Fear of cobwebs

[Marginalia]

This is kind of embarassing, but I am more afraid of cobwebs than anything else concrete. I guess it's just a strange variation on arachnophobia, but I haven't ever met anyone whose phobia was more centred on spider's webs than on spiders (though I'm not really keen on spiders either). It's not a debilitating phobia so it's not a big issue for me, but I am curious to know if anybody else on this site has this particular phobia.

[Marginalia]

Argh - I just got out of the shower when I spotted a really long strand of cobweb floating from the bathroom light. This is the worst situation: to be naked and the cobweb blowing in the breeze. I watched it swing towards me... then after going into a frozen panic pressed against the wall I then constructed a plan. It started to swing away again and I managed to grab my dressing gown and shoes, squeeze out of the door and get my cobweb brush (the longest-handled one they had in the shop). The worst thing had been looking at it and thinking of it 'getting me' when I had nothing on - I was in goose-pimples. Didn't panic as bad as I could have, though (not like earlier this year when I found a spider on my towel when I grabbed it after the shower, and as I dropped the towel in fear I threw my arms out and bashed my hand on the doorframe. Still have the scar. Spider-phobia scar: not one I boast about ;)

Just to add I'm OK with this - it's annoying but kind of amusing - not seeking support - no need to reply. Just funny that the day after I post about the phobia I had this experience - but it's probably because it's that time of year - I'm a person who finds the beginning of winter a relief, because the cobwebs die down. :blush:

[Sbetsho]

Hi! I have this phobia as well. It's pretty rare I guess. My phobia comes when I was a kid and I was in forest with my father and my cousin to pick up mushrooms. We would also check out cobwebs and admire them. However, once I think my father suddenly shouted "Look at that! That's huge!" I thought he meant a mushroom. I did saw a nice big mushroom at that direction and ran to it. However it appeared that my father admired the huge cobweb which I then ran into and I had the cobweb all over me. It was very traumatic as it felt absolutely disgusting.

Later in my life I couldn't approach any string of cobweb and if I accidentally had it touch my skin I would nearly freak out and quickly trying to wipe it off.
Once, a few years ago, I took a bicycle out and suddenly realized it had some cobweb in the handlebar and I completely paralyzed. I just stared at it in horror and couldn't move. After a few minutes I had enough courage to move and remove the cobweb with a stick.
Whenever I walk in a forest, I always have a long stick with me which I swing around constantly to take any cobwebs out of my way should there be any.

My worst nightmares involve dark rooms/areas which is filled with cobwebs and I'm trapped there.

[Anxious_gal]

Hey hope you are ok :)
I know exposure therapy can work great for phobias, In a way you a are lucky as cobwebs are much easier to avoid than things such as dogs lol

How do you cope at Halloween? Or is it just the real cobwebs that cause you fear?

[Magic]

Oh heck.
I know if I see a cobweb there must be spider somewhere. I have some spider stop spray and it is sprayed around every window and door.
I have a key to a house to keep an eye on when they go on holiday.
Honestly . I am in and out as quick as a flash, its full of cobwebs ugh!!!!!

[MajeekaRevel]

I have a cobweb phobia and have never met anyone else ever who has this fear. I love spiders just not their homes. I clean a house on a Wednesday and 3 weeks ago I stupidly looked up at the ceiling. I now dread going, I try to forget it's there. I was having constant nightmares one after the other about it the day before I went 2 weeks ago.

Is there a name for cobweb phobia? My fear has much to do with ghost trains, refuse to go on them now unless they don't have the cobweb sweeping accross youre face. I know now it's just a piece of frayed rope but the fear is fixed.

[ajones473@yahoo.com]

I went through a phase of being terrified of cobwebs when I was 7, & I remember accidentally touching one & screaming the house down & scaring my parents to death! they thought something awful had happened! Fortunately I grew out of it.

[Tessar]

omg; i so agree about all this, especially "if I see a cobweb there must be spider somewhere". i like bike riding, including off-road. had to avoid an area for a while as the bloody webs were awful. then i had an 8 leg object on my bike, i nearly freaked. if i see a big 8 leg (dont like the S word), i usually scream and then swear badly (rather embarassing if i'm at work as once happend, they thought i was lady-like til then). I had one appear from under our bath mat once. ever since then, any time i move it i automatically think there's one there. does anyone else do the whole "must check the walls any time i go into a room" thing....this year seemed really bad for big ones. yuk. i have tried exposing myself to them, did get better for a few years but really seemed to regress this year.

[luna pyang]

wow.. I really thought I was the weirdest among my friends and neighbors.. I have this kind of fear too.. like huge fear.. Im glad I found you people :)

[Ling]

I have this phobia, too.
Not only cobwebs, but also other cobweb-like stuff could terrify me.
Have you noticed the shining fishing strings someone hanging besides the riverbank?
Have you noticed that strand of blowing cotton candy goes sometimes disappeared and then appeared?
Have you tried the lotus root which is popular vegetables in China?
[never google the strings in the lotus roots]

Some clothes have this cobweb like fibers, too.

So, life definitely is a struggle.

[Corn]

Even the thoughts of having cobweb on me makes my body numb. I 'm also scared of spiders.

My 4 year old son removes cobwebs for me in the garden with hands or short sticks, he can even touch them (also touches spider).
I literally start having muscle craps watching someone touching or getting close to spider web, if I need to remove it I grab long stick or broom but still get shaky hands in a process:-)))

[Bigboyuk]

Hi Corn that's a interesting fear not heard of that one, what is you fear over cobwebs is it like you feel you are going to be entrapped like a insect and you cant escape?Spiders well wouldn't normally bother me but guess living in a different country I wouldn't like it Iam glad your son isn't terrified of spiders, but do warn him that some are very toxic. Are you receiving any therapy or meds to help you with your fears? ATB

[Theertha]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one. I've been afraid of cobwebs ever since I can remember. I think it started when mum used to stuff cotton balls inside switchboard holes to stop me from sticking my fingers into them. I'm afraid of everything that looks like cotton-hairballs, clouds, dustballs, bathtub foam and the worst one is cobwebs. A case of classical conditioning.

I love trekking and I had to stop going to forests because of my fear. I even stopped going for runs since the place I live near has cobwebs on streets. I put on ten kilos because of this.

The first thing I look at when I enter a house, is the ceiling. Removing a cobweb or going near it is out of the question. Thinking of it makes my stomach churn. I've woken up screaming plenty of nights, dreaming of webs. People must have labelled me as a loon by now.

I love all animals including spiders. But since spiders always come hanging on webs, I've started to become very afraid of them too. My friends don't understand, they think I'm overacting. Rarely do people help. This is the worst part-being dependant on people to help remove the web. I'm always mistaken as a high maintainance chick, too stuck up to clean. People think it's a scare I can just shake off.

After I moved away from family, I live alone now. If I see a spider or web at home, I would definitely not hesitate running outside home and paying someone to get it off. It has come to that. :(

[Bigboyuk]

Hi Theertha It's a interesting phobia to have but still not a nice one but what possible harm can come to you over a spiders web (apart from the obvious, a spider, which you weren't scared of previously) What help have you received for this phobia which is getting worse due to a spider being present too?