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Arachnophobia - The fear of spiders and other arachnids


Arachnophobia is the fear of spiders and other arachnids. It is a very common phobia. Those with arachnophobia feels difficult to be in areas where there are visible signs of spiders. They gets panic on seeing a spider and will get humiliated if they panic in the presence of others. it is reported that about 50% of women and 10% of men have this phobia. Mostly Europeans are caught by this phobia. Arachnophobics are of two types, monitors who search for spiders and monitors its movements and blunters who does any thing to avoid seeing a spider.

Symptoms

Sweating, breathlessness, panic, heart palpitations, screaming, freezing in a place, running away, nausea, dizziness, limiting activities to those where there is no chance for seeing a spider.

Causes

Fear of venomous spidersis the cause of this fear. After tenth century Europeans believed spiders as the cause of plague and hence the fear developed among them and flourished as a heriditary disease. The experience of fear, physiological response along with motor responses lead to this phobia. It is also believed that as most of the spiders are venomous our ancestors induced this fear in children as a survival teghnique. This is folowed in genes to new generation also.

Treatment

Systematic desensitisation is the traditional method of treatment in which the phobiac slowly learns to face the fear. They are slowly exposed to the picture of spiders and later with real ones. Virtual reality is yet another method in which patient wears a VR helmet or VR glove. They move VR glove until they feel that a spider is moving across the hand. This spider image is a 3D image generated by a computer. Behaviour treatment is yet another acceptable method in which arachnophobics are educated about spiders. They are made to familiarise with spiders. Cognitive Behavioural therapy is also useful. Aversion therapy or direct shock therapy where patients are forced to move close to a spider and to stop when they feel ultimate fear. Stopping reduces the fear and then they are to move more closer. This method can slowly reduce the phobia. Hypnosis is also found useful. Medicines are given to reduce anxiety along with Psychotherapy.

Alternative medicine

There are homeopathic medicines too to reduce fear and anxiety. This is gaining popularity now a days.

Necrophobia - intense revulsion on seeing dead things

Necrophobia is the fear of dead things and is rare when compared to other phobias. Those with Necrophobia suffer intense revulsion on seeing dead things. They are not afraid of their own death. Those who are afraid of their own death is under a condition called Thanatophobia. Necrohobia can cause emotional damage as those who are phobic may not be able to visit any funeral even if of closed relatives.

Symptoms

Even the sight of a dead thing or ccorpse on television can trigger their fear

Breathlesness

Dread fear, anxiety and trepidation

Drying of mouth

Difficulty to speak

Sweating

Feeling panic and terror

Rapid heartbeat

Infrequent and asymmetrical heart beat

Nausea

Trembling

Feeling sick and queasy

Psychological instability

Necrophobic will take extreme measures to avoid attending a funeral or such situations.

Causes

An event in the past (exposure to a dead body or dead animal). Some sight on television like brutal death of an animal can lead to this condition. Personal exposure to such thing is the most common cause. Those witha general tendency towards fear and anxiety, those who are high strung, and people suffering from adrenal insufficiency has more risk to have this phobia. Life-experiences when combined with heredity, genetics, and brain chemistry can lead to such situations.

Treatment

Hypnotherapy is the most effective method of treatment for this phobia. A psychiatrist specially trained can help you to solve the issue. Behaviour therapy is yet another effective method. Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is the method by which your reaction to a dead thing is rescheduled. This is very effective and rapid. Self help NLP techniques are also very effective. Energy Psychology is another effective rapid, safeand long-lasting method to treat Necrophobia. It is otherwise called emotional acupuncture. By this method patients thought patterns change very fast and mind is in control, relaxed. Patient develop s certain skills and techniques useful for lifetime. Spirituality is also good as it will develop a feeling that there is some thing to protect you in danger. Proper exercise along with healthy diet and support from family and friends can do miracles to those suffering from phobias. Anxiety medications help to reduce symptoms. Desensitization work is also very helpful to treat this phobia.

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"The information provided on this blog may or may not be relevent. All the information are
collected from various sources and websites. Please take advice from registered medical
practitioner before trying the treatment explained in this blog. We will not take any
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