Arachnophobia
Many people get scared when they see a spider run across the floor of their home. Girls scream when they see them. Some men run away. Of course, most people do not really like spiders, but we are not obsessively afraid of them either. But some people have an unreasonable fear of spiders. The scientific name for this is called arachnophobia. The word comes from the Greek word arachne,which means spider. Phobia means fear.
A mental Condition
Different people suffer to different degrees. For some people with arachnophobia,it is just a mild condition. Others will yell and scream if they see a spider or spider web. They might become very anxious or start sweating. Their heart might start to speed up or they might have trouble breathing. A person who suffers from arachnophobia might avoid going near dark corners. They might even avoid reaching underneath their kitchen sink to grab a bottle of detergent. They do this because they fear that a spider is living there and will attack them. People who suffer badly from arachnophobia cannot enter a room unless someone else checks it out for spiders first. One woman, called Miss Muffet, was so afriad of spiders that she washed her car twice a day. She even used a burning cigarette to scare off the spiders.
Reasons
Historically, spiders in Europe were thought to carry diseases. During the 14th century, the Black Plague swept across Europe killing millions of people.People believed that any food that any food that a spider had touched was infected. Spiders were believed to bring death. But actually, the plague was spread by infected rats-not spiders. In Western countries, nine out of 10 people who suffer from arachnophobia are women. Of couse, the tendency of hollywood to make cheap science fiction movies about giant spiders does not help those with arachnophobia.
Treatment
One of the best ways to treat arachnophobia is to slowly confront spiders. Through aversion therapy, patients gradually get closer and closer to spiders. The therapist or doctor encourages patients to stand 15 meters away from the spider. The next time, they only stand 10 meter away. Other patients are given medication to reduce their anxiety of spiders.