How to Overcome the Fear of Spiders

Thursday, May 9, 2013

1. Expose yourself and face your fears.

You must face your fear to overcome it. When there is a spider around, don't automatically smash it, run away, or scream to someone else to kill it. Take time to examine the spider, but at a distance that if it is life-threatening, you have time to do your justice to it.Some spiders look perfectly normal but can be life threatening, so keep your distance.Even those small innocent ones have been known to injure.


2. Accept and understand that spiders are a natural part of this world.


Know that spiders are everywhere, and unavoidable. You will never fully escape the presence of spiders.


3. Educate yourself on spiders.

Know which spiders native to your region of the world are harmful and know what they look like. There are very few spiders in some countries that are actually deadly. Other areas of the world have more risky varieties. For those that may be harmful, there is almost always a cure at your local hospital.


4. Learn to overcome your fearful behavior.

Spiders don't hate you because you hate them. Even though you may daily stomp away at these pests, it isn't every day that they come plunging at you meat-hungry. Don't over-react.


5. Start the process of overcoming your fear.

 Have someone you trust and feel safe with buy some toy spiders and some pictures. To truly overcome your fear, you have to learn how to deal with spiders in your presence. Starting with something small like a toy or picture helps a lot. Sit near the person you trust and have them slowly and quietly take out the toy or picture and try to sit still for a couple of seconds. Each day when you feel comfortable, try to increase your time spent with the toy spider or picture. When you feel safe or comfortable enough, try touching the toy or picture. Again as time goes by when you feel even more comfortable, increase your time spent having contact with the toy or picture.


6. When you see a spider on a wall, stand far away from it and keep looking at it 'till you stop feeling scared.


Then, slowly move a little closer and stand for some time. Keep doing it till you are next to or very close to the spider. Keep in mind that it will not harm you. Then try to scare the spider away. Keep chasing it out of the window, room or whatever it is on/in. When you have done that you will feel that you are not scared of spiders anymore.



ALTERNATE METHOD

1. Determine the origin of your fear
Did a spider crawl on you when you were younger ? Did you hear a story about a spider killing someone? Things like this usually make people fear spiders.Remember when it first started and you can work from there.


2. Realize that spiders don't attack human on purpose.
They really don't. Spiders will only bite you in self-defense. Spiders are antisocial arachnids and want to be left alone.


3. Realize spiders are more afraid of you, than you are of them.
You might find this hard to believe but spiders are more afraid of us. In our eyes they have disgusting features like 8 legs and such, but in their eyes we are giants and look more intimidating. Spiders don't want to scare us, they are sometimes curious and want to see what you are. Depending on how you react you might just have a little visit, and that's it. But if you panic and try to kill the spider it will try to defend itself.


4. Look at spider pictures.
When you are more confident you could look spiders up on the internet and stare at them, you will feel uncomfortable but you will get used to it. its just a picture it can't hurt you.


5. Capture a spider.
If there is a spider in your house attempt to catch it with a glass cup, then look at it. You will obviously see how stressed out it will be and it won't look as intimidating, look at the spider and stay there until you feel more comfortable and safe. You could even talk to it, even though that sounds weird it will make you feel like you're communicating with it and that will remove some of your fear.


6. Touch a safe one.
If you are very confident, you could try and touch a non venomous and non aggressive spider (daddy long legs is your best choice, since it doesn't have fangs and its technically harmless).













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