Is it possible to cure yourself of a phobia?

Susie_Q

There's a chance I'll be sent overseas soon with my job, to a country where the spiders are large, hairy and numerous. I have a childish fear of spiders and have been reading about how to cure yourself of a phobia. The general idea is to gradually expose yourself to your fear more and more until you become more relaxed and less afraid.

I've been looking at pictures of really big awful spiders but can't bring myself to look at videos yet. I'm hoping this will help lessen my fear and get on with things if I move abroad.

Has anyone ever managed to cure themselves of a phobia? If so, how did you do it and how has it changed your life?

Hookah

Look up online self-hypnosis scripts, or better still go see a reputable hypnotist or NLP practitioner.

hal9000

Only magical spiders can cure phobias, so I guess your out of luck!

themadchef

What is it about the spider that bugs you?

dpe

My missus had a massive fear of cats (I mean huge, ran away if there was a cat within a hundred yards, not an exaggeration), and she went on an EFT course (emotional freedom therapy). I'm a massive sceptic about, well...everything, but I have to admit, this worked amazingly well. She still doesn't like cats, but she can deal with them being within a foot or two of her.

biko

AH -> Phobia experts.

Btw, when I studied psychology there was a two forms of treatment I remember:
de-sensitising and flooding.

Praetorian Saighdiuir

Where are ya off ta and what will your living accommodation be like?

I hate spiders too and have been in a few places where there are big ones. I get freaked out by them bigtime. Depending on your accommodation, I may have a few suggestions.

Susie_Q

Off to Asia; don't know what the accommodation will be like but should be in a proper building with concrete walls rather than huts or tents.

As for what bothers me about the spiders, I think it's the movement. They're so bloody quick and I hate their scuttling legs; there's so many of them!

xoxyx

I have heard of people being cured of phobias by them being introduced, slowly, to the things they are afraid of.

It's very simple. Let's say that you are afraid of - spiders! So, you'll never be near a spider if you can help it, and if you see a spider you'll run.

Well, you sit down on a chair with a spider on the arm of the chair. It creeps you out, but you don't run. And nothing bad happens!

The next time, the spider is a bit closer.

In the end, the spider is on your arm. And nothing bad happens!

You might always hate them, but, rather than freaking out the next time you come across a spider, you may shudder, but you know that nothing bad will happen.

That's how I reckon it works anyway!

(This won't work with killer spiders btw...)

Hookah

biko wrote: »

Btw, when I studied psychology there was a two forms of treatment I remember:
de-sensitising and flooding.

Flooding kills the spiders?

biko

Flooding is for instance trapping someone who is afraid of elevators inside a lift and sending them up and down all day.
Once the screaming had subsided they'll realise there was nothing to worry about (unless lift jolts a bit and then all hell breaks loose).

Joking aside:
http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Flooding

Flooding is a form of behaviour therapy for the treatment of phobias and other anxiety disorders.. It is called an exposure treatment, where the patient is exposed to their feared object . In doing so the realisation that they have encountered their most dreaded object or situation, and come to no actual harm, can be a powerful form of therapy.

michelledoh

Susie_Q wrote: »

There's a chance I'll be sent overseas soon with my job, to a country where the spiders are large, hairy and numerous. I have a childish fear of spiders and have been reading about how to cure yourself of a phobia. The general idea is to gradually expose yourself to your fear more and more until you become more relaxed and less afraid.

I've been looking at pictures of really big awful spiders but can't bring myself to look at videos yet. I'm hoping this will help lessen my fear and get on with things if I move abroad.

Has anyone ever managed to cure themselves of a phobia? If so, how did you do it and how has it changed your life?

Two years ago i developed a very bad phobia of daogs after i witnessed my own dog being attacked. If i saw a dog i would hyperventilate, cry and feel very faint. But I love to walk everywhere and i just couldn't escape dogs so this kept happening.

I had to come face on with my fear and research dogs. I looked up (not videos of them attacking- that would be madness) but reasons that call them to attack, how to react in that situation and how to handle strange dogs. Eventually i felt braver with that knowledge and when I understood the reason the dogs could attacked i knew what not to do in situation.

The main thing with any phobia is to try and stay calm, think logical and NOT TO PANIC!! That makes the situation much worse and if their are animals or insects involved they can sense your panic!

Good luck with the re-location!

Dermo

you need to come face to face with your fear. I can set up an ideal scenario for you where you watch arachnophobia in a room by yourself that is only lit by the tv. Then I will slowly release spiders into the room.

You may freak out and start killing them and then your fear will be gone because you now know they can be defeated.
Or you and the spiders will live in perfect harmony and bond over the cinema watching experience. Maybe you and one of the spiders can even go on a second date to watch 8 Legged Freaks. (may not be appropriate if other spider has a family member who suffers from giantism)

See, only 2 perfectly reasonable outcomes. Want to give it a go?