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How do you react when you see a spider?

89 replies

LoveMyGirls · 30/08/2007 08:16

Especially a big one?

OP posts:
totaleclipse · 30/08/2007 08:17

Like a lunitic, but I do manage to keep my composure a bit if dc are with me.

fawkeoff · 30/08/2007 08:20

like a woman posessed!! nothing more to add really

chopster · 30/08/2007 08:24

not bothered unless it suddenl jumps on me, then I tend to let out a squeal and feel like a silly little girl!

FioFio · 30/08/2007 08:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

PrincessGoodLife · 30/08/2007 08:25

ignore it - it'll go back to where it came from eventually

ghosty · 30/08/2007 08:26

I used to scream very loudly and run for the hills waving my arms in the air. I have been known to hyperventilate and pass out
I am now a lot more restrained due to being a mother and I never wanted my children to see me scared ...
Ironically I now live in Australia [loon] and this afternoon I had to climb a ladder to retrieve a ball from the garage roof. At the top of the ladder I lost my composure and had a tantrum telling DS that I couldn't touch anything in case there were spiders. He (aged 7) told me I was a big baby and to get a grip ... I then regressed to being a 7 year old myself and pointed out that it seemed to me that he wouldn't care if a redback bit me and I died as long as he had his precious ball ...
After I finally got him the ball he ran off to play with it and I was left there on top of the ladder having risked my life with no thanks at all ....
All he did was laugh.... he is his father's son.

mummydoit · 30/08/2007 08:28

I used to be one of those 'jump up and down, waving arms in air, doing lots of girly squealing' people. I inherited my dislike from my mum who has a real spider phobia. However, once I had kids, I was determined I would not pass on the fear to them so I have forced myself to be very calm. It has actually cured me. We sometimes get really huge spiders downstairs in the autumn but I just tend to ignore those (the cat usually gets them and we come down to find spider legs everywhere in the morning). I still don't like spiders in the bedroom and have to remove one before I go to sleep otherwise I just lie there and imagine it falling on me but, other than than, I am fine.

Oenophile · 30/08/2007 08:30

They don't bother me at all, I'm happy to pick them up and pop them out in the garden where they carry on doing their spidery job (I imagine in my Pollyanna way that they reduce the numbers of vile flies and other bugs around.)

HOWEVER, my daughter (17) is quite severely spider-phobic (just goes to show it's nature not nurture) and I have a close male friend whose life has been somewhat limited by the same thing. Both of them are genuinely disturbed even to see a photograph of a spider, and one in the room can unsettle them for hours after it's been got rid of.

My attempts to convince DD from an early age that they are harmless have all failed, I used to 'personalise' the spiders, giving them names, making her look at them from afar while safely contained, etc, but none of it worked. My male friend, who lives alone, has only learned to cope by having a suction device to hand at all times to remove them, and not just any old device either, it must be one where no contact at all with the little beastie is guaranteed in the disposal thereof.

Phobias aren't, by their very nature, rational, and thus difficult to treat by using reason, but one tip that male friend gave me to try to help daughter (who goes off to Uni soon and thus no more midnight calls to Mum to deal with rampant spider in room) is that she should begin by drawing something vaguely spider-like until she can look at it without fear, then progressing to increasingly realistic pictures. Also, that once she's comfortable with that, to stare for 30 mins at said picture, because fear is a measurable physiological reaction which the body can't sustain beyond a certain point - boredom WILL set in sooner or later as you stare fixedly at even a disturbing image.

But there are all degrees of phobia and not many people are this badly affected.

LoveMyGirls · 30/08/2007 08:32

Well we had a big one in the kitchen just now, im talking huge like the size of a coaster and remained calm (on he outside) and used a fly swat to squash it and flick it outside - i know i know its harmless but in the heat of the moment it doesnt feel like it, i try to inore the smaller ones. I was brought up with my mum who always said she would leave them alone is they were in the corners of the room but if they dared to brave it in the middle of the room it was fair to squish it. (I feel bad though but theres no way i ould cope with scooping it up in a cup etc only for it to run back inside - im freakng a the thought!

OP posts:
lailasmum · 30/08/2007 08:52

Depends upon the spider. If they are big then i get a bit scared. But there area few I don't mind. We have lots of spiders living round our pond that don't bother me. Its more the biting ones which inhabit our house and shed/greenhouse that I am scared of as the hurt a lot and I have been bitten, the bite swelled up and was really painful for about 2 weeks.

Pinkchampagne · 30/08/2007 09:12

Spiders don't bother me at all. I normally pick them up by one of their legs & put them outside!
If a bird got in my house, on the other hand, I would scream & run a mile!!

harleyd · 30/08/2007 09:16

i quite like spiders. i used to keep tarantulas and cheerfully handled them. house spiders dont annoy me at all, they are allowed to live in my house. if they are in the way i just move them elsewhere.

fizzbuzz · 30/08/2007 09:16

I think spiders are cute! I realise I am probably alone in this....

But worms ugh, can't even talk about them

alycat · 30/08/2007 09:17

lm, do you live in the UK? We have biting spiders (woodlouse spiders)too, seem to have bread in my airing cupboard and bedroom. I used to just put them out until I got bitten I now kill the evil little buggers! They sneak into your clothers, then you put them on and bam - bite a bit like wasp sting?

I used to be freaked out by all spiders (I blame my mother) but have been more restrained infront of dd (7), she now can put a glass over quite a big one them comes to get me to take is out.

HuwEdwards · 30/08/2007 09:18

I am scared shitless.

Whizzz · 30/08/2007 09:24

If its several big ones lieing in wait on my step, I post on MN for sympathy & wait until DH comes home to rescue me

chipmonkey · 30/08/2007 10:13

I shriek like a banshee! Ds1 says in a resigned tone, "Is is a spider, Mammy?"

meowmix · 30/08/2007 10:17

If alone: I freeze, blood runs cold, dry mouth, heart pounding and then squeak for DH. Cannot move in case it jumps for me.

If with DS: I freeze etc then say in strangled voice "oh look a spider, how interesting, lets go and tell Daddy"

am pathetic female.

LoveMyGirls · 30/08/2007 14:04

Yes im in the UK and aware they wont hurt me but it doesnt stop the fear, I used to have an abusive ex that had a tarantula and used to put it on the bed to get me up in the morning but i've always been scared of them. Once jumped onto a plastic kids table which unsuprisingly didnt hold my weight and i fell and scratched my arm. Very pathetic.

OP posts:
kittylouise · 30/08/2007 14:10

I am pathetic (screaming, swearing at top of voice). They really do put the fear of God in me, and even get the shivers when I see a photo of one. They just look so malevolent - why do they always seem to want to scuttle TOWARDS you?

DD is not scared and will remove them with a glass, and thinks I am ridiculous.

Tutter · 30/08/2007 14:12

we had a Mahoosive GrandDaddy of a spider this morning

i mean really big

in fact lots of big ones around here atm

ds was there so i said "oh look that's a very big spider"

inside i was saying "fck me that's fcking horrible")

Tutter · 30/08/2007 14:12

ps [shudder] at "scuttle" kerrylouise

Tutter · 30/08/2007 14:13

oops, i mnea kittylouise

kittylouise · 30/08/2007 14:13

Lovemygirls - just read your thread about what your ex did - evil, evil swine.

kittylouise · 30/08/2007 14:14

Tutter - I know, scuttle just seems to sum the miserable, evil buggers up.

WHY are they so damn scary??!!

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