how do i get over my fear of spiders?, im terrified of them, and halusonate them in middle of night, help!!!!?

Answer 1

Really? I used to do that. I'd wake up half dreaming and see a big spider hanging in front of me, or crawling up the wall. But now i'm wise to my hallucinations and when it happens i tell myself it's not real and snap out of it... i just hope it never actually ends up being "real"! :(

Answer 2

I get the spider hallucinations as well but I don't have a spider phobia, these hallucinations are completely normal and usually happen when people are stressed/under pressure.

Psychologists can treat this using Systematic Desensitisation, which is graded exposure to the particular specific phobia. The person must stay with the phobia for a period of time and not run away from the trigger (e.g. spider), they will then realise that after a few minutes the phobia will decrease

Answer 3

This is a very good question. The other day I was at work and one of the girls started to scream down one of the corridors. I wasn’t far away from where she was so I could see the problem was a spider was crawling down her leg (she was in her jeans). I am afraid of spiders as well but as I approached to her I started to pick up on it anyway-how can you be afraid of it, such a little tiny thing? I said-, and as the spider landed on the floor she gazed at me and then picked it up her bare hands. I honestly have to say I puzzled a bit over it but she said she was not so more afraid to take the spider in her hands as she was of the fact a spider could crawl down her leg. From my point of view I would let a spider crawl down my leg-not if I am in my shorts-but I would never pick it up my bare hands. That day I got what I came for (I guess I was asking for it), and it is true I have been gathering strength so as to be able to do so ever since, but I still fear spiders. I know the problem is in my head, for a home spider, however massive it might be, could not possibly bite you, but I simply cannot help it. Sorry darling, but I am no help: don’t know what the answer is.

Answer 4

Therapy can be helpful. Probably the most common is systematic desensitisation. This is where you are slowly exposed to the object of your phobia. For example, you may be shown a picture of a spider. Then, when you have grown comfortable with this, you will look at a real dead spider. Then, you hold the real dead spider. After this, you are shown a live spider until you feel ok with it. Then ultimately, you get to the point where you hold the real live spider.
Of course you don't actually need to go to a therapist for this. You can just get a symapthetic person who isn't afraid of spiders to help you throught the process.
Good luck!!

Answer 5

Systematic de-sensitisation. A gradual process which involves learning a relaxation technique and then applying it in a step by step manner to things increasingly associated with the phobic object. e.g. Practice slow deep breathing adn muscle relaxing until you are completely calm. Then look at a picture of a small spider - if you start to get panicky use the technique until you are completely calm .. repeat until you can look at the picture without getting panicky. A couple of days later do the same thing using a big picture of a spide. Repeat every couple of days going throuf
video of spider (1)
looking at toy spider
looking a small real spider in a glass case
looking at larger spider
visit zoo with large spiders in glass cases
then go to real spider in home
finally use cloth to cover spider, pick it up and put it outside.
Will take about 3/4 weeks to go through all stages.

Answer 6

Phobis disorders can be treated a number of ways- SYSTEMATIC DESENSITIZATION - i.e you are exposed in a graded way to the phobic stimulus for example in your case - you can stat by looking at a picture of a spider- then once you are able to handle that looking at a real spider in a jar, then holding the jar, then touching a smal spider then once u have handled this touching a large spider. This can take place in reality or in your imagination .This can also be done in combination with RELAXATION TRAINING.
Another form is FLOODING so this is when you are exposed to the phobic stimulus all at once i.e kept in a room with spiders- until you no longer feel anxious(too exhausted to feel anxious)- this method is usually quicker - but not really preferred because it can make person more anxious if taken out of room too early and initally it is very distressing

Answer 7

You are not alone, I used to be terrified of them but did overcome the fear up to a point - as long as they're native UK.

I remember watching a small garden spider on the outside of the kitchen window once. It was fascinating to see it cut round and wrap a fly caught in its web, then carry it to a corner of the window for storage. Having done that, the spider set about repairing its web. It wasn't so scary with a pane of glass in between and I think because of the fascination of seeing how adept it was, was the start of overcoming my fear. Starting with small garden spiders and moving up to bigger ones, then over the years learning to tolerate the big ones that find their way indoors.

All I can say is watch, and learn about the good they can do, try to think of them as a 'friend' and remember they are probably more afraid of you than you are of them, you are a giant to them. Let them control the flies instead of using poisonous sprays.

Good luck

Answer 8

stop thinking of them as spiders, eight legs, crawley spindley, change the way you look at them and think of them... If you have had a cat or dog you have treated them with affection, they become part of the family... If you start to see spiders as a Living creature... it has a life, possibly family, look in a mirror... how big are you???? look at the size of the spider... if you were staring up at someone the size you are and you were the spider..who would be bricking it.... thats how they feel... they are not the terror you see, they are terrified of you.. they see you coming they want to run... in a worse case scenario you could wack it with a newspaper and its gone... so who is the one that should be afraid.. I used to be terrified of spiders, In my Nans house i used to have the big hairy ones in the bedroom and the outside loo... when I left school and started work, then had my own house I had to deal with the fear or not work, or never go into the bathroom... YOU have to view things differently... Life is all around us and you just have to embrace it...Try it and see

Answer 9

Could you learn to appreciate them? After all, they eat up the flies that might otherwise populate your pad. I am not too keen on seeing cobwebs in my ceiling corners, but I love to see a spider's web on my washing line on a dewy morning; they are like jewellery, threads hung with sparkling drops. If I find a spider in the bath, I feel sorry for it having got into such a trap, so I do the putting- a- glass- over -it thing and tip it out of the window. Or preferably get someone else to do it, because I am a bit squeamish when they are in close-up. Spider's thread is supposed to be extremely strong for its weight, and it has sometimes occurred to me that it might be useful for nerve transplants, because it transmits vibrations to the spider when a fly gets caught.

Answer 10

I was very arachnophobic...I could enter a room and know one was there and low & behold we found it!....I travel alot and decided enough was enough I needed to do something about it.
I contacted my local 'Butterfly Farm' which also has a range of insects and 'critters'. I was put in contact with an excellent man who with patience told me all about them....and slowly eased me into dealing with the house spiders( and they are UGLY buggers!) I can now ( have to work myself up to it!) capture a spider in a pot and throw it out...something I could never do before.. was SO bad I would hyperventilate at just seeing one. Although not cured by any means I am a little braver. If you really want to get over this phobia this may be a good idea for you. There is bound to be some one in your area that can assist.....I even held a tarantula...something I thought I would never ever do.....!!!( ps if it helps...spiders are quite blind and only really react to movement...blowing on them...(yeah right like we are gonna get that close!)makes them move.)

Answer 11

House spiders grow fat on the vermin that infests even the cleanest homes; obnoxious , minute creatures that few people are aware of. Far more disgusting than mans great ally, the Spider. Fear can be removed through understanding, and confrontation over a period of time. Know your enemy, hallucinations exist only in the mind.