WHAT TO KNOW

ABOUT
ARACHNOPHOBIA
A specific phobia is an irrational fear of something
unlikely to cause danger.
 
Arachnophobia means more than being scared
of spiders and other forms of arachnids. It is an
intense, paralyzing fear where someone actively
avoids contact with spiders. This can impact a
person’s day-to-day life as it restricts where they
can go and what they can do.
 
This fear extends beyond meeting an arachnid in
real life. Even mentioning or seeing pictures of
spiders can trigger a fear response in people with
arachnophobia.
 
Although someone may fear a spider’s appearance,
research suggests many people primarily fear how
they move.

Causes:

Specific phobias, such as arachnophobia, tend to

develop in childhood. Although there is no single
trigger for arachnophobia, there are theories
that suggest why it might develop. Some of
these are:

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 2- Social theories
Another theory is th
at people’s fear
of spiders is learned
. For example,
the media often dep
icts spiders as
scary and potentiall
y dangerous.
 
In addition, if a pers
on grows up in
an environment wh
ere their
parents are scared o
f spiders, this
may become a learn
ed behavior,
and the child could
also develop the
same fear.

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cause a develop.

Symptoms

There are several symptoms that accompany

arachnophobia, and they are typically similar to
those of a panic attack. Some
of the physical signs include:
 
dizziness
nausea
sweating
shaking
increased heart rate
fainting
breathing difficulty

A person with arachnophobia may also show

some of the following behaviors:

avoiding situations where spiders may be,

such as television shows, forests, or sheds
overestimating the chances of encountering a
spider running, screaming, or crying if they
see a spider becoming so scared, they freeze
in place
Treatment:

There is no way to prevent the development of a

phobia, and without treatment, they are unlikely to go
away in adults.
 
If a person wishes to treat their arachnophobia, they
could discuss possible options with a doctor, who may
suggest some of the following remedies:

Exposure therapy:
Exposure therapy involves gradually
exposing a person to their phobia. Research
continually examines the benefits
of this technique for arachnophobia.
 
One study found watching arachnid or
insect-themed superhero films can help reduce
phobic symptoms.
 
Researchers are also looking into virtual
reality to help with arachnophobia. However,
more studies are needed to explore
the potential benefits this may have.
 
Recent research suggests allowing a person
to control when and the amount of exposure to
the spider may lead to quicker
improvements, instead of not offering them
control.
 
A variant of exposure therapy is flooding,
which is a more extreme technique. Here, a
therapist immediately exposes a
person to their phobia until the person’s
anxiety decreases.

Hypnotherapy
Some anecdotal evidence suggests that
hypnotism could help people overcome their
arachnophobia. However, there is a
lack of scientific evidence to support this.
 
Hypnotherapy uses relaxation methods to
induce a state of focused attention. The
therapist will then use techniques and
guided imagery to help reduce the phobia.
 
Cognitive behavioral therapy
In cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a
therapist will work with the person to help
them overcome their phobic
thoughts.
 
CBT techniques may be some of the most
effective treatments for specific phobias, such
as arachnophobia.
 
A person may consider CBT weekly, in a
group, or one-to-one. Alternatively, they could
take an accelerated course,
which involves daily sessions.
 Summary

Arachnophobia is an intense and irrational fear of

spiders or arachnids. People with this condition may
show symptoms similar to a panic attack when
presented with their fears.
 
Several theories may explain why someone can
develop arachnophobia. This includes evolutionary
threat responses, social depictions of spiders, and past
trauma.
 
If a person wishes to treat their arachnophobia, a
doctor can suggest exposure therapy, CBT, or
counseling.

References:

Medical News Today (2020). What to know about arachnophobia.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/arachnophobia