Fear of Spiders, Fear of Rats or Fear of Snakes?




Critter phobias are pretty common. In fact, they're right up there with heights, public speaking and flying.

Which is worse for you--being in a room full of crawling spiders, a room full of slithering snakes or a room full of scampering rats?

Snakes: Ophidiophobia
Spiders: Arachnophobia
Rats: Musophobia

As someone who has assisted with people with phobias for over 20 years, I have to say that sometimes immersing yourself until you are desensitized is helpful. Just look at it this way. You begin flipping through a Playboy magazine and after a time, you need a Penthouse. A while later, you troll around online looking for the most hardcore porn you can find. It's not hard to get used to stimulation and need something stronger. Well, in the case of phobias, you can build up a tolerance. These same techniques are utilized for the treatment of post-traumatic stress syndrome - the retelling of your story many times until it loses some of its teeth and you integrate it into your life experience completely. 

So, what are some movies that might help you? Let's see...

Ophidiophobia: "Anaconda," "Snakes on Planes," "Python," "Raiders of the Lost Ark."




Arachnophobia: "Tarantula," "Arachnophobia," "Eight Legged Freaks," "Kingdom of the Spiders," "Horrors of Spider Island."




Musophobia: "Ben," "Willard," "Food of the Gods."







Spider bite




Snake bite


Rat bite

In the horrible event you should actually get bit by one of these critters - here's some advice:

Spiders:  Identify the spider, get the spider and save it for showing to the doctor. If it is not a poisonous one, then cleaning with soap and water to prevent infection and applying ice are a good start.  Next, elevate the wound and take a Tylenol or aspirin. If symptoms don't improve in 24 hours, there may be infectious issues, so see your doctor. Some people are allergic or the spider might be poisonous and you thought it wasn't. Look for signs of distress like difficulty breathing, nausea, throat tightening, sweating, feeling faint. 

Snakes:  Don't take any chances. Get medical help immediately. Be prepared to describe the snake to the staff. Keep the wound at a level below the heart. Do not allow the victim to move or it will spread the potential envenomation more rapidly. Cover the wound with a sterile bandage. Do not try to cut, suck, tourniquet or in any way manipulate the wound or you will spread venom faster. 

Rats:  Rats generally will not attack unless there is something wrong with them, like potentially rabies, so having the creature to give to medical staff is helpful, as it is in dog bites. If a rat is cornered, it might defend itself. Control bleeding with pressure. Once bleeding is controlled, use soap and water. Place antibiotic ointment and a bandage. Watch for troublesome symptoms like heat, redness, fever, and pus. 


I'll just leave y'all on this note - 



What to do if you are bitten by a snake - LINK

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