STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Shello · Kenneth Cole

Help With Fear of Spiders?

Cortney1982 · Chanel

I'm paranoid about spiders too! They are so fast too. I just got the willies thinking about the big ones! I also check behind the toilet before I use it, just in case!

My life saver is my hand held Shark Vaccuum. I just put the long reach extension on it (also good for reaching high places and small corners) and suck them up. That way I don't get squished guts, hear a crunch sound, or see them run away.

-- Edited by Cortney1982 at 02:55, 2006-06-02

Sunshinegirl · Kate Spade

I inherited (or learned behavior) spider fear from my mother. Growing up, we lived in an old house near water and live in south florida where we grow'em extra large. And yes Shello, i too have a sixth sense about them and just know when there is one around me. I have can write a book about my spider experiences.

I have started "spider therapy" to help me with this fear. Living in my laundry room (which is a detached room from my house - part of my backporch) is my medium sized spider friend, Carlos. I know it sounds crazy but he took up residence in the window crack about a year ago. I thought about relocating him (i cannot kill him) but then i decided to leave him as part of my therapy. I have learned to really appreciate him. When i enter the room and turn on the light, he becomes frightened and scurries away to his crack. He is fearful of me and i realized that they are just as afraid of me as i am of them.

Last summer, I went to a Florida State park where they have this narrow boardwalk (about 2 ft across) that skims the top of this lush swamp. There are trees that run next to the boardwalk. I immediately sensed a spider when i walked onto the boardwalk. I looked around and there "it" was - a huge hand-sized wolf spider lounging on the tree that i needed to pass. I took a deep breath, got on all fours and crawled past him. By the end of the boardwalk, i had encountered even larger ones than the first but had managed to walk past them instead of crawl. I felt faint and was dripping with sweat with every passing but I felt a huge sense of accomplishment.

Will i ever be cured of spider fear? No probably not. I will always sense when one is lurking nearby but as i grow to understand them, I appreciate them more and will want to co-exist (as long as they are not in my house) with them. Everyday, i'm improving. Maybe one day, i will be able to walk into a room w/out looking around to see if there is one in the room w/me.

All I can say is that you need to confront your fear w/baby steps. I dont know, maybe you could check out a book about spiders so that you can first learn to understand and appreciate them. This helped me and found out that they are really cool. I can no longer kill them or have them killed. But then again, i'm the girl who finds an ant in the house and manages to return it to its rightful place outside the back door. Next, rent the movie Arachnophobia. It puts a humorous spin on this common fear. I've watched it a few times and its just so funny.

Start with these two things and then figure out what will suit you next. Anyway, I can sympathize with this fear. I wish you luck.

wicked · Coach

I personally love spiders!

I just wanted to say to remember that you out-weigh and out-size a spider many thousand times over.

Also think to yourself "what is the worst that can happen?" Seriously?

If I were you I would look at images of spiders online or in a book for as long as you can take it, then slowly increase the time that you look at them. Or even buy a toy spider as a mascot to help you overcome your fear. Just expose yourself to them more and more in whatever increment you feel comfortable with.

And when you see a spider in real life...inhale...hold it for 5 seconds...and exhale for 5 seconds and maybe try getting closer and closer to them everytime you see one. This might be stupid and cheesey, but you could even pretend that the spider is Charlotte from Charlotte's Web.

I overcame a phobia(not of insects) and the breathing exercise really helped.

Here's a good book on phobias

Lastly, did something happen in the past that gives you a bad association w/spiders(like the Pavlov effect)? Did someone go out of there way to scare you or make you think that they are dangerous? If so it helps to keep that in mind>

Good Luck! Show that spider who's boss!

luckyclover · Dooney & Bourke

I have a friend that talks about this off and on. She has mentioned several times waking up in her sleep and knowing there was a spider nearby. I had never heard of this sixth sense of spiders before that. I will have to pass some of this info along to her. Thanks