posted November 20, 2012 03:34 AM            

It's so bad I can't even look at pics of them. Strangely enough, I was never afraid of them growing up, even let them crawl up my arm. I have no recollection when it became a fear or how it was triggered.

They say the first step to overcome a fear is to face it..that alone is too much for me (can't even look at them even if they are quite a distance from me). My initial reaction is to run/ get away from it.

So how does one gradually deal with such an irrational fear? Most of them are harmless and I know that but when the fear takes over none of it matters.

Is there anyone else with such a fear or any other fear and how did you overcome it?

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Remember, love can conquer the influences of the planets....It can even eliminate karma.

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posted November 20, 2012 04:12 AM            

Another thing I might do is write a poem to see if I could get some clues on why they frightened me so...and that said I DID write a poem (though I'm not scared of most spiders) after having a horrid nightmare(s) of being wrapped up in webs and covered with crawling spiders:

Spiders by B. Jane C. or PixieJane

Why do I stare raptly at spiders
But have nightmares of them crawling
all over my body
Spinning the web of life
the web of death?

Is it my flesh fears being prey
even as it acts as predator?
Or do I fear the pain
that sparks wisdom
and the pain wisdom brings?

X END

I was going through some disillusionment at the time, in case you couldn't tell.

But that all aside, here's a vid you might like watching (wait for it...):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHzdsFiBbFc

And finally...spiders are scary, it's ok to be afraid of them...
http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/03/spiders-are-scary-its-okay-to-be-afrai d.html

posted November 20, 2012 10:21 AM            

I have a weird hair phobia too though, and the centipedes tie into it by being so disgustingly hairy-looking! -gag-

But, I've actually done what PixieJane said above, I studied them more... which wasn't easy... like you, even the images trigger my stomach to turn.

But, they're like spiders in that they really are good for the household, they eat any intruding bugs that are their size or smaller (manageable size). However, unlike spiders --- they don't bite (science says if they were to bite we'd not be aware since they can't break our skin... it's a bit comforting). They're also a bit of a mystery for entomologist still... it was surprising how little we do know about them. Now I hold my breath and try to sorta' repeat "pretty little caterpillars"~ like a mantra.... lol it only sorta' helps~ but disassociating them from the actual fear I have of hairiness and associating them with something I feel is adorable like wooly-caterpillars helps...

The fear of hair is actually called chaetophobia, which I have to a high degree. I can't stand excessive body hair, I hate (extreme disgust) with hair that falls loose from the body (ever clean a shower drain), and I don't like critters with dense hairy appearance... (not like those wooly-caterpillars --- that's more furry than hairy, but centipedes are prime example).

It started when I was in my early teens, my father's S.O. had hair-thinning/balding --- her hair was literally everywhere. It happened almost instantly that I became repulsed by hair...

For that phobia~ I just try to avoid -touching- hair (if it's not attached to someone's head I mean)... and, I can't actually touch it, I have to use gloves/towels/paper...

I tend to keep my hair at shoulder length or shorter... the longer it is, the more likely those loose, stray bits will gross me out someday~ As for body hair~~~~~ I know it can be a touchy/embarrassing topic - but, my preference is to keep "things" well-groomed... *heh* but, with others I know that's all personal preference ~~~ (oh, but how I wish it was mandatory!)

I wish you luck in overcoming your fear~~~~ it can be done, just take it slowly~ like a step program~ hehe

posted November 20, 2012 12:52 PM            

The only way, IF you dont want to go and get "professional" help, which, honestly they will do the same is:

expose yourself to them in SMALL doses.

Very tiny baby steps.

A fraction of an inch by another fraction of an inch....

You dont ever have to touch them, but to get past the fear will take alot of work.

My daughter has had full on anxiety attacts from worms...and she knows it is "irrational" but I get ya'all!

I am kinda like that with snakes, but I can deal, I just RUN!

Anyway, my very dear, now gone Scorpio granny loved spiders. I would watch her clean as a small girl and actually take them outside and not kill them...Scorpio of course! But she would say never kill a spider cause they "eat other bugs...."

mmmuwa, granny!

But a "phobia" is about psychological desentisising.

My daughter doesnt know when and where she got her worm thing, she used to pick them up and play with them, but If one is able to go back and discover the source..then one has it in the bag!

luck, love and blessins!

posted November 20, 2012 07:50 PM            

As for dealing with these irrational fears ... say for example, with spiders ... first take a moment, inhale deeply, and be thankful that spiders can't fly.

Then do what fear tells you to do ...
F*ck Everything And Run.

After all ...

What we seek we shall find; what we flee from flees from us.~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

At least in fleeing you won't be doing what this guy said he did ...

I saw a spider in my bathtub, so I got a piece of tissue and very carefully ... burned the house down. ~ Unknown

Imo, if none of you here have burned your house down yet, yall are all handling your fears really well!!

posted November 20, 2012 08:08 PM            

I'd developed this fear after a serious car accident from which I miraculously escaped (I was a passenger in the car). But for about a year and a half afterward, I was terrified of driving on a road with traffic.

One day a trusted friend suggested that every time I become aware of this fear while driving, I should counter it with something funny in my head and tell myself that the thought of hitting the median divider on the road is funny. I began to do this regularly, and slowly overcame my fear.

posted November 20, 2012 08:13 PM            

The very moment I read this, this song came to mind...

Not so much about "spiders" tho it is named that, but about things in our heads...

And girl..I get ya!!!

Didn't want to post cause I would not in a billion years make light of this, but I think this song says alot...

Love ye!!

t~

"Spiders"

The piercing radiant moon,
The storming of poor June,
All the life running through her hair,
Approaching guiding light,
Our shallow years in fright,
Dreams are made winding through my head,
Through my head,
Before you know,
Awake,
Your lives are open wide,
The V-chip gives them sight,
All the life running through her hair,
The spiders all in tune,
The evening of the moon,
Dreams are made winding through my head,
Through my head,
Before you know,
Awake
Through my head,
Before you know,
Before you know I will be waiting all awake,
Dreams are made winding through her hair,
Dreams are made winding through her hair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7r564IB4qY

posted November 20, 2012 11:13 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Linda Jones:
Yeah, these types of fears are irrational. Similar to the irrational feeling of feeling safe under a blanket. I mean why do we feel safe under blankets? It's not like a murderer will come in thinking ... "I'm gonna kill ... ahh sh*t ... he/she's under a blanket."

As for dealing with these irrational fears ... say for example, with spiders ... first take a moment, inhale deeply, and be thankful that spiders can't fly.

Then do what fear tells you to do ...
F*ck Everything And Run.

After all ...

What we seek we shall find; what we flee from flees from us.~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

At least in fleeing you won't be doing what this guy said he did ...

I saw a spider in my bathtub, so I got a piece of tissue and very carefully ... burned the house down. ~ Unknown

Imo, if none of you here have burned your house down yet, yall are all handling your fears really well!!

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posted November 20, 2012 11:25 PM            

Writing a poem about it isn't a bad idea at all nor educating oneself about the different types as you have mentioned (just no pictures).

I am going to write a letter to "spider" and see if there are any possible clues to what could have started the phobia.

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quote:

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Remember, love can conquer the influences of the planets....It can even eliminate karma.

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posted November 21, 2012 12:35 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by charmainec:
I do find this distasteful considering that it is a serious issue for me and many others. Laughing about it does not help. It's not funny.

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Please note that in my next post I explained that laughing has helped me overcome my fear and I also said that my post was not an intention to laugh at anyone, and was rather a suggestion. This is a tried technique by many and worked for me when I had a crippling fear of driving after my accident.

quote:

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Originally posted by Linda Jones:
I wasn't trying to make fun of others' fears, but just suggesting that laughing about them often helps. It helped cure me of my fear of driving into the center island/divider every time I got on the road.

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Have a nice day

posted November 21, 2012 01:00 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by somethingexcellent:
I'm pretty hard on myself...when I was a kid and afraid of the dark, I'd force myself to walk around in it or whatever I needed to do. And I'd force myself to do it at a normal pace, ie. however I'd do it if the room was lit.
Like, if the switch to the light of the hallway was way on the other end, I wouldn't race towards it to avoid the dark, I'd just walk normally despite myself.

But I guess that wasn't exactly a phobia, just a childhood fear...?

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Could be. Children generally fear the dark? You were quite brave to make yourself face it. How do feel about the dark now?

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quote:

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Remember, love can conquer the influences of the planets....It can even eliminate karma.

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posted November 21, 2012 01:28 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by hippichick:
My lovely Char~

The very moment I read this, this song came to mind...

Not so much about "spiders" tho it is named that, but about things in our heads...

And girl..I get ya!!!

Didn't want to post cause I would not in a billion years make light of this, but I think this song says alot...

Love ye!!

t~

"Spiders"

The piercing radiant moon,
The storming of poor June,
All the life running through her hair,
Approaching guiding light,
Our shallow years in fright,
Dreams are made winding through my head,
Through my head,
Before you know,
Awake,
Your lives are open wide,
The V-chip gives them sight,
All the life running through her hair,
The spiders all in tune,
The evening of the moon,
Dreams are made winding through my head,
Through my head,
Before you know,
Awake
Through my head,
Before you know,
Before you know I will be waiting all awake,
Dreams are made winding through her hair,
Dreams are made winding through her hair.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7r564IB4qY

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Hippi, great lyrics btw. The words sound very dream like. Tracing the source is the tough bit. I have suppressed several chunks of my childhood due to trauma - some memories came back on their own caused by "triggers" ( a scent, a phrase, a place etc) so it is hard to tell how it came to be. Once a friend suggested hypnosis to try and "cure" the phobia and although I have nothing against it (it has helped many) I'd rather try to tough it out and let it be a natural process and not suggestive if that makes sense.

posted November 21, 2012 01:38 AM            

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You were quite brave to make yourself face it. How do feel about the dark now?

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Hahaha! Thanks, I tried to be reasonable...like, I'd say to myself, "it's just the same as if there was light, nothing's really changed" etc.
I'm okay in the dark now, it doesn't affect me.

posted November 21, 2012 01:45 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by sand:
Heights. I don't mind skydiving if I can find the time but it might happen so fast it's not really facing it idk..

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You have to up with a plane, pretty high and you do get to look down before jumping out so it is facing your fear of heights. It is an awesome experience though. Usually you want to go again because of the rush.

posted November 21, 2012 03:14 AM            

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Astrology Articles

posted November 21, 2012 04:20 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by charmainec:
Pixie, are there spiders in those links? Pictures of them, I mean?

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The first one, yes, it's a vid about spiders, I think taken from an actual scientific vid with some editing & a skit for comedic purposes.

The second one, not exactly...it's a comic where the blogger describes her arachnophobia, and most illustrations are almost childlike and generally silly (like one is a cartoon of a spider with a swastika on its head, IIRC, and knives and guns strapped to each leg).

posted November 23, 2012 12:51 AM            

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Originally posted by iQ:
I use NLP Visualizations to cure my students of Phobias. Any Phobia. It takes 20-30 minutes for moderate cases, and about a week of rigorous practice for extreme cases.
The exercise involves thinking about our object of Fear first as a "Black and White Image". Then a smaller "Black and White" image, with a parallel circus joker music backgound score. Then we lower the size and brightness of the feared object to pixel, and then imagine squishing it with a hammer or our boot. Complex Phobias need an addition of "Feelings of Power" to replace the "Feelings of Fear".
Yes, deep breaths to lower heart rate are a necessary step.

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