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Phobias fear of snakes

by sindust
10 replies
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I have this awful fear of snakes and it is getting to really affect every thing I do. I have went to several psycho-therapists with no avail. I saw on the internet a dvd on the nine minute phobia cure. Has anyone had any experience with these dvds? I dont have money to spend on those thousand dollar courses that might not even work. Thanks for any response Rich
  • Profile picture of the author Killer Joe
    Obviously I don't, but when I showed my wife this picture she almost became upset. Now, this is just a snake that hangs around my buddy's place out in the country. He's a black rat snake we affectionately named Obama.

    Perhaps if you could put yourself in a situation where someone you trust can let you handle a snake you would see that they are not as bad as you believe. I'm holding this guy on a stick, but I could just as easily be holding him by his head. I've been bitten by a black snake on my fingers before so I'm aware of any pain he could inflict as a nonpoisonous snake.

    We like having him around because his diet consists of rats and mice and a few other pests we don't want up at the cabin.




    It's a shame snakes have such a bad reputation. They are actually very beautiful creatures. However, we do need to dispose of all the copperheads we have around this place. Those fellas can darn near kill you and they're completely unwelcome as they are beautiful.

    KJ
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    I used to be scared mindless of spiders. I still don't like them but they don't strike terror into me. I think the change was because when they see you move close to them they cringe and show fear. It's hard to be afraid of something that has to fear for its life even if it isn't beautiful to you. They bite, but they do so only because they are afraid - all animals will do that. If you try thinking of it as just another life that got stuck in a body you don't find pretty, that might help.
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    Sal
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    • Profile picture of the author sindust
      Thanks for responding KJ & Hey Sal. Without going into the whole story of my life, the rat snake your holding KJ is the reason I am afraid of them. I had a very traumatic experience when I was five years old with a large rat snake and have been terrified of them since. The old farm houses we lived in while I was growing up always had rat snakes in the basements, and into the walls and even up into the kitchen and etc, thus it just kept driving it deeper into my brain. Fortunately my wife and kids are not afraid of them and that helps. Hypnosis didnt help, psychotherapist didnt either. I cannot get even close to one without chilling and cringing. I guess I will die with this in me. Sorry for the long post. Rich
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      • Profile picture of the author sindust
        I do agree they are mostly very beautiful creatures too badso many of us have to be afraid of them. I am so terrified of them I wont run over one with my car or even get near a dead one.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    This is going to sound a bit rabid, Rich.....but did you ever try talking to them? If you hear one or see one, ask it what it is doing there and tell it that it should find a better place to live where it would be less of a fright factor. Tell it you are frightened of it or even about some piece of news that you found interesting that day. It seems to me that it is much harder to be afraid of something you see communication with than something that you just automatically revile from. Try telling it you won't hurt it but would like it to go away. It won't go away of course, but it will give you a strange sense of power over it that you are allowing it to be unharmed.
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    Sal
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  • Profile picture of the author Mari Raven
    I do have fear of snakes, but there are few chances to see snakes in daily life, so why this would affect the things you do?
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      Sal has a good idea - your fear is breeding fear. Anything you can do to feel more in control is good.

      It might also help to learn more about common snakes. After all, they are living creatures and some of them have fascinating habits.

      If you have a nature center anywhere near you, that might help more than 100 therapists in an office setting. If you could find such a center and talk to people there you might be able to calm some of the knee-jerk reaction of the fear by being exposed to smaller, harmless snakes (which can be quite beautiful). You may never totally get over a fear you have from a childhood experience but you might be able to temper it with real and factual information so it doesn't continue be a growing phobia.

      Chances are the fear you have now is greater and broader than the fear you had during childhood. Fear feeds on fear - and phobias are born.

      kay
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      • Profile picture of the author Kurt
        Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

        This is going to sound a bit rabid, Rich.....but did you ever try talking to them? If you hear one or see one, ask it what it is doing there and tell it that it should find a better place to live where it would be less of a fright factor. Tell it you are frightened of it or even about some piece of news that you found interesting that day. It seems to me that it is much harder to be afraid of something you see communication with than something that you just automatically revile from. Try telling it you won't hurt it but would like it to go away. It won't go away of course, but it will give you a strange sense of power over it that you are allowing it to be unharmed.
        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        Sal has a good idea - your fear is breeding fear. Anything you can do to feel more in control is good.

        Just don't tell sindust that snakes don't have ears and can't hear...
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        • Profile picture of the author HeySal
          Originally Posted by Kurt View Post

          Just don't tell sindust that snakes don't have ears and can't hear...
          LOL - they don't need to hear you. Talking to it strikes a recognition of it as being just another creature and nothing particularly fearsome. I always talk to spiders when I put them outside. It reminds me that they are just little guys trying their best to live just like we all are. I put a glass over them and slide paper under the glass then tip it over and tell them that I'm taking them out where they will have food and will be happier. It keeps me from getting too nervous about them getting on me during the transfer. When I was a kid I'd get so scared I'd sweat, become nausious and have nightmares over those things. I highly believe that seeing them cower and talking to them is what made me able to quench my fear of the little guys. Not sure they can hear me either. Just figure they might be able to sense that bad things aren't going to happen to them just because they are a bit creepy.
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          Sal
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          Beyond the Path

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        • Profile picture of the author Lawrh
          Originally Posted by Kurt View Post

          Just don't tell sindust that snakes don't have ears and can't hear...
          And all this time I thought Harry Potter was a documentary
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