There fear of spidersscientifically called arachnophobiais one of the most common phobias and mainly affects women.
It can present itself as a simple disgust until it limits the autonomy of the person.
The high rates that are found by 50% of women and 18% of men indicate an average of people who are absolutely terrified of spiders and those who find them a little disturbing. In reality, those who severely suffer from Arachnophobia is 3-7%.
There fear of spiders is part of the specific phobias which generally develop during childhood or adolescence. Arachnophobia consists of one irrational fearso defined for its nature and intensity, which leads the person to avoid the feared object in every way.
Symptoms of Arachnophobia
As for symptoms, there is a wide variability. It is not necessary that the phobic element is present but also the only mental image or some stimuli associated with it are sufficient to trigger fear.
Among the main symptoms of Arachnophobia, as well as other phobias, we find:
- Tachycardia
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Tremor
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Dizziness or dizziness
- Frantic breath or hyperventilation
- Panic attacks
The anxiety for spiders can also be anticipatory: the person anxiously experiences only by providing for the feared situation and that is why he implements avoidance behaviors.
If then the subject perceives the impossibility of moving away or avoiding the situation, it is possible that anxiety is such as to cause a panic attack even in front of a small and harmless spider.
Even just the idea that in a room there may be an arachnid can prevent the subject from entering without a preventive control from other people.
The altered perception of the spider in the Arachnophobic
Those who are afraid of spiders have an altered perception of the size of the same, that is, they see them bigger than they are.
In a study, to subjects to whom Arachnophobia had been diagnosed, Tarantole of various sizes was asked to watch, therefore estimate their quantities (vasey et al., 2012). Those who were more afraid of spiders tended to overestimate their size.
Obviously, this perceptual distortion hardly helps face arachnophobia. Likewise, people who are afraid of spiders perceive them as closest, if they are directed towards them.
Researchers put participants watching a video of spiders who headed for them. Also in this case, those who were more afraid of spiders, was the one who also underestimated the distance that separated him from the spider. This behavior would have an adaptive sense: if an object is dangerous, it is better to react in advance.
The reactions to the sight of an arachnid can be exaggerated in the eyes not only of the others, but also of the Arachnophobic itself. For many people, Arachnophobia can be a serious problemsince the anxiety that arises can lead to change one’s lifestyle such as avoiding living in countryside areas.
Theories to cause of the phobia dei spagni
So far, it was not clear if the fear for spiders was innate or learned. While some scientists claimed that we learn to have this fear from the context in which we grow, others instead believed that this was an innate fear.
A study conducted by researchers from the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig (Germany) states that Arachnophobia has an innate and evolutionary origin. Through the analysis of pupillary dilation, the anxiety of some babies was measured while observing photos of spiders and snakes.
The research showed that children showed signs of anxiety (the pupils dilated) when they looked at photos of spiders and snakes while the same did not happen with flowers or fish.
This behavior is already present at six months, when obviously obviously there is no awareness of the potential danger of these animals. This data would support theInnate and evolutionary origin of the scored phobia.
There are some theories on the possible causes that cause the Irrational fear for spiders. According to evolutionary theory, Arachnophobia is a natural fear of poisonous spiders developed by our ancestors to survive and inherited from modern man.
It is for this reason that it occurs since childhood. Others claim that it is determined by negative and traumatic experiences like being bitten by a spider. The third theory believes that the fear of spiders originates from popular culture. In some cultures the spider was and is seen as a positive bearer symbol of luck and healing, while in others they were considered mostly poisonous and therefore bearers of diseases and death.
Fear is something physiological useful for growth as it serves to activate reactions that defend us from danger, but fear can become irrational. The fears, in fact, are based on the interpretation we give of reality and this is why in the end someone will be terrified by spiders while someone else can easily touch them.
Treatment of Arachnophobia
Arachnophobia can have a remarkable impact on people’s lives. However, today it is possible to contact specialized figures in Treatment of this phobia.
Generally, the therapy begins by submitting the Arachnophobic subject to targeted questions about its fear, in which it is asked to describe its reaction to the sight of a spider or even to indicate if you are afraid of a type of spiders in particular in order to extrapolate the reasons that have induced it. Although most of the time the patient is unable to give a precise and safe explanation on his arachnophobia.
Behavioral interventions
THE’Graduated exposure to anxious stimuli The main method of treatment for specific phobias is considered. You can start gradually with an exposure in imagination which consists in asking the patient to imagine a phobic situation with a spider.
It is important to help the person to achieve a very vivid image of the feared situation, favoring a very careful and precise description, encouraging him to imagine all aspects of the situation. The size, the color, the location, the speed and the type of movements of the spider.
Ragni’s images and videos can also be viewed, and then move on to real specimens through a glass display case and then finally end with direct contact (in vivo exposure). Today a valid help also comes from virtual reality that allows you to simulate situations in which you are in the presence of the much feared spiders.
Cognitive interventions
Some cognitive techniques such as the elicit of negative thoughts, cognitive renovation, the use of ABC can be used as a support during exposure practices.
In this case, in addition to exposure to spiders, it will be useful to find out what the person thinks in the moments of greatest fear and modify the thoughts that maintain his fear.
Often it is precisely the poor knowledge of Arachnids that intensify fear. The patient, therefore, could find information on the risks connected to the spider bite, on the role of these animals in the ecosystem or on the cases of death from arachnid poisoning.
It can also be useful to look at a model consisting of another person who interacts with a spider because it contributes to reducing the fearful response. For face the specific phobia A psychoeducation on the meaning of anxiety can also be indicated, integrating muscle relaxation techniques because the condition of relaxation is antagonist to that of anxiety that characterizes phobia.
Psychotherapy, especially cognitive-behavioral orientation, can therefore help the individual face his phobia and reduce the negative thoughts associated with fear.
