5 ms·
> As someone with arachnophobia, what a terrible day to be able to read. Although I can't fault someone for having arachnophobia, as it's extremely common and
by digging 3y ago
> As someone with arachnophobia, what a terrible day to be able to read.
Although I can't fault someone for having arachnophobia, as it's extremely common and we're potentially hard-wired to be susceptible to it, I encourage you to open your mind to the possibility of seeing spiders as incredibly beautiful.
Exposure to images online might be the easiest way to start, but seeing them in 3D is more impactful. I grew up terribly arachnophobic, and in my 20s I decided that (because I was living in a place brimming with spiders[1]) I would stop being arachnophobic. I decided to actively suppress my reactions first, simply to not panic, and over time that genuinely reduced my fear. Eventually I began to appreciate the weirdness and coolness of their little hydraulic bodies, and to see them as the valuable and amazing creatures they are. Truly, my life would be less full without spiders.
[1] I later learned that this is actually true pretty much everywhere.
- causi 3y agoI am more than capable of finding spiders beautiful and panicking when one crawls onto me.
- digging 3y agoGlad to hear it! I don't enjoy a surprise guest on my body, either, haha. I just have to fight this fight because arachnophobia is often paired with extermination.
- deprecative 3y agoGood news is that extermination of spiders won't happen because of arachnophobia, at least. It'll be because we decimate the planet's climate.
- eatsyourtacos 3y agoSpiders are amazing creatures. But when big black ones are inside my home and RUN when they see me, knowing they shouldn't be there.. I absolutely die of terror. If I saw some giant one in the wild? Game over, instant panic attack.. My ancestors must have seen some serious shit that I am so hard-wired to be terrified of these guys.
- dreamcompiler 3y agoThey're not running because they know they shouldn't be there. They're running because they didn't expect you to be there, tromping like Godzilla through their living room.
- kibwen 3y agoSame here. In my youth I was so arachnophobic that I couldn't even look at a photo of a spider. Eventually, I'm not sure how, something clicked and now I think they're quite cute, basically squirrels with more legs. Of course, it's still startling when one appears indoors where you don't expect it, but at least now I can go on with my day or else move it outside.
- eep_social 3y agoBe careful, I started out looking for exposure therapy and now I have a pet spider.