The arachnophobia – panic fear of spiders – is considered one of the most widespread fears. Women suffer from this phobia twice more often than men. And attacks of fear are caused not only by live individuals, but also their images.
Causes of an arachnophobia
The arachnophobia at the person could result from evolutionary development: even primitive people knew that they arachnoid are dangerous – poison of some types is deadly. And they gave this fear to the subsequent generations. Besides, instincts of the person force it to be afraid subconsciously of all fast, multi-legged and shaggy. For this reason many people are afraid not only spiders, but also in general of all insects and even butterflies.
One more cause of an arachnophobia – surprise with which they appear before the person. If the child strongly is frightened of the spider who went down to him on the head once, this fear, most likely, will remain for the rest of life.
Meanwhile, there are such people among which the arachnophobia does not occur at all, for example, some uncivilized tribes. These people eat spiders, and their children quietly iron big and shaggy individuals, without being afraid of them at all. This fact says that the arachnophobia can arise as the copy of behavioural model of the loved one: if mom has a fear of spiders, then and children will begin them to be afraid.
Symptoms of an arachnophobia
Not any fear is considered a phobia. You have an arachnophobia if at approach of a spider you feel at least two of the following signs: - strong heartbeat; - numbness of a body; - perspiration; - fever or inflow of heat; - suffocation; - breast pain; - dizziness; - shiver and tremor; - fear of death; - dryness in a mouth; - breath zatrudnennost; - panic, loss of control over; - nausea or belly-ache; - feeling of unreality concerning the events and own "I".
Treatment of an arachnophobia
For treatment of panic fear of spiders the doctors use the most various techniques. One of the most widespread - confrontational therapy. Its principle is based on direct and close communication with a fear object – a spider. At first the patient watches him, studies his building, behavior. Then the person begins to touch a spider and understands that it is not terrible at all and is not dangerous. After such therapy the people often begin to get spiders as pets. The second popular way of treatment of an arachnophobia is based on a graphic method. The person suffering from fear of spiders begins to draw a fear object. At first the spider is represented big and terrible. Such drawings are destroyed. Then the spider is drawn less and less. Therapy continues until the patient does not cease to be afraid in panic. Any person should know that it is easy to inspire an arachnophobia in itself. That it did not occur, control the fears and you remember - not the fear operates the person, and you it.