How to Overcome Arachnophobia
A phobia is an irrational fear that causes people to avoid the feared object as well as situations that could lead to contact with it. Arachnophobia is a fear of spiders. It is one of the most common phobias, but there are ways to overcome this fear.
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Instructions
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Understand phobias. Knowing that it is an irrational fear and that the chances of harm coming to you are slim to none is an important step in overcoming it.
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Decide what your end goal will be. Would you be happy if spiders still bothered you, but didn't send you into a panic? Or would you want to be completely comfortable with them? Deciding on how much of the phobia you want to overcome will help you reach a realistic goal.
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Research spiders. People tend to be scared of the unknown. Knowing the facts about spiders should help you realize that your fear is misplaced (see Resources).
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Get comfortable with spiders that are far away. Look at pictures of spiders and remind yourself that there is nothing to be afraid of; alternatively, stand on the other side of a room that has a spider in it.
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Make a plan on how to deal with spiders on a closer basis. Go see a spider display at the zoo or visit a friend who has a pet spider. Walking in the woods is bound to take you past a spider at some point.
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Keep the phobia in check by regularly exposing yourself to spiders in some form until you are no longer afraid of them.
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Tips & Warnings
Reward yourself every time you make progress in overcoming arachnophobia.
Don't push yourself too hard or fast, as you could just be setting yourself up for failure.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit sxc.hu
