aracnaphobia (is that how u spell it??)

[liz]

I have a severe phobia of spiders, it rules my life. About 9 years ago i had systematic desensatisation therapy which was hell! It helped a bit but i feel like im right back where i started again, is this normal for the treatment to 'wear off' ? is there anything else i can try?
any suggestions would be great.

thanks liz

[Meg]

Liz,
If you don't occasionally keep up the exposure, then the feelings about how OK it felt after the desensatisation fade into memory and you start to give energy and belief to the thoughts and feeling surrounding your fear again.



Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[stimpy]

Ohh another Liz ! Cool.

When I was a Classroom Assistant, all the horrible little boys would chase me around the garden with creepy crawlies - Yuck !
The more they discovered I was afraid of them, the more they would chase me with them.
So I decided it was time to toughen up. Eventually I was picking up the creepy crawlies and chasing the kids around the garden with them.
My boss, The Deputy Assistant Head, caught me, and I was made to go back inside the school and get on with some horrid paperwork. All the kids laughed at me and pulled faces at me for the rest of their lesson.

If you have learned to deal with horrid creepy crawlies, and then you stop being around the creepy crawlies, you forget how to deal with them and become afraid again.

Try a little light gardening, it gets you in the fresh air, gets you used to being around the creepy crawlies again, and as you are in an open space there is enough room for you to run like the wind if one gets too close for comfort. Eventually you will be able to get nearer to them with out having to run away.

Good Luck.

Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx

[:p] Panic Monster & Scatty Eccentric

[Brownie]

Hey Liz,

I also have a verrry severe fear of spiders it's awful. I have never had any therapy for it though. But I simple feak the hell out if i see a spider! everyone tells me its so stupid to be afraid of something smaller then you but they are just creepy!!!!!! I dont think i will ever get over this phobia being i have had it my whole life but i wish it would just calm down. I am always worrying there is a spider everywhere i am, so i know what your going through. But sometimes we are just very scared or dont like some things and we just have to deal with it in our own way. You may have a more severe phobia of spiders then me but i dont think all the therapies and things work. Well thats just my opinion. Maybe you just need to go for another session. Well good luck...and i hope you feel better soon!
I know Im not much of a help but i just figured i would share with you that I have the same phobia.

-Christie[:I]

[liz]

thanks christie,
its good to know that im not the only one whos life is ruled by those horrible little creatures!
hope things are going well for you
x