (not in fighting the phobia, but with the personal issues), and I've made a lot of my own personal progress with spiders. I'm still not "over" it, so to speak. I am still afraid of them, and can get very upset over them. It still needs to be dealt with! But at halloween, I took a BIG step! I started to touch one of those fake spider rings that sort of looks real. And then I just played with it some and took it home with me. That night, I took my little cousin trick or treating. It was EXTREMELY difficult, but I touched all of the gigantic spider displays. It got easier each time! And I still have the little plastic spider ring, which I put in a drawer, so that when I open it, I do jump, but then remember, and I'm okay. I'm still not ready to deal with the real thing, but I'm hoping that in time I will get there. I'm also planning to possibly try hypnotism in the future. I wasn't open to that before, but I'm open to a lot of things now.

I hope others can find success with this too! Seriously, something so small shouldn't have that much control over our lives!

~element

Congrats on the progress!

There is a much less painful way to get over any phobia called the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). Im not sure if it has been discussed much on this forum but I know for a fact that it can help the majority of people with phobias.

If you currently have a fear of spiders then as I am sure you know this is something that you have taught yourself over the years and now it has gotten out of control and developed into a fully blown phobia. If you can pinpoint the bad memories whereby you had a painful experience with a spider then you can most probably overcome your phobia very quickly!

Once you know the basics of EFT all you have to do is concentrate on your memory in as much detail as is comfortable whilst performing the technique. You will be suprised how quickly you can remove the negative charge from the memory.

The negative charge that is triggered in your body when thinking of these memories is a scientifically proven physical reaction to the emotional stimulant.

With EFT you can remove this emotional trigger and leave the memory powerless and hence the phobia disappears.

This all might sounds crazy but it really does work and can work for you too.

Thanks! well, I have let the phobia become bad again, but now as bad. I'm trying to keep it under control, but can't do it completely. I think that trying to remember bad experiences might make me feel worse though.