My hubby was scared of spiders as a kid. He ended up having to learn a little about them in school. He began reading more about them and somehow he was able to gradually tolerate them. Now at 67, he will scoop them up on a paper and put them outside. (That's SO much of a better reaction than his childhood panic attacks!) He still doesn't want them to touch him, but that's a long way from freaking out!

Fear is often based on one thing- lack of knowledge! We fear the unknown. It's that simple. Sometimes, education, combined with slow desensitization is all that is needed to overcome a phobia.

Now fear of some things, rattlesnakes, growling pit bulls, ax murderers, is just plain common sense! It's a pretty basic survival skill to be afraid of such things. Fear of a black widow, is understandable considering it's bite. However, that fear should not send you screaming down the hall. It should just motivate you to take off your shoe and squish the little monster! Fear, resulting in panic, at the sight of a common grass spider, is totally out of proportion!

The problem is not the fear itself, but the level of fear. I work with kids and occasionally, something will frighten one of them. My job then, is to educate and reassure the child. I try to turn what could easily be the seed of a phobia, into a learning experience.

The reaction of an adult to a stimulus (a spider, as an example) often sets how the child will react to that stimulus in the future. If the adult freaks, acts disgusted or displays other strong emotions, the child will often copy that reaction then and in the future. And you know how little kids can sometimes blow things WAY out of proportion??? Well, guess what can happen to that "adopted" reaction!

I hope all of you find your way out of your phobias. A lot of people manage it on their own. If your phobia is really stubborn and you hate it, reread what BirdGirl said. - Granny:hippy: