82 comments!

Dear Dish-It: Scared of Spiders

Dear Dish-it,

I'm afraid to sleep in my room ever since this HUGE Brown Recluse Spider was in my room. All spiders love my blood. Now every night I sleep in the living room. What do I do to not be scared anymore?

Fantasia

Scared of Spiders

Dear Fantasia,

Sounds like you may have a bit of a condition that’s known as a Phobia - which is a fancy word to describe an extremely strong fear of a situation or thing. According to KidsHealth.org, it is also a kind of fear that doesn't go away. Kids who have a phobia will be afraid of something every time they see or experience it. They won't just be afraid once or twice. Kids who have phobias often go out of their way to avoid the situation or thing that scares them.

Scared of Spiders

There are many different kinds of phobias. What you may have is arachnophobia, which is a fear of spiders. No one really knows why certain kids, like yourself, have phobias. It may have to do with your genes or with an experience you had when you were younger. The good news is, phobias like your own are totally treatable (translation: you don’t have to sleep in the living room forever!). You should start by making an appointment to see your doctor. After you talk to him or her about your fear of spiders, you may be referred to a specialist who can help you deal with your phobia. Or, your doctor may have some suggestions for you or show you some relaxation techniques or exercises that will help you calm down when you are feeling especially frightened. Depending on how great your fear of spiders is, and how hard you’re willing to work to get over it, it may take weeks, months or a bit longer to feel completely comfortable sleeping in your room again – scary old spider or not!