Fear of Spiders

Arachnophobia, the fear of spiders is a commonly shared fear by almost every human being. Spiders are eight legged, not to mention, creepy and crawly and usually downright ugly so what is not to be scared about them? Some are venomous, most bite, and they seemingly lurk about somewhere in almost every household.

For most people, including myself, just the thought of a spider can make even the toughest people cringe. A spider crawling across a wall can make an adult shriek in terror and run away rather avoiding the room completely than kill it with ease with a shoe. Even the sight of a spider’s web can gross someone out knowing one may be lurking right above them!

Most people are deathly afraid of spiders and are usually traumatized in some way by one early on in life just like how most fears are born. A huge spider may have crawled up a person’s leg or maybe one bit the person when they were younger leaving them terrified at the thought or site of a spider. In general, the fear of spiders is an evolutionary one that came about through human avoidance of venomous spiders, of which some can kill.

My personal fear of spiders began when I was younger. As previously mentioned you could say I had a traumatizing event with a spider, which has made me quite afraid of the eight legged creatures. For most people, the common fear of a bug or spider crawling on them while they are sleeping is perhaps the most terrifying thought that one could fathom. Well, this exact thing happened to me when I was young. I was lying in bed only to wake up to something weird gliding across my leg, which as a ten year old boy scared me to death. In a panic I jumped out of my bed and threw my covers off; and yes of course, I was freaking out at the thought of something creepy being in my bed. Once I had managed to get the light on, yep, there it was, in my bed! A giant brown eight legged freak! I remember almost peeing in my pajamas at the thought of this thing crawling all over me while I was sleeping. It could have bitten me, or worse laid eggs in my mouth or something crazy like that! Unlike most people running away from the spider; I somehow found the courage to bash it to death until it was pretty much nothing except mush rendering it incapable of harming me.

Although my fear of spiders was a bit extreme when I was younger I would say it is not as bad as it is today. I still am disgusted by the sight of them and avoid them at all costs but I know if I have something to hit them with than I will be just fine.