Has anyone tried any form of aversion therapy to get used to these beasts? As a confirmed arachnaphobe, it is the one thing I am REALLY dreading. My son has tried to help me, (bless him), by pointing out the very large spiders which creep up the plughole in the sink in our utility room, which has had limited success, i.e. I don`t now run screaming from the room, but still feel shaky and sick at the thought of having to look closely at it...

I have wondered about various methods, e.g. hypnotherapy (but it didn`t work when I was trying to stop smoking!), acupuncture (not particularly keen on needles!) and the more traditional aversion therapies, where they put you in a closed room with the object you are terrified of and you just sweat it out, but not sure I can handle it... any advice would be much appreciated.

P.S. snakes, crocs, and other aussie beasts don`t phase me at all... so I`m not a completely lost cause...

I'd rather EAT GLASS and gargle with vinegar than lock myself in a room with a
spider! Good luck.

    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >

Helena wrote:

[usenetquote2]> > Has anyone tried any form of aversion therapy to get used to these beasts? As a[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > confirmed arachnaphobe, it is the one thing I am REALLY dreading. My son has[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > tried to help me, (bless him), by pointing out the very large spiders which creep[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > up the plughole in the sink in our utility room, which has had limited success,[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > i.e. I don`t now run screaming from the room, but still feel shaky and sick at[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > the thought of having to look closely at it...[/usenetquote2]
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
[usenetquote2]> > I have wondered about various methods, e.g. hypnotherapy (but it didn`t work when[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > I was trying to stop smoking!), acupuncture (not particularly keen on needles!)[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > and the more traditional aversion therapies, where they put you in a closed room[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > with the object you are terrified of and you just sweat it out,[/usenetquote2]
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >

My method is to RUN. I also have a 'husband'. If you haven't got one, you just must
find one. They are really good for spider type things. This is what you do: First -
RUN Second - scream out - <husband's name> SPIDER Third - when you are in another
room, sit down and calm down. Fourth - do not return until 'husband' has removed said
spider to a far away place.

If husband is out (emergency procedures)
1. RUN
2. Do not use room that spider is in until husband has come home and dealt with
it. Sleep on the sofa, do not shower, and that's why we have 2 toilets in the house.

Quote of actual conversation in our house: Son - what type of spider is that Dad? Dad
- (whack) It's a wider spider.

Hey, I'm born and bred here, and I still can't convince myself to go near enough to
huntsmen to whack the bloody things. Whereas my pommie husband will entice them onto
a stick/shoe/whatever, and then carry them safely out of the house and release them
in the wild!!! We both make wider spiders out of redbacks though - but then, they
stay still while you kill them. LJ

Reading your post reminded me of when I was migrating from the UK to Oz some years
ago. I read so much about the deadly spiders, snakes, sharks and crocodiles and was
wondering if the whole thing was a good idea! I've now been here for 12 yrs and have
learned to put it all in perspective. Just as we do not (really, we don't) have roos
hopping down the streets of Sydney we are also not constantly swamped by creepy
crawlies. I can't deny you may well see the occassional large spider but they are
generally not lurking in every corner waiting for you. If you're really concerned try
keeping a cat
    >
Good luck with your move,

Steve

    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >

Hi Teri,

Part of the phobia is probably that you don;t know where it's going to go next but
you do know the damn things can sprint faster than Michael Johnson!

Why don't you buy a spider from a pet store and keep it in a proper cage in the
utility room. Every time you feel brave go down and have a look ;)

Andrew.

Teri M wrote:

    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >

"Steve@Newsgroups" <[email protected]> : ..>If you're really concerned
try keeping a cat
    >
How does a cat help?!

chases and kills bugs, spiders, etc. many animals (cats/dogs) are immune to insect
venoms that would ordinarily pose threat (or at least great discomfort) to humans.

    >
    >
[usenetquote2]> > :)[/usenetquote2]
    >

Cool, never knew that.. Any downside in having a cat?

"X" <[email protected]> :
    >
to
    >
    >
Me:> > How does a cat help?!

allergies, if you have them...claws, if you dont decaw them...irritating howling if
you don't <snip> them ...other than that, as a FORMER cat hater, I actually like
having one around now...

    >
    >
    >
[usenetquote2]> > chases and kills bugs, spiders, etc. many animals (cats/dogs) are[/usenetquote2]
immune
    >
[usenetquote2]> > insect venoms that would ordinarily pose threat (or at least great discomfort) to[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > humans.[/usenetquote2]
    >
    >

Hills,

What if your husband is more terrified than yourself? do these dreaded Huntsman run for you or away from you.

Jerry

cats
 

There is quite a downside in having a very lazy cat who can't be bothered to chase the things (and I do ask my cat politely). This is just for British spiders so it's not much to ask, and she will chase mice, bite their heads off & leave the entrails as a pressie for me, but not spiders.

Cats do like killing things & bringing them to you - what if you found a dead Koala on your living room carpet? Not nice.

My question is - How would you test a cat's aptitude for chasing spiders prior to purchase? Would dangling one of those fake pet shop spiders in front of it be an adequate test? And what if the cat was just faking it, trying to impress you? :(

jeremy irons wrote:

    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >

You're in trouble! They just run around ... manic. Half the problem is their
unpredictability... you don't know which direction they're going to go in, and when
they do move, they move so fast. LJ

Hills wrote:

    >
    >
[usenetquote2]> > Hills,[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > What if your husband is more terrified than yourself? do these dreaded Huntsman[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > run for you or away from you.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > Jerry[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> > --[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]

    >
    >
    >
    >

He He He, Very ambiguous <G>. I've just read my own post- now, was I writing about
husbands or Huntsmen???

Kinda fits both! Although the 'manic' description also describes my kids... LJ