Fear of Spiders

[Kalei]

Okay, today I am totally creeped out at work. I liked working in a warehouse til now. I think because today its warm, I have found countless spiders everywhere. I can set a box down and within five minutes there is a spider attached to it and its disgusting. I even pulled out my chair at a desk in the warehouse and there was a spider on it! I am so creeped out that I am walking at like 1 km per hour and I can't unfold my arms from my chest and stop looking around at everything for a spider.

I have a fear of spiders and their webs, I don't have it as bad as some people, but I have it bad enough that I run away from them or freak out like an idiot and try to step on them, and my hands get clammy. I am in the office right now, and I don't even want to go back out to the warehouse, but I know I will have to.

I don't know what to do..does anyone know of any good ways to try and calm a phobia of spiders? I dont' think I can work like this for the whole summer, its driving me insane and I've only been here for 2 hours.

Please Help me!!!

[moosmom]

My friend Pam has a horrible fear of spiders. We were painting her kitchen and one ran across the counter. I gasped and said, "Ohhhh!!!! A......sBUG!!" She looked at me like I had 2 heads, "A sBUG??? What's a sBUG?"

I didn't have the heart to tell her it was a spider. I knew she'd freak.

So do NOT feel alone.

[Blue_Frog]

Well, you could always carry a rolled up news-paper around with you for spider smacking ... although, my Oma always said that if you squish a spider it will rain.

I guess with all the smishing you'd do, you'd have a perpetual little rain cloud following you around like something from a Douglas Adams book

I generally try to save the spiders in cups and take them outside -- i'm sure its just a chance for them to find reinforcements, and come back to the condo and camp out.

[Kalei]

lol, I'm glad no one seen me this morning cause I was walking around the warehouse with a four foot flourescent tube to get the spiders gone, I must have looked pretty funny.

I always put big spiders in a cup and let them go outside, but the small ones scare me so much that I stomp on them before I even give a thought to saving them. I only found one more within the last hour, maybe they will leave me alone finally I hope.

[KittyGurl]

I hate Spiders! I hate all bugs execpt butterflies and lady bugs.
This is really funny. My grandma bought this plant for one of my aunt's. I was sitting in the back seat cuz my grandma's friend was sitting up front. Well, when my grandma made a turn, all this dirt caming flying out of the plant and onto the seat. And there were ants all over! I was screaming and screaming and I don't know what. I took off my shoe and started slapping random places at the seat. It was so funny!

[Hellow]

To everyone that has a phobia of spiders, just remember that they are benificial to the enviroment and they kill otherwise harmful insects that damage crops.

[Laura's Babies]

The biggest engineer we ever had on the boat I work on was a mountian of a man.... super tall and large! A HUDGE man! He was scared to death of spiders and would run like a sissy when one was around. He use to carry around a can of bug spray all day. At least twice a day, he would walk the whole boat and spray everywhere for spiders and I have to admit, while he rode with us, we never had anymore insdie the boat..

Could you get them to buy you a case of bug spray and spray around in the areas you work in?

[Marigold2]

Oh spiders and ants creep me out. Ants are mean and ugly, spiders are just ugly............................

[Taz_Zoee]

I read this post today while I was at work, but wasn't logged in. I was laughing (not at your fear), but because my co-worker is deathly afraid of spiders too. She had just said something about a spider being in the bathroom and then I saw this thread.
I am not afraid of spiders....I don't LIKE them, but I'm not afraid. Now Bruce will scream like a girl when it comes to a spider. He usually makes me "get rid of them". If they are not in my way, I tend to leave them alone.
Now what creeps me out is crickets or grasshoppers. I know they won't hurt me, but I don't like the feeling of them jumping and landing on my skin. Ewwww!!!

[crow_noir]

What helped me out is when i found this one that was just sooooo darned cute! It was black with white stripes (I'm a sucker for that sort of thing. Skunks, Koli, the Guinea Pig someone on another board rescued... people and myself are starting to notice a trend. ) I tried to get him in a bottle, but he kept running away. I finally got him in. I just wanted to observe him for a day or two. I tried feeding him an ant but spidey was running away. You could almost see him running away with his arms flailing and screaming. Finally found out that he liked mosquito type insects. I kept him for almost a year. My goodness Henry was awesome!

He helped me get over my spider phobia quite a darn bit.

I'm still scared of them, but not quite like I was. There are still a few kinds that freak me out to all heck though. Like the yellow sac spiders.

...
I don't know what to do..does anyone know of any good ways to try and calm a phobia of spiders? I dont' think I can work like this for the whole summer, its driving me insane and I've only been here for 2 hours.

Please Help me!!!

[columbine]

I don't mind spiders, but I'm afraid of bug spray...

Anyway, being constantly exposed to something you're scared of can "wear out" the fear. Maybe the problem will just clear up on its own.

Spiders are getting a bad rap these days because a lot of "spider bites" are turning up among soldiers, daycare kids, and other crowded people. Problem is, the culprit isn't spiders but staph germs! Anybody with a bad spider bite should go to the doctor to make sure it's not an infection, especially if they play contact sports or have to deal with crowding, or work closely with people who live in a crowded place.

Love, Columbine

[M&M's Mommy]

Once in college, my roomates took some psychology class that says exposure to the source of the fear may cure a phobia. They decided to test that theory on me (without my approval, of course) - so, they caught a live spider & put it on my backpack, then waited for my reaction!! When I opened my backpack and saw that creepy thing.. I screamed my heart out then ... fainted & fell straight to the floor!

My roomates splatted water all over my face to wake me up, then applogized to me & continued to do so for months!! Of course I forgave them. That was probably one of the funniest memory of our time together!!

[kimboe]

Try to think about how good they are at getting other lil buggers...Maybe that'll help.

[Kalei]

Haha, thanks everyone! It's hilarious hearing all your bug and spider stories, its funny how such a little animal can create many funny stories. Well I got through my work day, but I was on the lookout for spiders constantly and after awhile of getting rid of them here and there, no more came lol, I must have got them all! lol but I bet I will have to put up with them again tomorrow.

But alot of you are right, maybe if I have them around alot I will get use them hopefully.