To humanely squash massive spiders

[Ifyourawizardwhydouwearglasses]

They're huge, they're in my house, and I'm terrified of them. 3 in 2 weeks. Big ones.

I love animals, I feel really guilty but I just can't live with them. They're massive and they're really unusually fast and I'm constantly on edge in my own home.

So AIBU to squash and remove?

(I'm only squashing because DH away and I am SO scared that leaving them to go through the house to pop up another day is scarier than getting near enough to squash. Although it still takes about half an hour to work up to it)

All spiders are welcome in my house. I don't even put them outside. I give them something to eat and tell them to make themselves at home. They catch flies.

You catch flies for them, Hidden??

Ours starve if we don't chuck them out. I am nervous of spiders but very pleased DH has taught most the DC to handle them (fine with bare hands).

I used to be incredibly spider phobic. If I saw a big one I would scream, hyperventilate and my heart would go completely out of rhythm for an hour or two afterwards (I had a heart problem as it turns out).

People who haven't got a phobia just do not understand that level of panic and that there is no way you can think rationally in that state.

Until a few months ago I had no idea you could get CBT or anything like that for a spider phobia. Then I came across a thread on AIBU about a woman who was scared of spiders and people were giving her tips / saying how they had cured themselves of their phobia.

I was pretty skeptical that ANYTHING could remotely help me but I tried some of the techniques that were mentioned and they bloody worked. I wouldn't say that I'm comfortable with massive house spiders these days but I also wouldn't describe myself as phobic. I'm just slightly nervous of them now.

Get help. It works! You don't have to spend half your life terrified! Trust me, no one could be more terrified of spiders than I used to be.

For what it's worth though, I don't think YABU for squishing spiders. It's very quick and probably quite painless.

They're only bloody spiders. Wipe them out, all of them.

I have a phobia of medium to big spiders. I. cant get close enough to put a mug over them. And someone gave me the Lakeland thing, but I couldn't use that either, as its too close.
I sometimes throw books until they're crushed. DH then deals with the body.
I once nearly got out of a moving car that I was driving because a spider walked across the windscreen in front of my face. Luckily there was a layby to pull into so I didn't.
I have asked complete strangers who were passing my house to come and rove a spider.
I would much rather not be so scared.

I have got out of a moving car because of one (I was the passenger) I was lucky we were moving slowly, I'm not sure I'd have done anything different if we were going fast tbh.

Once slammed all on when driving, pulled handbrake on and lept out screaming for a spider - turned out it was on the outside! However I couldn't have taken the time to pull over or anything else, I definitely would have caused an accident if we were going faster.

Like I said I'm much better now, not "cured" but I think I'd be able to stay in a moving vehicle for long enough to be safe now! A phobia is real but it's not irreparable, you can change it.

No, they definitely catch flies, and all sorts of other creepy crawling little things. Not that I live in an infested house or anything, but I could do with a spider in the place I rent for work, as I've seen a few creepy crawlies that a spider would have got rid of. Ideally you need a spider in each room. I definitely seem to get less trouble from other insects when that's the case. They sit in a web in a corner most of the time and are quite unnoticeable.

The presence of spiders in your house is a sign that 2,000 fewer bugs per spider will be in your home per a year.

Spiders get short bursts of energy so when you think that freaky little bugger has run out and stopped deliberately, its actually gathering its breath.

Spiders eat flies, fleas, bed bugs and mites.

Spiders have extremely poor eyesight, you will see them before they see you.

Leave the freaky little buggers be, they are not doing any harm to you.

Leave the freaky little buggers be, they are not doing any harm to you.

Exactly - it won't harm you. Not liking something isn't a good reason to go round killing it.

I once witnessed my friend kill a huge spider before I could get to it I was really shocked and Ive felt a bit differently about her since.

but as a phobic they do "harm" me - they cause me extreme distress, which manifests in physical symptoms and causes me insomnia and anxiety. I know it's "irrational" to kill them but there is no rational thought when you're taken over by a phobia, I wouldn't normally kill anything but I feel so very different about spiders. I'm not saying that makes it ok, but I think people who say they "think differently" about people who would kill spiders are not really taking into account the fact that a phobia is an abnormal psychological reaction and makes it hard for you to behave or think rationally...

this is a useful and interesting explaination of phobias for anyone that doesn't understand (sorry I'm not sure how to hyperlink)

www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/phobias/#.VR6JgMtwbqA

its all very well for people to say aww its only an icke spider i wont hurt you but im petrified of them i cant help it they should just leave me alone go live in a house where they wont get Dysoned and flung out or mopped to death yes i know they kill flies but so does fly spray and the can doesnt drop dead in my cats litter tray nor does it get into my fabric softener draw and drown blocking my machine up!

im thinking of trying one of those plug in repellents apparently you get a lot of activity for a day or so then nothing so im thinking plug them all in and swan off on holiday come home to an empty house? (im just hoping them will move out when im gone to be honest)

What's the treatment for getting rid of phobias, doesn't it sometimes involve learning to live with the thing that upsets you?

You can't humanely take away a life just because it crosses your path. Every life matters. Hopefully someone bigger doesn't come across you and wants to squish you because they deem you to be a lesser life.

YY inanimate

It must be awful to have a spider phobia as you can't control their presence. People keep saying they are harmless and will not hurt you. Everyone ignored my post that my sister is allergic to spiders bites and ends up in hospital if they bite her. We are getting more foreign species of spiders coming here and they are not native species so killing them isn't going to make them extinct.

tsoukalosy I'm interested if it is every species of spider bite your sister is allergic to or a particular breed.

I understand phobias (trust me) I used to be akill or get killed when I came to spiders but I have learnt so much and with a natural compassion to animals I am trying to get past it. Butterflies are the worst for me, so pretty to ohers but make me want to be sick/faint when they are near...but...I don't kill them...I do my best to cope or remove myself from the situation.

Also your comment about killing isn't going to make them extinct, put that to a 'cute' species such as dogs/cats/hamsters/ponies and read it back. That's just mean

I trust that all you hug-a-spider types are vegetarians?

Yes I am UncertainSmile, not sure how that is relevant though to not wanting to kill an animal for absolutely no reason - not as if the people who advocate killing spiders are planning on eating them, so there's absolutely no excuse vegetarian or not.

It's not killing for absolutely no reason if you're phobic

Killing something out of fear isn't on.

People are phobic of dogs, you wouldn't forgive them giving a dog.

42andGaffaTape

Hi, I've never met anyone else who was scared of butterflies. I thought it was just me. They are just spiders with pretty wings aren't they? Eurch.

Clowns scare me more than spiders. I would run in the opposite direction while screaming should a clown appear.

I wouldn't kill it out of fear, I wouldn't let myself get close enough

Spiders freak me out. The child however loves them. He had one in his tent that he named Pedro.

He would put chocolate and toys in the tent knowing I wouldn't go in to remove them