A 'cure' for arachnophobia?

Question

I'm off to the Amazon in two months and I suffer extremely severely from a phobia of spiders (yes, I know the Amazon isn't the best place to be in this case!)

What I want to know is, is there any way to 'cure', or lessen, such a phobia? Someone recommended hypnotherapy but this seems expensive and with dubious results.

Someone else just said go to my local zoo and (after a word with the warden!) see if you can get in to a tarantula tank- apparently this can 'overload' the phobia and I will just grow accustomed to their presence.

Any ideas?

Answer 1

Slowly expose yourself to spiders, like looking at pictures, or watching a documentary, then going to a zoo or somewhere you can see live spiders. I don't blame you, I have an unfounded fear of spiders as well, but I must admit that nothing bad has ever happened to me involving a spider. But respect your limits and realize that is it ok to go slow. Good luck!

Answer 2

The best way to deal with a phobia is to confront it. I like your idea of going to the local zoo. The warden should be able to help you. I think maybe dealing with only a couple of tarantulas at a time would be an idea. I used to hate spiders until I was encouraged to hold a tarantula, a red kneed mexican. She was so cute and it was kind of nice to stroke her! Just remember... they're more afraid of you!

Good luck and happy hols!

Answer 3

Im no therapist but from what I heard Its natural, some people like them some dont, I dont know how far your fears go but yo must be brave going there.
Example what about tiny house hold spiders, surely your not afraid of them, start simple, find out about them to ease your worries I mean there are not many that can harm you, let alone kill you.

My advice is just dont worry about it! I used to be afraid of hights like that of a ladder, I cant reallyget rid of it because when your body reaches a certain hight that person ( me ) would experience Vertigo.

Its just a human candition, the best you can do is supress it until you experience something bad like a bite again and your back where you've started.

Dont go to therapy or scare it out that wont work, might but would you risk it?

Answer 4

You can try something called immersion therapy in which you confront your fears. Now doing this you'll end up holding a tarantula or some other spider but it does work. But ewwwwwwwww.

Answer 5

buy a tarantualar, adn keep him in a tank, talk to him ever so often and just look at how cute he is, he is only a small little thing just like all spiders they are probably as scared as u as u of them. i used to be afraid of them then one day a huge house spider was in my kitchen. so i caught him and put him ina box, i watched him for alittle whyle jumping around adn i know this is sad but i taked to him and he seemed so cute, spiders must gt so pissed of that no one likes them mainly because they have lots of legs and crawl really quicklt, but it is just a stupid phobia really, and can be easily over come just become a spiders friend not foe adn eveything will be ok :)

Answer 6

The best way is to face up to the problem before you go.

Look around for spiders in your home/garden. Pick them up allow them to crawl over your hands. Unless they are poisonous they cannot do you any harm.

Answer 7

i have heard of this type of treatment before works for some people
other than that i know of nothing that will work in such a short time as two months

Answer 8

I had a spider fear.. so took the bull (or spider) by the horns and went and purchased a red kneed tarantula.. it soon helped my fear because i discovered what beautiful looking creatures they really are. Give it a go.. it works!!!

Answer 9

hypnotherapy is suppposed to work also zoo's have a arachnophobia course where you face your fear that is also effective and probably alot cheaper than hypnotherapy

Answer 10

phobias are supposed to come from unresolved psychological issues. you should probably see a shrink, but that's a bit expensive...