Horror Stories of Spider Fear
Since starting this business, I have heard some real horror stories of how spider fear (arachnophobia) has drastically affected people's lives. These stories have come from my clients, my friends, and even random people when the topic of what I do for work comes up. (I can tell you, being an animal phobia therapist does pique a lot of interest!) I would like to highlight a few of these stories in this blog, hopefully to inspire arachnophobes to seek treatment.
Because spiders can appear anytime, anyplace, it can feel like there is no escape from this phobia. Additionally, the unpredictable nature of spiders can also make this phobia incredibly dangerous for people. When a fear can dictate how you live your life and even your own safety, it's time to get some help. Thankfully, there are highly effective options to get over a spider phobia quickly. There is no need to sacrifice your enjoyment in life (or even your life itself!) Will any of these stories sound familiar to you?
Spiders In The Car: A Deadly Situation
One such story was of a very arachnophobic lady who was driving her car with her 3 small children inside. A spider came down on its web right in front of her while she was on a busy motorway. She completely panicked and took her hands off the wheel to swat the spider. The car veered into another lane, and she just barely missed the ongoing traffic. She nearly crashed her car, endangering herself and her children. Thankfully, she and no one else was hurt, but the story could have ended up much differently!
Sadly, I do know of some people who have gotten into car crashes because of a spider in their car. Another client panicked very badly when he saw a spider on his clothes while driving. He swerved whilst trying to regain control of the vehicle and, unfortunately, hit another car. Though both parties had to go to the hospital, no one had lasting injuries. However, I think this highlights how a spider phobia can even be fatal!
Spider Fear Stopping Travel
Another story was of a couple trying to find an exciting destination for their honeymoon. However, due to the woman's fear of spiders, no suitable location could be agreed upon, and they just stayed in England. She has still never left the country to this day because of her fear of running into a spider in a foreign country! The husband is trying to convince her to seek help, but she is still struggling to accept that she must face her fears. Sadly, it causes friction in their relationship, and she is missing out on a lot in her life.
Another woman cut her dream holiday short because of her fear of spiders. She was traveling in Australia and saw a huntsman in her bedroom. This encounter terrified her so much she cancelled the rest of her trip, even though she was only 2 days in and had travelled halfway around the world to get there. She lost not only an experience of a lifetime but a lot of money as well!
I also know of a man who had family in Malaysia, but he didn't want to visit them because of his fear of spiders. Unfortunately, his family did not have enough money to visit him in England. He had not seen them in years, and sadly, his elderly mother passed away without him being able to say goodbye. Finally, he got help for his spider phobia, and it only took a day for him to overcome the fear! He felt so guilty that he hadn't just done it sooner.
Becoming Physically Trapped By The Fear Of Spiders
One of my friends ended up on a coffee table for three hours in her underwear in the middle of winter because of a spider. She refused to move until her housemate came home to help, despite being very cold! Another client couldn't sleep all night when she stayed over at a friend's. She had seen a spider crawl under her bed, so she slept on the very uncomfortable sofa. Many clients have told me stories of calling friends or family, waking them up in the middle of the night, and dragging them over to help remove the spider; some even driving far distances! Yet another client refused to go into the bathroom because a spider 'had moved in' and missed showering for a couple of days! She had no one to help her remove it, so she just stopped using that bathroom until someone could come over to help!
I knew another lady who became trapped from entering her home because of her spider fear. She was coming home late from a night out and saw a big spider making a web near her doorframe. She panicked and stayed outside in the winter cold for hours. Then she got a random drunk guy to remove the spider for her, which she admits was a very silly and dangerous thing to do!
Spider Phobia Ruining Relationships
Having a spider phobia can also ruin your relationship! The stress can put a considerable strain on a significant other. Romantic partners have to constantly be the ones to deal with the spider and the panic attacks. Also, their lives are compromised and made smaller because of their partner's spider phobia. For example, if travelling is limited, it can ruin dreams of seeing the world together.
I did have a client who actually got divorced over her spider phobia. She would keep her husband up all night if there was a spider. Sleeping wasn't an option if it wasn't caught. She would regularly call him to go to wherever she was and have him remove a spider if she was on her own. Once, he even had to come home during the middle of a work meeting. There was a spider in the bathroom while she was taking a bath, and she wouldn't leave the water! Eventually, he had just had enough as she was so stubborn about getting help. This sad ending of their relationship made her realise that it was time to finally face her fear and get over her spider phobia for good. The cost was too high.
Freedom From Arachnophobia Is Possible
The point is that spiders are everywhere and unavoidable in life. Additionally, they can pop up anywhere at any time. Though one might think they can just "deal" with having a spider phobia, it's not that easy. A spider phobia will continue limiting the quality of life with constant stress, embarrassment, and, in some circumstances, even danger.
Imagine a life where that burden is no longer there. You can calmly deal with a spider in any situation, whether it be brushing it aside, catching and releasing it, or simply ignoring it and not feeling any stress. Imagine a life where you are not hindered from going or doing anything because you are in control of your emotions.
The problem is, when you don't face your fears, you only make the fear worse. We wrote an entire blog on the science of this, but basically, you train the survival part of your brain that spiders are a real threat. And it's not spiders who are the threat. It is the extreme reaction to spiders that is the threat! More than anything, spiders just want to run away, not bite or hurt you. Moreover, UK spiders also don't have a dangerous bite. In fact, we wrote another blog on how spiders are actually not that dangerous at all!
The Spider Courage Experience Can Cure Spider Fear!
The good news is that this is fully possible in just one day to get over your fear of spiders. You no longer have to suffer for years in every aspect of your life. Don't let your life story end up like some of the ones in this blog. Creature Courage is the UK's leading arachnophobia specialist, and we are here to help! We run the world famous Spider Courage Experience, which has helped thousands of people get over their fear of spiders. We have so many amazing testimonials of thousands of lives changed.
Uniquely combining many different proven therapeutic techniques, including exposure therapy, 99% of our Spider Courage Clients are getting over their spider fear in just one day! Not only this, but our therapy will also help you address general anxiety. We give you the tools, techniques, and awareness of how to get your brain to work for you, instead of against you. This means the benefits of the therapy go far beyond just the treatment of arachnophobia.
Find out more about our therapy and get in touch with us today.
