Can’t even bring yourself to look at a spider without shivering? You’re not alone. Arachnophobia – the extreme fear of spiders – is one of the most common phobias in the world. And while most spiders are completely harmless, the fear can feel overwhelming, irrational, and very real.
For some, it’s not just an “ugh” moment in the bathroom; it’s an instant flood of panic, avoidance of certain places, and even a sense of being unsafe in their own home.
Why Do People Fear Spiders?
Spiders are fascinating creatures. There are over 52,000 known species worldwide, and they’ve been around for more than 400 million years. Yet less than 0.07% are harmful to humans. Despite this, spiders consistently rank near the top of global phobia lists.
Why? Part of it comes down to survival instinct. Our brains are wired to spot quick, unpredictable movements – like a spider scuttling across the floor – because those signals used to mean danger in the wild. Add to that an early negative experience, or even just seeing a parent or sibling react in fear, and your subconscious quickly learns: spiders = threat. From then on, your brain runs the same programme automatically.
However, fear isn’t something you catch; it’s something you do. And just as you learned to be afraid, you can unlearn it.
Katie’s Story: From Terrified to Holding a Tarantula
In my first episode of my Street Phobia Series: Face Your Fears, I met Katie, who had been terrified of spiders for as long as she could remember. Even seeing one behind glass would make her shake. Her earliest memory of this fear was on a family holiday, when a large spider hid behind a picture frame in their hotel room. Every night she lay awake, waiting for it to appear. That moment left a deep imprint – and her fear grew with her into adulthood.
When I first met Katie, she laughed nervously and told me there was “absolutely no way” she could ever get near a spider, let alone hold one. But in just one session together, using some powerful psychological techniques, we were able to disconnect her fear from that memory. By scrambling the way her brain stored the experience and attaching humour to it, the panic response began to dissolve.
By the end of the session, Katie wasn’t just calm, she was holding a tarantula. Her words afterwards said it all: “When he first put the spider on the table, I was shaking. Now I think it’s really cute. I even want a pet spider now.”
Katie’s story isn’t unusual. I see transformations like this every day. And they all prove one thing: no matter how strong your fear feels, it can change.
You can watch Katie’s transformation in that episode here, and see how quickly things shifted for her.
What’s Really Happening in the Brain
Your brain runs fear like a film. Something triggers the memory, your body releases adrenaline, and before you know it, your heart’s pounding and you’re stuck in fight-or-flight mode. But just as a film can be rewound, paused, or even dubbed with a comedy soundtrack, your internal “fear movie” can be edited.
In my book, Face Your Fears, I share how our subconscious strategies keep fears alive. The trick isn’t to fight them, but to change the associations. Once you shift the link between spider and danger, your nervous system stops overreacting. Instead of panic, you feel calm curiosity and sometimes even affection.
A Simple Technique You Can Try
If spiders make your skin crawl, here’s a gentle exercise you can start with:
- Bring up the fear in your mind: Imagine a spider – but don’t overwhelm yourself. Picture it as if it’s on a movie screen, in black and white, at a safe distance.
- Run the memory backwards: Play the “movie” in reverse – imagine the spider scuttling backwards, the sound reversing, even people talking backwards. It may sound silly, but it interrupts the brain’s usual pattern.
- Add humour: Picture the spider wearing a tiny hat, or being narrated by your favourite comedian. Laughter and absurdity break the intensity of the fear.
- Repeat: The more times you do this, the weaker the old association becomes. Over time, your mind learns that spiders are not a threat.
This won’t cure arachnophobia overnight, but it’s a small, safe way to start changing your reaction.
Freedom From Arachnophobia
Imagine calmly spotting a spider in your bathroom and carrying it outside instead of freezing or screaming. That’s what happens when you change the way your brain stores fear.
I’ve seen people transform their lives not only with spiders, but with phobias of flying, heights, public speaking, and more. Fear is just your brain’s confusion. Once you learn how to re-edit the fear film, you step into freedom.
If fear of spiders is controlling your life, remember: arachnophobia has a name and it has a way out.
I’ve worked with countless people who believed their fear was permanent, only to see it vanish once we rewired how their brain held onto it. You don’t have to keep living in fear. No matter how strong it feels right now, your phobia can change.