[espearite]

My sister and me have had a fear of spiders since we were kids. At one point in our childhood, she could pick up a daddy long leg by the leg, and have it dangling. I have only gotten near spiders in instances where it has been out of bravery to kill them.

I've always been afraid of any type of spider, especially the larger ones.

For Halloween I'd buy fake spiders and wound up scaring myself with them on accident. The cruelest thing was implanting a spider where my sister couldn't see it, but I would have her sit by it and then alert her to it as though it were real. lol...

Anyway, I thought daddy long legs were a problem, but last summer (and this summer) I've had to deal with what I believe to be are black house spiders. It has been a total nightmare and has some how made me jumpy at night for anything that I think might be a spider, especially when it's a hot night (thank God we are moving this fall!).

Since this encounter, it just seems like smaller garden spiders aren't a problem. So, for those of you who have this phobia, describe it. Do you feel any changes have been made in recent years with regard to this fear? If so, what has helped/hindered you? Do you think that there is an SA link? What do you think causes fear of spiders?

 

[MaidMarian]

Fear of spiders (and snakes, rats, etc) is a natural instinct, which protects us from being bitten by venomous/dangerous creatures. I don't mind spiders if they are outside where they belong, but I don't like having them in the house, especially if my bf isn't home to kill them. I doubt if there is a link between arachnophobia and SA. Lots of people who don't have SA are freaked out by spiders.

 

[espearite]

Fear of spiders (and snakes, rats, etc) is a natural instinct, which protects us from being bitten by venomous/dangerous creatures. I don't mind spiders if they are outside where they belong, but I don't like having them in the house, especially if my bf isn't home to kill them. I doubt if there is a link between arachnophobia and SA. Lots of people who don't have SA are freaked out by spiders.

I also have been known to get others to kill spiders, yes.

I was told there was a link between fear of reptiles and women from a religious standpoint. God perhaps has made woman to fear snakes, rats, etc., because Satan himself deceived her as a snake. I didn't buy it, because I learned Jim Carey has this phobia, too. Does that make him a woman? lol.. I don't mean to start a religious debate here, this is not my intention.

 

[MaidMarian]

I was told there was a link between fear of reptiles and women from a religious standpoint. God perhaps has made woman to fear snakes, rats, etc., because Satan himself deceived her as a snake. I didn't buy it, because I learned Jim Carey has this phobia, too. Does that make him a woman? lol.. I don't mean to start a religious debate here, this is not my intention.

LOL I don't buy that one, either. My guy thinks the only good snake is a dead snake but I, on the other hand, love snakes. I think it is true, though, that most women are more squeamish about creepy-crawlies than most guys are. Have you ever heard that old poem....can't remember all of it, but it says: "Little girls are made of sugar, spice and everything nice. Little boys are made of snakes, snails and puppy-dog tails." Girls are brought up to be scared of bugs and things like that, but boys aren't.

 

[PickleNose]

Spiders are just hideous little things. I don't want to hear about them catching insects or whatever. I don't care. I don't want them near me.

 

[quietgal]

I used to be terrified of spiders but I've come not to mind them so much as long as they're not really big, and they stay put - the spiders around here at least tend to stick to their little corners and not bother anyone. I've even started to think of them as allies, since they eat other insects, and I'm much more scared of other house critters like house centipedes and carpenter ants. With the exception of daddy long legs, or any other creature with ludicrously long legs - those freak me the hell out.

 

[rachelynn]

Now I have to look around my room to make sure there are no..."you know whats" lurking about....just because I read this. :um Yeah, I really don't like them at all. Big ones? OMG forget it, I can't tolerate them, and they freak me out like crazy (you know, those certain ones that people can have as "pets" AHHH)....little ones, doesnt bother me as much, I mean, they are tolerable but I still really hate them and run away and get someone to destroy the evil thing for me, lol. Although sometimes if I feel as if I can do it, I kill them myself.

 

[ManOnTheMOON]

yah i hate spiders too, i woke up once with a big one dangling above my head after it had just biten me several times when I was sleeping in the basement. After that because of sleep paralysis i sometimes have these halucinations when im waking up of a spider crawling on the wall. lol its not a great way to start the day.

 

[ellektra]

I don't really hate spiders -- unless they crawl on me. I was getting dressed one morning and a huge wolf spider crawled out of the jacket I was putting on and up my arm. Aaaaaaah! It still creeps me out today just thinking about it. However, I will admit to having an obsessive fear of scorpions... gotta love living in the desert.

 

[KyleThomas]

My sister and me have had a fear of spiders since we were kids. At one point in our childhood, she could pick up a daddy long leg by the leg, and have it dangling. I have only gotten near spiders in instances where it has been out of bravery to kill them.

I've always been afraid of any type of spider, especially the larger ones.

Strangely enough, larger spiders don't bother me. I've no problems with either the really tiny ones, or the ones the size of a dinner plate. It's the regular-sized spiders that come into your house that I can't stand. Even knowing one is somewhere in the room has my nerves on edge. I think it's the quick, scuttling movement that I really can't stand.

 

[Dying note]

Lol...sometimes after I've found a spider in my room, I'll spend up to an hour if not longer looking through every inch of my room to make sure there are no more hiding. And I'll mention my room is very small, but I just get incredibly anxious about spiders. I used to not be able to kill them, or if I did I would have to leave it for someone else to pick up because I couldn't bear going near it again (I guess out of fear that it wansn't really all the way dead or something weird like that...), but now it's all gotten a little better. I don't have to have someone else around in order to get rid of them, except when it comes to the huge spiders (which is rare). My family could never understand what the fear was about and even when I mentioned that it's just a phobia I have--I was still looked at as if I was crazy. Nobody else in my immediate family has this phobia.

 

[AHolivier]

I hate spiders and snakes, and I'm prone to asking my dad or whoever is nearby to kill a spider. Small ones don't bother me, but ones with huge legs really frightens me.
As for snakes, I guess I can thank the Bible for putting the fear in me.
Oh, and I also am afraid of mole crickets. They look like spiders, they're humongous, and they hang out in my basement.

 

[SK7]

I also have been known to get others to kill spiders, yes.

I was told there was a link between fear of reptiles and women from a religious standpoint. God perhaps has made woman to fear snakes, rats, etc., because Satan himself deceived her as a snake. I didn't buy it, because I learned Jim Carey has this phobia, too. Does that make him a woman? lol.. I don't mean to start a religious debate here, this is not my intention.

i'm a girl & i'm not rly afraid of snakes so... yea. doubt it's true.

 

[SK7]

i'm terrified of spiders though i doubt it has a link w/ my SA. i'm also REEALLY REEAALLY scared of bees & wasps & yellow jackets.

 

[Meli24R]

I don't have a problem with a lot of critters that people tend to be afraid of. Reptiles, snakes, bats, rats and mice don't bother me at all. But I do have a huge fear of spiders. I was even afraid of fake spiders when I was young. It sucks because I live out in the middle of nowhere..I'm surrounded by fields and every summer I find all types of spiders in my house. There was one in my living room a few weeks ago uggghh I couldn't believe how big it was.
Centipedes and most bugs creep me out too.

 

[espearite]

Arg, rats are not reptiles. Sorry, I fibbed there. But I can relate to some of you. My fear has gotten to the point to where I wake up at night and just look around the bed, hoping to find a spider. I think it's hilarious having this fear (I laugh about it), but it's also something that just isn't fun either. It can get pretty bad and there have been instances where I am to the point of feeling like I'm facing death (when its just my imagination seeing a spider!). There is behavioral therapy for it. It's one of the things I think I'm getting help for, before I die. For those who don't have a problem, give us some of your umph! LOL :b

 

[espearite]

Have you ever heard that old poem....can't remember all of it, but it says: "Little girls are made of sugar, spice and everything nice. Little boys are made of snakes, snails and puppy-dog tails." Girls are brought up to be scared of bugs and things like that, but boys aren't.

Oh yes, I've heard the song. I've just never heard the ending about what boys are made of. I do believe that that fear of creepy crawlies is reinforced on the female gender though. Some of the things boys are encouraged to do is not mind the dirt at all, and that can lead to bugs and spiders, etc. Girls are encouraged to play with dolls, houses (cleanliness), dressing up (pretty stuff). That's something I do attribute to some of my fear, no doubt.