Arachnophobia

[Chickentikka567]

I know most people are not keen on spiders. It sounds dramatic but they just make my life a misery, it's a constant anxiety. I have occasional nightmares about them, I've had several bad experiences like finding one on my pillow, finding 2 large ones in the bath at the same time, and so on.
I dread this time of year and they seem to have started early due to the poor weather.
Have been lucky to not have many in our flat, but I can't escape them completely. It puts me off going to hot countries, I feel miserable about living in a world with them. I know that sounds dramatic and there are much worse things out there that would harm or kill me.
it's just frustrating but it's part of life I suppose. There was a therapy course but it was too expensive, something like £100 per session!
has anybody managed to successfully get rid of this phobia.

@VeterinaryCareAssistant since you obviously don't have any phobia's, maybe we could put our heads together and find you a course on empathy...🖕

I loathe spiders and honestly would never visit a country where there may be huntsman spiders etc.

Its a shame in a way as the phobia rules out travelling to so many places.

We had hoped to go to Japan as a family, until I realised they had Huntsman spiders there...

I am terrified of spiders. I hadn't really considered up warm weather up coming holiday until I read this! 😩 what's Thailand like for spiders?!!?

same here, I've thought about therapy but the thought of having to hold a large spider makes me feel ill

I can't offer any advise as I am petrified of the damn things. I remember when I was 3 or 4, my slightly younger brother threw one at me that was carrying its eggs at the time - scared the living daylights out of me and I've been scared ever since. On Saturday, I screamed because a (not even that big) one ran under the sofa and we couldn't find it -my poor husband spent an hour taking the front room apart trying to find it, and no luck. Last night the damned thing reemerged - luckily my husband caught it and got rid of it for me.
I'm not sure I'll ever be over this phobia.
I spend 10 minutes in the evening checking the walls, ceiling and bed in our room before I turn the light out - my husband is a very patient man!

After a very bad experience a couple of weeks ago, I discovered this stuff. It is drastic and as an environmentalist I won't use any chemicals outside in the garden, but when it comes to my bedroom everything must die! I love the fact that this kills all insect life!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C3LQ7SXQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

@VeterinaryCareAssistant - you clearly have NO idea what it's like to suffer from a phobia. Yes, you may be OK with spiders, but a lot of people aren't. I'm not. I can't even really justify (not that I should have to justify) why I'm not - I know deep down, it's a bit silly, but it doesn't stop my heart racing or my skin crawling. It doesn't stop me from wishing I could live somewhere, anywhere, where there are no spiders.
I wonder if you would be so dismissive of somebody who was so scared of something else?
I've tried to get over my fear, I've tried to tell myself that the spider is tiny in comparison to how big I am, but it doesn't stop me feeling absolutely terrified.
I once crossed over a busy main road because there was a spider walking along the pavement. Even outside, they scare the living hell out of me - and they have more right to be there than I do! It's not something a person can help - telling them to grow up is utterly pointless.

What a stupid post. I know as many male arachnaphobes as female, my dh and ds are both terrified of them. 😏

Yet another vote for the Friendly Spider course at London Zoo. Honestly, I wish I'd done it years ago - the holidays I could have had!

It's booked out for 2023

Ah, victim of its own success.

I've thought about therapy but I've heard they ask you hold one to say it's been successful and it stops me wanting to try it.

They cover this in the ZSL course, talk about how some people are scared of being 'fixed' because then they might touch a spider, which makes no sense, but kind of does! The day is a lot of talking about phobias and psychology in general, and then talking about spiders and their habits, usefullness etc. You don't see so much as a picture until later on in the day.

They announce you're off to the bug house, and you scoff with all your coursemates about how nothing's changed, how is this going to work etc, and then you're there, and somehow ok with it all! They will never force you however so you can back out at any point but on my day everyone made it to see the spiders, and I think maybe one person out of 40-odd didn't catch one under a cup. At no point did you have to touch one, though there were a few house spiders you could IF you chose to, and one tarantula for a photo op!

They never used to bother me, well don't now really, apart from picking them up and chucking them out the house.

Did it once on holiday (UK) and the little arsehole bit, had a pretty nasty allergic reaction to it. Will still grab them, but with a tea towel now.

I just kill them all and I feel terrible afterwards because I think they are cool
I just cant bring my self to capture them at risk of them running or crawling on me
I wish I could get over it,

my idea of hell is being thrown into a pit of tarantulas and spiders,
I would rather be torn apart by a lion

I watched a documentary called Spider House on the bbc.

We co habit easily enough now. I don’t like it when they march up my quilt but they are transported to another room if they do that.

I don’t like to kill anything. I don’t put inside spiders outside. My sibling has the fear of the spindly spiders - I’ve never minded them oddly enough.

Someone on here had a lovely little rainbow coloured spider. Adorable.

Honest.

My daughter's boyfriend is absolutely petrified of them.

Another vote for leaving the spindly ones be (cellar spiders). I have several. I loathe the big house spiders and have barely seen once since moving into my current house which has a healthy crop of cellar spiders which tend to hang out in corners and mind their own business so if they are keeping the big ones under control, they are welcome!

I have registered my interest for the friendly spider course. I hate this time of year

I hate them all - even the spindly ones and don't get me started about the massive orb spiders which are everywhere in my garden this time of year. I can't walk to the bins without brandishing something in front of me cos the mahoosive fuckers string their webs across the pathway overnight.

If you have EMDR you do not have to hold or go near any spiders.

It is all done via your imagination. Fixed my terrible phobia in 30 mins, not saying it will work that fast for everyone but much easier than holding a bunch of tarantulas.

I am at my wits end in my flat, OP.

I'm seriously arachnophobic, we've had around 11 huge ones and counting in the last 2 weeks. One ran up my neck from laundry I was putting away, another ran across me on the sofa. The rest have been spotted darting across the floor. They seem to be even bigger this year.

My aunt recommended Ardap spray from Amazon, it acts as a deterrent, I've coated my window frames, skirting boards etc with it. I put DD and dog outside whilst I done it as didn't want them breathing it in and I took them out for a few hours. I know Indorex flea spray is meant to be good too.

I'm praying this works. DH hates them too but will get close enough to kill it. Neither of us like killing them but have no other option because both of us are too petrified to try and catch it.

I've been waking up in cold sweats from nightmares about them, nervous to touch laundry so much so that DH has done the laundry for the last 2 weeks when he gets home from work. I'm anxious about where I'm stepping, walk around with sliders on at all times inside, it really does affect my life.

I've made peace with the spindly ones in the corners, and they are my friends now since I learned they kill the monstrous ones.

I'm looking at my options of hypnotherapy or a spider course.

This is good stuff, not the biggest bottle in the world (picture is deceptive) but it also smells lovely so makes the house smell nice.

Spindly ones I tolerate as they stay in the corner and kill the big ones. House spiders (large and fast scuttly bastards) are my worst fear. Although I hate to see them killed, I'd rather they be put outside, as long as it's not me having to do it!

I think the previous owner of my house was one of these "don't kill any spider types" because the place was overrun with them.

I don't hate them but don't like them much either. I vaccuum them up. They can choose to escape the bag or not (largely not I believe).

I would probably be OK if there was one or two that stuck to the corners but they get everywhere and if you leave them they just breed.

Anyway, 3 years later house is largely spider free, which probably means there are still quite a few spiders, but they have learnt to keep the fuck out of the apex predators way.

@elm26 Up your neck?! I am so sorry! That is literally my worst nightmare and would reignite my arachnophobia... I've managed to keep it in check over the years by gardening a lot and having the mindset that I'm on their turf (literally) if I find them outside. Haven't had the misfortune of something as horrible as that happening though. That's quite upsetting!

Oil of peppermint wiped on skirting boards window sills and doorframes deters the scuttling ba*@£rds. I loathe them and because we live rurally in a 100 year old house we are overrun every spring and autumn.