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Arachnophobia and Fear of Sleeping Alone

Posted , 4 users are following.

batjokes
batjokes

Hi.

I have arachnophobia which seems to be getting worse everyday. I check the corners of my room every two seconds to see if any spiders are there, and if some are I completely freak out. 

Yesterday, I saw three spiders in the space of an hour in my room and completely broke down and was crying uncontrollably, shaking and feeling completely pathetic and hopeless for a while. I refused to sleep in my room afterwards. 

I just have this intense feeling of worry and fear all the time and I'm on the verge of tears for most of the day and night when I'm awake. 

Also, I've slept in the same room as my sister all my life, and now that she's moving to university, I can't sleep at night and I feel even more fear because I'm up at night alone and no one will be there to make it all go away. 

My doctor said if it got worse, I should go back to her and she'd refer me to someone, but my dad says I don't need some therapist and I can just kill the spiders with a book, but he doesn't understand how deathly afraid of them I am. 

What can I do about any of this? I don't want to feel this defenceless and pathetic for the rest of my life. How can I make it go away?

 

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • carl36762
    carl36762 batjokes

    Posted

    Hey

    I don't like spiders. Not the slightest bit but I wouldn't say I have arachnophobia. If I know  there are spiders around me I'm fine so I can't begin to imagine what you feel. 

    I don't know if it would help at all but maybe cognitive behavioral therapy may help. It's used a lot for people with anxiety and I don't personally see much difference between anxiety and phobia.

    Maybe something to think about?

    • batjokes
      batjokes carl36762

      Posted

      Hi, thanks for replying! 

      It does sound like something that could potentially help, but again my dad doesn't want me to go and see a therapist. Although, if the fear escalates beyond this point, then I will have to get help. 

      I might just go and see my doctor again next week and explore my options with her and hopefully I'll be able to get better. 

  • derek76
    derek76 batjokes

    Posted

    Does your bedroom back on to the garden for so many spiders to get in?

    Why not spray some deterent round edges of the room?

    You don't by chance have a nasty little brother who puts the spiders in to get you worked up??

    • batjokes
      batjokes derek76

      Posted

      It's on the second floor at the front, so I don't know if its possible for them to crawl so high up. 

      I sprayed this citrus solution on the walls near my bed, but it obviously didn't work as one spider was crawling up the wall next to my face yesterday rolleyes 

      Any other suggestions on what to use??? 

      And ahaha, I don't actually, spiders just seem to live in my room. 

      I've seen around 10 in 3 weeks....I think they know I fear them tbh :P

    • derek76
      derek76 batjokes

      Posted

      We live on the 4th floor and still get some.

      Are they all the same kind?

    • batjokes
      batjokes derek76

      Posted

      A lot of them are the same kind, but recently, we've been getting bigger ones than usual in - probably because the weather has been so hot then rainy all the time.
  • carl36762
    carl36762 batjokes

    Posted

    To be quite blunt mate it shouldn't matter what your dad doesnt want you to do. If you need help then get it!

    I wouldn't dream of telling my son he's not getting any help. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you? I'm sure you could call the doctor yourself

    • batjokes
      batjokes carl36762

      Posted

      I'm 16, so I could probably arrange it myself. It's just that my dad thinks I'm just being dramatic and that all I have to do is kill a few and then I will be fine -.- 
  • carl36762
    carl36762 batjokes

    Posted

    People who have never experienced a phobia or mental illness are always the first to tell someone they are stupid or silly. Well you're not!

    Get yourself seen buddy. Therapy maybe the best thing you do

    • batjokes
      batjokes carl36762

      Posted

      My dad has "feared" spiders in the past, but his solution is to just hit them with a book -.-

      I've just seen another three spiders, but in my bedroom at my dad's instead of my mum's, and I completely broke down crying again. I don't know what to do about it because my dad would shout at me or something if I went in and told him about it. 

      This was the one room where I actually got decent sleep without fear, but there is no way I'm staying in here tonight or for a while. 

      Any suggestions on what to do now?

    • derek76
      derek76 batjokes

      Posted

      How about getting a mosquito net to put over your bed?

      There are plug in devices that you insert a capsule in that gives out vapours that kills of bugs and perhaps spiders as well. We bought one when we went to Africa on holiday.

      And one to scare you. When I first went to live in London when I was 19 I had a room with French windows that opened out to a garden. I came home late one night and as I drew the curtains there was the BIGGEST spider I have ever seen watching me. I grabbed a newspaper, rolled it up and savagely beat it to death. My landlady was not very pleased at the state of her curtains.

    • batjokes
      batjokes derek76

      Posted

      I may actually do that! A mosquito net wood make we feel safer... And oh? I'll have a look on Amazon now for them! smile

      Oh godd, literally that sounds completely terrifying. I'd have fainted xP

      and ahaha! what was wrong with the curtains?? Was there just bits of spider everywhere?? Ewww :P

    • derek76
      derek76 batjokes

      Posted

      Spider blood  and puss on them.

      I once worked over from a banana warehouse they used to get stranges things in the crates.

  • emily38319
    emily38319 batjokes

    Posted

    I'm doing the same thing right as I read this and my mum is not helping at all she says just stop being stupid but I can't help it. Firstly I saw a spider in my bed then I go in another room and see one, the worst part is it's night

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