Arachnophobia, The Fear Of Spiders

Phobias are irrational fears of something concrete. In them, the dreaded object is very diverse, and one of the most popular are animals. In the past, this answer helped us survive as a species: the fear of wild or unknown beings released enough adrenaline to be able to escape. However, when fear becomes extreme and a phobia develops, it can condition our entire life. An example of an animal phobia is arachnophobia, one of the most common.

About 3 out of 10 people have an extreme fear of arachnids. However,  this type of phobia includes not only spiders but also other arachnids such  as scorpions, mites or ticks. So, although most feel this for large, stout spiders, the fear may spread or focus on smaller spiders or other types of arachnids.

the phobia

Animal phobias are considered specific or simple phobias, and usually develop in childhood or adolescence. They consist of an  irrational fear, either by its nature or by the level of fear, which leads a person to avoid that object at all costs. Regarding the manifestation of symptoms, there is great variability.

Some people experience them only in front of the animal, and other people can manifest them at any time. In fact, it is not necessary for the phobic stimulus to be present ; the mental image or stimuli that have been associated already arouse the fear.

Among the main symptoms of arachnophobia, as well as other phobias, are the following:

• Increased heart rate.
• Sweating.
• Nausea.
• Dizziness or dizziness.
• Shortness of breath or hyperventilation.
• Tremors.
• Abdominal pain.
• Discomfort, general discomfort.
• Gastrointestinal problems.

Also, at the behavioral level, people with arachnophobia try to avoid these animals at all costs. They try to stay away from areas inhabited by spiders or where there are signs of their presence. Many try to prevent their appearance or eliminate them.

What are its causes?

Animal phobias usually  have their causes in traumatic experiences with the animal in question or due to learning. It may be that, in the house, there is someone with a phobia of spiders and, implicitly or explicitly, the fear of this animal has been transmitted to a child. This fear is also genetically transmitted. However, this is not strictly necessary to develop a phobia.

In fact, arachnophobia consists of an irrational fear of these animals, or a visceral rejection. This component of disgust that characterizes arachnophobia has led experts to think that perhaps it is a more evolutionary fear. A kind of privilege that helped us survive deadly bites and other unknown dangers.

Thus, a study by researchers at the Max Planck Institute, in Leipzig (Germany), guarantees that arachnophobia has an innate and evolutionary origin. In this research, the anxiety of babies was measured by showing pictures of spiders and snakes. To do this, they analyzed the dilation of children’s pupils. This showed them how babies showed signs of anxiety, dilated pupils, when they saw pictures of these animals, and did not do the same when looking at pictures of flowers or fish.

Is arachnophobia curable?

All phobias  can be successfully treated. With the help of a professional psychologist, relaxation techniques can be learned that, in addition to alleviating symptoms, will support systematic desensitization. This technique consists of gradual exposure to the phobic object. So, at first, relaxation exercises would be performed in front of pictures of spiders, for example, until patients managed to remain calm in front of a live animal.

Beliefs regarding arachnids can also be worked on. Generally, the  ignorance causes fear intensifies. Therefore, it is very beneficial to have detailed information about the dreaded object. An exercise, for example, would be to collect information about the risks of a bite, the role of these animals in nature, or how many people die in your region due to arachnid poisoning.

Arachnophobia, due to its disgusting component, is one of the most difficult animal phobias to eliminate. This emotion is more instinctual, and has nothing to do with reasoning, so getting rid of it is difficult. However, psychological work can help a person to reduce their symptoms and negative thoughts.