Fear of Spiders

Question

1.  I have such a strong fear of spiders that I don't want to be in a house that has one. This makes my social life more complicated than it needs to be. Can hypnosis help me?

2.  I am looking into helping my father get over his fear of spiders and I would like to know a little more about what you do. How often does hypnosis actually work, and does it work for good? Is hypnosis a popular thing, and are people generally satisfied with the results? How exactly do you do it? My father is very sketchy about trying anything new, and he wants to be sure that nothing is going to happen to him and that it will really work. Please write me.

Answer

Hypnosis is a highly effective method for conquering fears and phobias very quickly, (1) by helping the subconscious self become realistic about the situation, (2) by facing the original source of the fear, and (3) by giving suggestions that guide you through such situations in a relaxed and un-fearful way. Your deeper self soon accepts this new approach to spiders, or birds, or snakes, or crossing bridges, or any other kind of fear.

A good therapist will want to help you seek out the source of your fear or phobia. Then he/she will help you "clear up" that source of fear, through methods that give assurance there is no longer danger, or by handling some issue that the phobia is merely a symbol of. Once that has been accomplished, then suggestions that you are unafraid will be accepted by the unconscious/subconscious levels of your mind.

Here is what one of my clients said about her own fear, which was just like yours when she first came to me:  "Miracle of miracles, I was able to be in the same room with a spider, and actually sit and watch it move across the windowsill near me without flinching, or feeling that I had to leave immediately. What amazes me even more, is the other fears I had, such as crossing bridges and being in high places, are also gone."   

As for your concerns about hypnosis, it’s been used effectively for centuries. The American Medical Association in this country, and most medical associations in other countries give their consent for its use. More and more medical and lay journals are coming out with articles on the use of hypnosis for many health problems, as well as psychological ones. It uses very normal responses, and it can’t be forced upon someone; therefore, nothing can happen to a person during the hypnotic procedure.