Fear Of Spiders Phobia - Living With Arachnophobia
Known as an intense fear of spiders, arachnophobia affects millions of people around the world. Some people are so terrified by spiders that they'll look for them in the corners of any room they enter. Most experts agree that it affects more women than men. According to most estimates, 50% of women and 10% of men experience varying levels of terror when confronted with spiders. Like most phobias, it can be treated.
Causes
Behavioral scientists claim that there are a number of possible reasons why people have an abnormal fear of spiders. Some may have had a particularly bad experience as a child with a spider. They might have either been bitten or trapped in a confined area with spiders. Another possible cause is watching someone else being bitten by a spider. Often, watching the event happen can cause just as powerful a reaction as experiencing the event personally. Experts also say that arachnophobes can learn a reaction as a result of their parents' (or other authority figures') insistence to "stay away from spiders."
Symptoms & Diagnosis Those who are diagnosed with the intense fear of spiders can exhibit a host of symptoms. Typically, when an arachnophobe sees a spider, they'll begin sweating profusely. Their hands can become clammy and they'll start perspiring visibly on their face. People who have a severe affliction will often begin breathing rapidly as their heart rate races. As these symptoms happen simultaneously, the arachnophobe will sometimes have feelings of nausea and dizziness. Often, the fear of spiders can have a dramatic impact on how people live their daily lives. Treatment There are several different treatments available to help people resolve their fear of spiders. Some are considered conventional while others are experimental. One conventional method is referred to as "systematic desensitization" and requires the arachnophobe to write down and categorize various circumstances involving spiders. They're categorized according to the level of perceived danger they present. After doing this, the arachnophobe learns to relax and cope with the least terrifying circumstance, slowly progressing to the most terrifying. This often involves the introduction of harmless spiders to the arachnophobe. More modern methods of treatment involve the arachnophobe wearing a virtual reality visor or helmet. They slowly learn to cope with their fear by being introduced to images of spiders that are generated by the computer. Living A Fulfilling Life Though the fear of spiders can be incapacitating for many people, both traditional and experimental forms of treatment have proven effective. By slowly learning to relax, manage their irrational fears and cope with the presence of spiders, arachnophobes are learning to live their lives free from the terror.
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