Arachnophobia is one of the most common phobias on earth. According to statistics, every fifth man suffers from a fear of spiders. Among women the rate is even higher. Uncontrollable fear of insects interferes with normal life. And they can be found everywhere: meadows, fields, city apartments, public institutions. This is the essence of spiders. Let's look at the causes of fear and ways to eliminate it.
Causes of fear of spiders
Scientists talk about several theories about the origin of arachnophobia. A psychological disorder of this kind is explained by various reasons and has many factors of origin.
Interesting facts about arachnophobia
- In some religions, killing a spider is considered a sin.
- There is an opposite statement: one religion believes that killing an insect removes 40 sins from a person.
- Today there are African tribes where arachnophobia is completely absent. People peacefully coexist with insects and eat them.
- If one of the parents is susceptible to this phobia, the risk that it will be passed on to the child is very high. Children copy the behavior of adults and begin to fear along with them.
Scientists believe that one of the possible causes of arachnophobia is a significant difference in the structure of the spider’s body. Most animals have a similar build to humans. Arthropods are strikingly different, which on a subconscious level can cause rejection and hostility. And this is a prerequisite for the emergence of the phobia itself. According to this principle, people are afraid of snakes.
The reason for arachnophobia may lie in the awareness of the population about the presence of deadly individuals. The same reason causes fear of diseases and provokes other fears. A person imagines how a spider bites him, after which he dies. This thought becomes unbearable, is embedded in the subconscious, and pops up every time you see an insect, even on TV or in a picture.
Another reason for the development of arachnophobia is the unpredictability of animals. Spiders jump, they are very fast. Their web is sticky and unpleasant.
Arachnophobia is more common in people who live in areas where poisonous species live. The real fear of death provokes a subconscious reaction even to small individuals.
Education and school
As befits films about teenagers, most of the action in Potter takes place at school. Before us is a model of an ideal education system, which every viewer immediately began to dream about. Meanwhile, there is nothing supernatural in the fairy-tale Hoggwarts school: this is an example of an institution based on the principles of classical education, in which teachers try to teach their students life values and the desire to comprehend knowledge, and not forcefully shove structured and chewed information into them in the form of dates and quotes , which flies out of your head the morning after the exam.
The school that the teenage orphan goes to lives a special life not because it teaches witchcraft, but because it has historical, cultural and spiritual roots. It instills spiritual values, educates students, and creates a unique educational environment.
What are the dangers of arachnophobia?
Arachnophobia is the fear of arachnids, even to the point of death. This phobia gives rise to primal fear, as if there is a danger of attack. A person has a desire to kill an insect. The instinct of self-preservation tells him so. Otherwise he will not feel safe.
A phobia can cause attacks of fear in which a person loses consciousness and his blood pressure and pulse begin to rise sharply. This is dangerous to your health. If you have heart disease, such panic attacks can cause a heart attack or stroke. They can also cause cardiovascular diseases, ulcers, and gastritis.
The released adrenaline is designed to make a person run, escape or fight. What does a person usually do when he sees a spider and experiences a panic attack? He calls his neighbor to kill him. And then he can’t calm down for a long time. Adrenaline finds no outlet. It poisons the body, accelerating the pulse. It wears out the heart. The more often such attacks occur, the more damage arachnophobia will cause to a person.
Conquer your fear
Everyone is afraid of something: heights, darkness, loneliness. Sometimes these fears are embarrassing to admit. Sometimes it seems that we are powerless over our fears, that other people are free from them, and therefore they are stronger and smarter than us. But the Harry Potter films free us from feelings of inferiority: even wizards and wizards are afraid of something.
Harry Potter is afraid of chickening out at an important moment, Ron is afraid of spiders. Almost everyone is afraid of dementors - creatures that bring gloom and death, and the Dark Lord. Overcoming these fears does not lie on a magical plane; this is a consequence of the moral efforts of the heroes. Victory over them means victory over your enemies. It is no coincidence that Harry is the last “horcrux” of the Dark Lord. To defeat his main enemy, he must defeat himself.
How dangerous are arachnids really?
In what situations does an insect attack? If he has to defend himself. They do not feed on people, and therefore do not consider humans as food. Hunting is excluded. A spider attacks if it accidentally gets close to a person and feels threatened. Some animals will start to run away, others, defending themselves, will try to defeat the enemy.
When you see a spider, do not rush to panic. Move to a safe distance, look at his behavior. It is unlikely that the spider will decide to settle scores with you for noticing it. The animal goes about its business. Go on your way too.
But this is only possible if a person sees an insect in nature, outside the house. The situation changes radically if a person goes into the bathroom and there sits a huge karakurt with furry paws on the wall. He cannot be kicked out of the house like someone else's cat. Here instinct demands to kill a dangerous animal. No other way. If an arachnophobe went to get a slipper, and when he returned, there was no spider on the wall, he will probably call a special service or simply leave the room. After all, if a spider has gone somewhere, it can return just as unexpectedly. But you can’t live in constant fear.
Chosen by fate
Harry Potter grew up among people who were alien to him in spirit, although they were related by blood. This feeling is very close to many teenagers; they are trying to isolate themselves from reality, to escape into the world of fantasy. And so Harry receives a letter brought by an owl, finds out that he is not an ordinary child, but a wizard, and goes to the fantastic world of his own kind.
Teenagers, feeling their isolation from society, strive to find themselves, their own “I”, leaving reality. But she lies in wait for them at every step, scorching the wings of their dreams. Therefore, the meaning of the first Harry Potter films is the solution to typical teenage problems: relationships with relatives, adaptation in a team, relationships with friends, falling in love, envy, gossip, attempts to gain authority among peers.
The childish spontaneity and adventurism of the first three films are replaced by a teenage thirst for adventure, efforts to find answers to sacred questions about the meaning of life, and now in the final film “Deathly Hallows” we see young men and women who are no longer children, but who have not yet lost their childish faith in Good . They left their mischief and learned to think like adults, make important decisions and take responsibility for them.
How to treat a fear of spiders
Fear of spiders can be treated with several methods. One of them is psychotherapy. This is the most effective remedy. Your doctor will help you find the cause of arachnophobia. He will correct the “mistake” that led to a series of incorrect mental reactions to insects. Sedative medications are used as an aid. Their choice depends on the person’s condition.
Only an experienced doctor can assess a person’s psycho-emotional state. He will also help you find the reasons for your fear of spiders. Sometimes they go back to deep childhood. To identify the cause, hypnosis and other methods are used with the patient’s consent. Contacting a specialist is the surest way to get rid of the problem.
How to get rid of arachnophobia yourself
Unfortunately, the practice of visiting psychologists is not common in our country. Not all hospitals have them. Sometimes it is simply not possible to visit a doctor. Then you should try to get rid of the fear of spiders on your own.
There is one simple, proven way to combat arachnophobia. It consists of actions that contradict fears. Psychologists recommend not hiding from fears, but facing them. When a person follows the lead of his fear, the latter only gets worse. If you avoid spiders all the time, your fear will increase.
First, study all types of poisonous individuals. Find out which ones are available in your area. Read about the cases in which they attack. Spiders are not always poisonous: in some species, only females have poison; it is released only at certain times to protect the offspring. This dramatically reduces the chance of being bitten.
Fairy tale and reality
A fairy tale is necessary for adults to return to childhood; children need a fairy tale to engage their imagination. The whole question is what life lesson, according to the saying, “good fellows” will learn from the hints scattered along fairy-tale paths. The heroes of the Potter films are magicians and wizards; but supernatural abilities do not make their life easier.
At the most crucial moments, magic wands are powerless, but ordinary human qualities help. Heroes need wisdom to make a choice between good and evil, they need trust and devotion to come out of any situation with honor, they need honesty and firmness to defend their principles. And here, the skills of brewing witchcraft potions and knowledge of spells do not change anything.
Stories about poor orphans who huddle in a closet under the stairs and then become rich and famous have given the world many beloved heroes, starting with Cinderella. Looking at a thin boy in glasses, bullied by nasty fat relatives, the audience immediately understands that they are in for an exciting story with a brilliant ending; waiting for this ending makes you believe in a better future - both for yourself and for Harry.
Recommendations
Remember that any phobia limits you. To follow your fears is to be their slave. Fears are treated with the opposite behavior. You can choose a softer method and make an appointment with a psychotherapist. You can cope with fear on your own by showing your will. Force yourself to pick up the spider. You will understand that this is a living creature like everyone else. It just looks different. It is also afraid of you and wants to live. Believe in yourself: a person is able to overcome arachnophobia.
Yulia Dovgal
Author of articles. Student at Moscow International University, Faculty of Psychological Counseling. I understand phobias, complexes, and psychological trauma.
Defeat death
Harry Potter faced death without fear, as a worthy opponent, and the Dark Lord, trying to defeat death, changed his nature. Love and the will to live made Harry a winner; his opponent became a hostage to death and lost.
The Dark Lord played hide and seek with death, disfigured his soul and the souls of those whom he involved in his dangerous games. Harry did not try to overcome death using magic or other means; he loved and made friends, cried and rejoiced, and therefore was able to gain the upper hand in a duel with a strong and experienced enemy.
The magical power of friendship and love
The trio of friends and the classic love triangle - Harry, Ron and Hermione - have fans worried: how will their relationship work out? Harry lost in this friendly duel; She and Hermione are too strong personalities; their union would be impossible. Ron's jealousy was in vain: Harry could not hurt his heart. Psychologically dependent on a stronger partner, Ron found his support and support in Hermione, and Harry fell in love with his sister, reliable and faithful Ginny.
Married couples developed harmoniously. Love in the world of Potter is not an all-consuming passion that pushes a person to madness, but a strong and deep feeling that gives joy and self-confidence. This is the only force in the world that defeats both the terrible spells of enemies and death itself. The unwritten “code of camaraderie” of heroes included respect for a friend, loyalty, decency, equality, and willingness to help.
Moral and psychological aspects of films
To be true to principles, to be able to trust friends, to resist evil with all one’s might is the main meaning of the franchise and the moral that unites all seven films, which raise all the pressing issues: racial and national tolerance, chauvinism, gender equality, the influence of the media on human consciousness, ethical problems in science, problems from the field of political science - government, corruption, abuse of power.
They entered the top thirty highest-grossing films in the history of cinema. The characters in the film grew up along with the audience; they fought together, loved, were friends, suffered from insults and injustices. And if we peel off the “magical” husks from the epic, we will see a teenage novel about growing up and developing a personality that is exciting with the truth of life.
