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Fear of spiders
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025
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[ Why does fear of spiders arise?
Theoretically, a spider should irritate a person much less than a mosquito or a fly, because it does not buzz, does not fly around the room, does not bite. A spider in the house can even be useful - it catches those same annoying flies and other insects in its webs. But many people find them disgusting, and some even experience a panic fear of spiders. The phobia has been studied by scientists who have developed theories regarding the origin of this problem.
Theory of danger
The evolutionary development of man is involved here. Previously, there were more species of spiders that posed a danger to human life, and man was constantly on guard in order to have time to react and destroy the creature if it approached. This could have provoked a fear of spiders in the modern generation. By the way, the phobia is more common among women. Perhaps because in the old days, women always guarded children and housing while men were not at home, and they had to constantly watch what was happening around, including not letting dangerous arachnids in.
The theory of surprise
A spider usually appears near a person suddenly, and it is impossible to guess where it will run in the next second. The fact that the nature of this arthropod's movement is unpredictable and fast causes fear of spiders in people. The phobia simply acts as a protective reaction, keeping a person from entering potentially dangerous situations.
Theory of Difference
According to this theory, the fact that arachnids are strikingly different from humans causes the emergence of such a phenomenon as fear of spiders. The phobia develops from the appearance of the arthropod: many legs, eyes. But there are creatures that are even less similar to humans than spiders, but they are less often the subject of fear. Therefore, this theory has not received much distribution.
Behavioural theory
Children are guided by their parents, and if one of them considers a spider dangerous and avoids it, then the child will most likely also develop a fear of spiders. The child's phobia will become a continuation of the adult's fear.
How to get rid of the fear of spiders?
There are several methods to combat arachnophobia:
- Looking at pictures of spiders. You can initially look at cartoon spiders, then move on to photos of real ones. Watching videos of the culprit of fear can also help overcome the fear of spiders. The phobia can manifest itself in the form of increased heart rate, sweating, breathing problems, but it is important to endure the fear.
- Human contact with spiders in special computer programs and games where it is necessary to exterminate arachnid creatures.
- Direct contact with the cause of fear. It is considered the most effective method of control. Moreover, the larger the insect, the better. It is not necessary for it to be in an open space, a terrarium will do. The main thing is to get used to being close to the spider. When you can look at it calmly, you can try and touch it. After such therapy, the fear, if not completely dissipated, then at least will not be so strong.
People with arachnophobia tend to have uncontrollable reactions when meeting the object of their phobia, which can lead to awkward situations in life. Therefore, you need to try to overcome your fear of spiders. Phobia is controllable, the main thing is to be able to cope with yourself.