Why are we afraid of spiders?

10 photos + text.

Arachnophobia - fear of spiders. It is one of the most common phobias in the world.





About spiders shoot horror movies, afraid of girls in school, image of spiders packed as awesome tattoos on his body. And by the way, the spiders are afraid of water, fire, and people. After all, we compared to them - the Giants.

The question arises: why? Why are we afraid of small, harmless spiders, which not only does not cause any inconvenience to people, but also help us? Needless to say that the spider, which may appear in the house of everyone, even the cleanliness of us theoretically should annoy a lot less than, for example, a fly (spider is not buzzing, flying across the room, and carries an infection), or mosquito (anyone ever bitten by a spider?). The usual "home" Spider thought, may even be useful - such as the fact that most catches the pesky flies and other unpleasant insects. However, many people do not just do not like spiders, most people are disgusted, and some even fear them. Panic.



Where are the roots of this phobia of spiders?

Scientists have studied the problem and brought several theories about the fear of spiders.



Theory number one phobia. Danger.

Like it or not, all of us are deeply buried instinct that once helped our ancestors survive. In many regions of live poisonous spider bites can provoke certain death. Once upon a time women had to guard the property, while the men hunted food. To save yourself and your children from insect bites, our great-grandmother carefully examined the space around. If you see a spider, which could be dangerous, it is immediately destroyed. Since then, we try to get rid of the spider as a serious danger. By the way, one of the proofs of the theory of the origin of phobias - what women fear spiders more often than men.



Theory number two phobia. Surprise.

Spiders have one most unpleasant property - often they come near us suddenly and immediately - in the vicinity of our body. In addition, their body is designed so that it is impossible to determine in which direction the spider is going to run. Well, in the end, the spider runs rapidly, which makes his behavior unpredictable. A man, in turn, is not very fond of the intruders and unpleasant surprises.



Theory number three phobias. Stereotype.

I bet every one of us as a child saw some lady, horror food on the type of spider or a mouse. Since our character, habits and vision of the world is formed almost exclusively in childhood, the child can easily take over this behavior as the appropriate situation and starts to behave the same way. Later, a grown man struggling unsuccessfully with a phobia even without knowing where it grows legs. One of the evidence - the fact that arachnophobia is its geography. In some countries, spiders, not only are not afraid, but even considered a delicacy, and children can easily touch the spiders the size of a palm.



Theory number four phobia. Difference.

According to this once-popular theory, people are more afraid of the animal, the more it differs from person. Six feet, six eyes - indeed, the spider does not like us too. However, this theory has long been seriously considered - if only because, for example, that the fish like us even less than the spiders, but a phobia of fish if there is, it certainly is not as widespread as arachnophobia.



Treating a phobia of spiders.

There are several ways to combat fear of spiders. One of the ways that you can use at home - look at the pictures of spiders. By the way, one of the features arachnophobia - the fact that people may be afraid of the image much more than the present, the living spider. First, you can look at spiders from cartoons to illustrations for books. Later proceed to the photographs of these, but not very scary spiders - for example, home, or just a little. The next step - this is when you can without straining to look at pictures of spiders scary for you. The penultimate stage - video. On the Internet there are a lot of movies, one has only to dial the YouTube «Spider", and a huge number of different video will be at your service. Last, the final stage is that the person suffering from arachnophobia, while looking at a photo of spider and eat .... "Chip" is that a person who is afraid can not eat physically. Accordingly, the mechanism works in reverse: when you eat, you can not be afraid.

As a precaution it is recommended arachnophobia imagine how the spider would have laughed if he knew that this huge creature - man - afraid of screaming and climbs on a stool because of him, so small.



Another way - the most radical, it - the most effective. This direct contact with a live spider. Most are afraid of large spiders Arachnophobia, respectively, the contact with the small house spider is not as effective as staying in the same room (at least!) With a tarantula or a tarantula. Let the spider is in a closed terrarium, and you will get there with a man who just will not frighten you or laugh at your pain. For the daring can even drink a little - does not hurt. First, it will be terrible, very much so. But then you get used to the fact that you are with the spider - the object of your fear, in the immediate vicinity, but nothing truly terrible happens. After some time you can calmly look at him. Contrary to about spiders that have developed because of the horror movies, spiders are mostly calm nature, they can spend hours in the same position. After such treatment arachnophobia, if not disappear until the end, then, at least, it will not be so strong.



But the most "hardened" Arachnophobia is recommended to consult with a therapist but, in fact, as in the case of any other strong phobia.



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