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Of all the many things to fear in our crazy world, spiders are at the top of many peoples list. They’re creepy and crawly and seem to come out of nowhere. There’s also the constant thought that they may be poisonous, as well. However, once you have all of the facts, you’ll see that fearing spiders really isn’t necessary. While you may never go out and get a pet tarantula, with a little knowledge and positive thinking, you can begin to conquer your fear. Take a look at these suggestions for fighting your arachnophobia.
Educate Yourself
Spend some time researching the spiders that are common in your area and become familiar with them. Know what their prey is, if they are poisonous, and if they tend to strike out of fear. The more knowledge you have about a perceived threat, the more likely you are to feel at ease when you encounter it. The good news is there are very few spiders in the world that are actually deadly, so the odds are in your favor that even if you were bit by a spider, the outcome wouldn’t be as bad as you might imagine. It’s also important to acknowledge that spiders are very necessary in our world. They do more good than harm, and are actually responsible for eliminating many pests that spread disease and are more dangerous than the spiders themselves.
Face Your Fear
This seems to be a common approach with most fears. If you’re afraid of flying, hop on a plane. If you’re scared of heights, climb to the top of the tallest building. If you’re afraid of spiders, don’t shrink away the next time you encounter one. Sure, your first reaction may be to run screaming from the room, but take a second to pause and really look at the spider. If you’ve educated yourself as was suggested above, you will be able to identify whether this spider is a true threat. If so, you will be able to gather yourself to calmly take care of the situation. If not, you may even consider letting the little guy go.
Realize That Spiders Aren’t Aggressive
A bit of good news for you is that spiders aren’t typically aggressive toward humans. In fact, they will likely only strike out if they feel threatened. A spider’s bite is often their last resort of defense when they feel their life is in danger. Spiders are naturally antisocial, and more than anything want to be left alone. They aren’t seeking you out to sink their teeth into you. If they happen to stumble into your territory, their number one goal is to get away, not to harm you.
Spend Some Time Outdoors
If you spend most of your time indoors, working or watching TV, take some time to explore the outdoors. Fresh air is good for you, and you may encounter some spiders or bugs that you normally wouldn’t. When this happens, observe them in their natural habitat. You will see that their last thought is to cause you any harm. They are likely happily spinning away in their web or searching for a midday snack. The more you expose yourself to your fear, the less power it has over you.
Try Out Therapy
If you’ve tried it all and you just can’t shake your fear of spiders, consider speaking to a professional. Some fears are engrained so deep that professional help is needed to overcome them. A professional will be able to get to the root cause of your fear and help you come to a place where you realize spiders are not a daily threat to your life.
After you’ve taken the above steps to conquer your fear of spiders, make sure you encounter them less frequently in your own home by staying up to date with pest control services. Although very few spiders will actually cause you harm, you need to be sure those that can are kept away from you and your family members.
